MY LIFE IN THE UNITED STATES
After living for two years in Ottawa, Canada, I came to the United States as a legal immigrant in 1983. I settled down in Washington D.C. and bought an apartment in a condominium. My apartment on the 9th floor is quite spacious with a living room, a dining room, a study and a bedroom. The condominium has a large garden with many old trees and shrubs. Every day in the early morning, before others are up, I go down there to do my Tai Chi exercise.
My main hobby is reading. I subscribe to two newspapers in English and one in Chinese and several magazines on world affairs, politics and economics. I also subscribe- to a magazine published in Hong Kong as well as the China Quarterly published in England. These I read while I am eating my meals or waiting for water to boil etc. I spend a couple of hours doing serious reading. My regret is that I have very little time to read novels. I also enjoy going into the country. I have a Honda Accord sedan which I drive to buy food and visit friends. Whenever I can I would go to the country for a day or two.
On August 16th, 1988, I took the Oath of Allegiance at the Statue of Liberty in New York and became a citizen of the United States.
In June 1987, my book LIFE AND DEATH IN SHANGHAI was published in the US. It became a bestseller and was selected by the Book-of-the-Month Club as its July main selection. That same year, the book was named by many newspapers including the New York Times as one of the ten best books of the year. LIFE AND DEATH IN SHANGHAI is now translated into 15 languages including three translations on the mainland of China.
The National Press Club in Washington held a Luncheon in my honor on July 19th, 1990. I made a speech which was broadcasted on National Public Radio and ...carried on the program of C-Span. Since then I have made many speeches all over the United States at the invitation of Universities, Town Halls, organizers of prestigeous Lecture Series, Corporations, Women's Groups, and Religious Groups as well as Think Tanks in Washington and The Secretary of State Open Forum at the State Department. In 1989, I made 45 speeches.
Frequently I made T.V. and radio interviews. During the past three years I have appeared on all the network programs at one time or another. I receive hundreds of letters from readers and students on China as well asked for advice by people who go to China to work or invest. I keep an open house. When I am in Washington, my readers can telephone and drop in for a chat any afternoon.
From the earnings of my book and lectures I established a scholarship fund in honor of my daughter. The MEI PING CHENG MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND at Slippery Rock University, Pennsylvania gave the first Award in October 1989. I chose Slippery Rock University because this university is situated in a poor region of Pennsylvania and 70% of its students are first generation university students. I thought this would please my daughter Meiping who, during her short life of 24 years, always helped those who were less fortunate than herself.