A Crane Among Chickens: A Living Record of Friendship Shared Across Cultures

A Crane Among Chickens traces a remarkable thirty-year friendship between two teachers—one American, one Chinese—told through the intimate trail of letters, faxes, calls, emails, and WeChat messages that carried their voices across distance and time. The story begins when the author and Xi-fen from China meet through a teacher exchange experience. Xi-fen teaches in California, and the author travels to China in 1998 to teach at Xi-fen’s school. Reunited in 2004 for travels through China, they continue to weave a cross-cultural friendship that endures political shifts, technological revolutions, and life’s personal milestones. Part memoir, part epistolary narrative, the book offers a rare window into life in China and the United States as seen by two women committed to teaching, curiosity, and understanding. The correspondence reveals how a friendship built on respect, humor, and cultural exchange can bridge continents—and last a lifetime.