by Carolyn L. Oliver (Author)
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.