It’s been almost 4 years since I started my first professional pilot job

For those of you who weren’t around then, I was a flight instructor in Phoenix teaching Chinese airline pilots how to fly from scratch. I did it for a year and a half and by the end I absolutely despised it, but my first group of students were always my favorite. Their names were Zhao Xiaolei, Wang Peng, and Liu Zhiming, or as I knew them by the Americanized names they picked, Benny, Leon, and Jesse. Anyway, I sent an email to all three of them recently just to see how they’re doing. I got this response from the one who spoke the worst English:

this is jesse here ，Ｉ am sorry I am late to re back to you, I just read the letter.congratulation for you great job,I thought you would be a controller,anyway,I hope you would be a pilot for  the big airplane and fling to china someday.I am fling B-737NG for two years,and I enjoy it too.So do Benny and leon.But i want get some more holiday to have a rest.We should standby everyday here.
It is a long time I have not write a letter in english,It is not easy for me right now,But I really glad to reserve your Message,please being in touch. Waiting for your message later!

So my first 3 students, the guys who I taught everything, from private, instrument, and commercial multi engine, are now flying next gen 737s for Xiamen Airlines. The knowledge I passed on to them is helping them fly hundreds of people around Asia everyday. That’s kind of cool, man.