As a college student in Shanghai majoring in English, Lily Xu was eager to visit the U.S. and practice her language skills. When she made the trip in 2007, she covered a lot of territory. “I started on the East coast, visiting New York, Washington, and Philadelphia. Then I headed west to experience Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Diego, and even Hawaii.”
But it was the San Francisco Bay Area that made the biggest impression on her after she was accepted into the International Comparative Education Program at Stanford University. “My husband Kewell Wang joined me here, and after experiencing the vibrant local communities, the education system and the wonderful weather year-round, we decided this is where we wanted to live and raise our family.”
Becoming the first investors in the San Francisco Shipyard Project
“We started looking for EB-5 investment opportunities, and one of the first ones we explored was the San Francisco Shipyard Project sponsored by Golden Gate Global. We went to San Francisco to meet the team at the Regional Center and learn more about the project. After seeing the plans for the development and visiting the building site at Hunters Point, we knew we wanted to become part of it –– and it turned out that we were the very first investors in the project back in 2012”
Navigating a new life in Palo Alto
Since making Palo Alto their home, Lily and Kewell’s family has grown to five. “Having three kids age ten, six and three have kept me busy since we relocated to the U.S. And they’re doing so well –– they love school, have lots of friends and are even in a soccer club. They’re growing up bilingual –– attending an English-speaking preschool three days a week, and a Mandarin-speaking preschool twice a week. We appreciate being in an area where there’s so much diversity.”
Lily and Kewell have also been on their own educational journey –– learning about American culture, meeting new people and navigating areas like healthcare and the school system, which are very different from China. “We had to learn how health insurance works and the differences between private, public and Montessori schools. And now we’re getting a crash course in construction as we remodel our home and deal with contractors and building codes.
We’re learning so much –– and loving it.”
Moving patiently through the process
Lily and Kewell received their I-829 approval and permanent green card in May 2019. “It was an important milestone we’ve been waiting for since 2012–– especially since we’ve already made our home here and have children in local schools.”
Was waiting difficult? “It’s always a challenge waiting for something you really want,” notes Lily. “But we never had any doubt we’d be approved because the San Francisco Shipyard project was such a success and because our team at Golden Gate Global kept us informed every step of the way. It was such a positive experience, that we’re investing in another Golden Gate Global project –– a real estate credit fund managed by Golden Gate Global’s affiliated company Urbanite.
“When you have a strong partner on your side and a first-class project to invest in, all you have to do is remain patient and persistent about achieving your goal.”
Fun Fact:
What’s are some of your family’s new favorite foods in the U.S.?
I’m from Zhejiang, a province in eastern China south of Shanghai, and I miss the regional cuisine I grew up with. I cook Chinese at home, but my kids’ taste in food is very eclectic –– from pizza, spaghetti, and mac-and-cheese, to burgers from Shake Shack. It’s one more example of the cultural diversity they’re experiencing, growing up here in California.
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