Journal Excerpt: Gao Yuan

Out of her extremely busy schedule, Madame He, EFZ's Principal, took time today for a private lunch with me at one of the nice restaurants near the school.

I first conveyed to her Mr. Green's personal greetings and Madame He asked me to send her regards to Mr. Green upon return.

Madame He reiterated her welcome to us as the first contingent of our sister-school exchange program.  Madame He values particularly Peddie's relationship with EFZ.  She attributes this relationship to the mutual trust that both Peddie and EFZ have nurtured through leadership visits and the advantage of being able to communicate in Chinese between the two schools.  With the establishment of EFZ's new HSK Chinese Language Testing and Training Center- the first in China of such a center at the pre-collegiate level- Madame He sees that Peddie can play an active role in providing EFZ's young teachers an invaluable international experience.  Vice versa, EFZ will be able to receive more readily Peddie's students and faculty for both short-term and long-term stays in gradually increasing numbers.

I told Madame He that the preparations for receiving Mr. Hongliang Shi's visit in late March had entered their final stage and we would provide a comprehensive plan in order to allow Mr. Shi to improve his English skills and to observe up close how a U.S. private school functions administratively and academically - the two most important elements of Mr. Shi's visit this spring.  I also told Madame He that the plan to receive an EFZ group's return visit this December had started and more details would come as we move closer to the date.

Finally, Madame He extended her cordial invitation to Peddie School to send representatives to attend EFZ's 50th anniversary celebration in October, 2008.

[Editor's Note: The picture, taken by CJ at the famous West Lake in Hangzhou, depicts Mr. Gao standing in front of a historical plaque commemorating the role of Mr. Gao's villa in the war against Japanese occupation.  We're not sure this plaque actually refers to our Mr. Gao, but he isn't saying.]