I　came　to　Wuhan　first　in　1990　when　I　came　to　“fetch”　my　bride-to-be.　She　was　the　first　international　student　in　South　Central　College　for　Nationalities.　I　must　confess，　being　in　the　throes　of　love　sickness，　I　don't　remember　any　of　my　impressions　of　such　a　major　city　then.

　Three　years　later，　married　and　with　a　two-month　old　daughter，　I　again　set　eyes　on　the　heart　of　China.  What　a　privilege　io　serve　the　crossroad　of　China--being　under　the　leadership　of　school，　municipal　and　provincial　authorities　and　personally　experiencing　China's　mysterious　culture.

　Having　previously　lived　in　Wuhan，　my　wife　saw　great　changes.　One　was　how　short　the　train　ride　from　Guangzhou　is　-when　she　first　came　it　took　22　hours，now　only　13　hours　-bravo　for　the　Railway's　diligence　to　increase　efficiency.　Another　was　Wuluo　Avenue.  When　she　left　in　1990，　starting　from　Zhuodaoquan　heading　east　was　a　narrow，　bumpy，　country　road.　Now　it　is　four　fanes　wide　connecting　up　with　the　Wu-HuangHighway.

　And　changes　for　the　good　have　continued　before　our　eyes.　I　remember　the　T-intersection　at　Fujiapo　back　in　1993　-vehicles，　bikes　and　pedestrians　going　every　way　all　at　the　same　time.　Today　there　are　dividers，　crosswalks，　painted　fanes，　traffic　light　and，　of　great　help，　traffic　police　who　tirelessly　direct　traffic　-　and　have　done　so　perseveringly　for　three　years！

　Several　years　ago　I　was　at　the　top　of　the　TV　tower　looking　out　over　the　three　towns，I　thought　of　my　friend　who　lived　just　below　in　the　shadow　of　the　tower.　He　is　a　chef　de　cuisine　in　his　own　right　-i've　tasted　his　specialties　on　several　occasions.　And　he's　a　jack-of-all-trades　as　well　-he's　fixed　our　bikes　and　taught　me　how　to　care　for　our　grinder，　to　name　just　two　examples.　And　he　uses　his　skills　to　faithfully　see　to　the　needs　of　his　family　in　the　face　of　financial　pressures.

　Looking　toward　Hankou，　I　thought　of　a　friend　not　even　twenty.　Talk　about　zeal　for　life！　He　was　just　starting　off　as　an　office　boy　when　we　met.　With　his　skills　in　art，　computer，　and　English，　and　with　his　character　of　obedience，　availability　and　alertness，　he　quickly　became　the　“Most　Wanted”　man　of　several　departments。He　has　since　gotten　his　BA　and　is　studying　for　an　MAall　in　his　spare　time.

    Looking　across　the　grand　Yangtze　River　toward　the　Cultural　District，　I　thought　of　South　Central　College　for　Nationalities　-her　beautiful　campus　beside　South　Lake，　the　friendly　neighbors　who　gave　us　homemade　Chinese　dumplings，　the　Foreign　Affairs　Officers　who　took　our　family　needs　into　consideration，　the　English　Department　who　helped　me　improve　my　teachlng　skills，　and　my　two　Chinese　teachers　who　let　me　into　their　homes　and　lives.

    So　whether　I'm　in　the　midst　of　the　hustle　and　bustle，　or　alone　at　the　top　of　the　TV　tower，　what　I　really　see　is　this　ancient　city's　resource　of　greatest　potential－her　citizens.