From Gansu Dust to Shanghai Neon

" You can either travel or read, but either your body or soul must be on the way." 

Mr. Benjamin refers to this quote from Roman Holiday as encapsulating his spiritual pursuits, and indeed, it echoes his life’s journey. Born in a small city along Gansu's Hexi Corridor, his journey has always been one that’s constantly moving forward. From the northwestern plains to the urban metropolises, he’s always on the way, evolving and growing.

"I was the youngest child, with an elder sister and brother. Never left my hometown before high school, never ventured outside the province until college."  

Gansu

Growing up in a humble family, with an older brother and sister, Mr. Benjamin knew the values of resilience and modesty by heart since early childhood. His parents, though not wealthy, worked with steady hands and quiet strength, diligently. “Their hard work was a silent lesson,” he claims.

Mr. Benjamin's academic path wasn’t always smooth. “Pretty average in high school,” he admits. But with determination, he worked his way into a Lanzhou University. In college, his dedication further earned him literally every honor, most notably the National Scholarship as the top student in his faculty. After graduation, he ranked 4th in his county and taught as a volunteer in a rural primary school for a year. This was the lesson he shared.

"Hold on, never give up—the harder you work, the luckier you get."  

The real turning point came in his senior year. After failing to enter Beijing Normal University for graduate studies, he refused to yield—teaching in the countryside while re-preparing, he eventually gained admission to East China Normal University. Moving to Shanghai marked his first departure from northwest China, exposing him to an international metropolis, which was something brand new.

"I built a life in Shanghai entirely on my own. Many can't believe it, but I did it."  

As he speaks, a faint flush rises to his cheeks. In Mr. Benjamin's eyes, Shanghai holds an inherent paradox: "prosperous, diverse, innovative," yet plagued by relentless summers and freezing winters. As a global metropolis, it welcomes and supports every passionate young soul.  

"Here, hard work will always earn you opportunities. People dare to dream big. They dare to strive.

Mr. Benjamin

His success, as he says, stems from accumulated effort and the diligence inherited from his parents. This trait pushes him to exceed limits, he is also passing down these valuable characters to his students through both words and deeds. After graduating, he taught for six years in Fujian, led two senior classes, then worked in Nanjing before joining his current school in 2020. For 12 years, he has taught across primary, secondary, and university levels, driven by a mission—  

"My ultimate goal is to nurture students' growth and carry forward China's historical and cultural heritage."  

"There's a saying online: 'Gansu children are born to leave Gansu.' I've become one of them." His eyebrows lift slightly, as if acknowledging an old truth, and a bittersweet smile tugs at his lips—there’s a warmth in his eyes like sunlight on weathered stone, but also a fleeting shadow, as if the wind from his hometown just brushed across his heart. Mr. Benjamin remains torn between Shanghai's convenience and Gansu's earthy warmth—a dichotomy familiar to all migrants.  

"Whenever I can, I return to that northwest town. It's where my youth took root, where family and long-held dreams dwell."  

Every summer and winter, he revisits Gansu, measuring the distance between home and city. "Sometimes I thought my success might come from that northwest grit—never giving up," he admits. In Shanghai, he fuses northern tenacity with urban ambition, like facing down a northwest sandstorm: you lean into the wind and keep moving.  

Perhaps life is a constant "transformation"—turning northwest sandstorms into southern mist, transforming candles into city neon. When asked about the plan after retirement, he replies simply: "I want to see the world, to witness how different cultures script human stories." For Now, he’s still here—teaching, walking, writing lesson plans, yet his soul’s journey has never ceased. In fact, his grand journey did not demand a dramatic beginning. It just started quietly - in the storms of Gansu, in the murmurs of his parent’s nurturing.