Cai knew what he wanted to do and exactly how he was going to go about doing it! Having graduated from university with an English degree, he was one step closer to becoming an English teacher. The demand for English teachers in his country was high as it was becoming more and more Westernized, and it was increasingly more common for Westerners to take placements in Chinese universities and language institutions in order to teach the language.

Cai had always had a love of the English language and felt he could pass on his enthusiasm and knowledge to others, even though it was his second language. Before leaping straight into teaching, however, he wanted to further his own education even more and gain essential experience abroad, just like so many of his fellow Chinese graduates.

And where better to learn the language than in the United States of America where he could learn direct from native English speakers while he integrated into the society. He wanted to learn about the American culture and ways, as well as the language, as it was so different from Chinese culture. He felt this was important, not just for himself, but for him to reflect to his future pupils so that they had a fuller understanding of Western society and how the language is used, rather than just reading from books or listening to lessons.

His cousins had previously emigrated to the US after graduating so he was eager to find out what was in store for him. They´d lived in the city of Pittsburgh, and Ming-Lai retold stories of what a wonderful place it was, full of exciting new challenges and never a dull moment. His excitement mounting, Cai was even more determined to achieve his goal, and got ready for the long journey that would take him to the next chapter of his career in English.