奇速英语

美国学生在中国找到爱

Earlier this year, Katie married her Chinese boyfriend, Fei Xiaomin. Katie told Women of China she was looking forward to a lifetime of love and happiness with her family in China.

Katie's interest in China began with her mother's love for Chinese food. When her mother, Gretchen Ackerman, was young, she was interested in cooking; in particular, she was fond of Chinese cuisine. "Mom once read a book, in which it was written, 'If you want to truly understand Chinese food, you have to first understand Chinese culture.' So, mom started to study Chinese history, geography and culture. She soon fell in love with the country, and she began dreaming of visiting China one day," Katie recalled.

In 1999, Katie's father, Robert Ackerman, received an opportunity to work in China for one year as an English teacher at Shenyang Normal University. He moved his family to Shenyang. Katie was 8 that year, and it was her first time in China.

She said she was impressed by the warmth and openness of the locals. "They liked to talk to foreigners, whether the locals were able to speak English or not, and they showed hospitality to foreigners," Katie said.

After the Ackermans returned to the United States, Katie began studying Chinese on her own. She met Fei Xiaomin when they were studying at Shenyang Normal University. Shortly after they met, they became study partners. Fei constantly thought about ways to surprise and make Katie happy. Fei's parents approved of the kids' relationship, and they loved Katie very much. Now, they are planning to hold a formal wedding ceremony in May.