When Cowboy Chicken Came To Town

Today during the lunch, one of the gentlemen who came and supplied the food was speaking about his journey to and in America. He was talking about how he came to America for a college education from Hong Kong. He spoke about how his family was not wealthy, so one of the only ways that he could possibly be able to come to the United States for education is if he got a scholarship. He talked about how he was rewarded a full scholarship, including tuition and room and board to go to the University of Long Island. He then spoke about how he went to pharmacy school, and then onto working at Harvard University doing research. His story reminded me of what the “American Dream” is. His story was both inspiring and intriguing to listen to. His story reminded me of Peter from the story “When Cowboy Chicken Came to Town.” Peter had grown up in China but then moved to the United States to get an education and to start his career, eventually returning to China to help run Cowboy Chicken. Although the gentleman at lunch did not return to Hong Kong, their stories are quite similar. After reading/listening to these two stories, it brings a couple of questions to mind, like; how popular is it for students to come to America for education? Do people usually go back to their home countries after they get an education, or do they stay in the United States? And lastly, do the people’s expectations of life in America and an American education live up to their expectations?