First, my audit student Sarah Park, also our Engineering Librarian, stepped up to help me lead the seminar, Trust in Autonomy, so that my students did not have to drop the class at the point of passing the drop deadline.
Second, many friends came to help me pack my belongings so that I was able to get everything ready to leave in about one week. In case I were not able to come back when my apartment lease were due in the end of May, one friend offered to store my belongs in her garage.
Third, I got the opportunity to celebrate Chinese New Year on Feb 16 with my family in China for the first time in the past 10 years. Chinese New Year (using the lunar calendar) is always during the Spring semester in the US, so I was not able to go home ever since I came to the US in 2007. I wished that I had spent more time with my new nephew and niece, and then my dream came true in this interesting way.
Fourth, my high school classmate, Dr. Zhu, found me at my hometown, Wenzhou, and invited me to help him with his Child-Robot Interaction project to educate k-12 children with artificial intelligence. His new company has a 30-year mother company, Yalong, famous in producing vocational robotics training equipment in China. Below is the video intro of the company.
Sixth, I also got several job interviews and two job offers during my leave. When I finish my postdoctoral position at Duke University, I will have a place to go for my next step.
There are many more blessings in my life in the midst of my big trouble. I am just grateful that life is still full of faith, hope, and love.