Leaving nothing to fall back on, Apple left Beijing soon after the Tiananmen crackdown in 1989, determined to receive her doctoral education in America. She spent the first eight months in Las Cruces, New Mexico. During this period, she navigated language barriers, cultural shocks, money shortages, job failures, romance, and heartaches. She coped with the loneliness of being far from her family and friends. Her story showcases humanity's spirits of curiosity, exploration, kindness, generosity, and resilience.