U.S. Orientation Center - Documentation

The U.S. Consulate, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and experts in the topics we present all volunteer their own time to provide guidance and answer questions directly from the audience. Currently, seminars are offered in Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing, Shenyang, Chengdu Taipei, and Singapore, but will be rolled out across Asia in the next few years.

Joyce has more than 26 years of experience in the banking industry. She specializes in trust, personal banking and international banking, with a focus on assistance to people overseas with financial needs in the United States. She was the Vice President of the International Personal Banking of Wells Fargo Bank and commutes between Hong Kong and San Francisco. Currently, Joyce is the Senior Consultant at Connecting Point.

As of January 1, 2008, founder, Joyce Yeung retired after 17 years of working in a Vice President position with Wells Fargo Bank. She headed the International Personal Banking Department in Hong Kong and expanded Wells Fargo’s presence in Asia through her business development strategies. Joyce’s primary reason for deciding to take an early retirement was to allow her the opportunity to pursue her goals in the non-profit sector doing work she is very passionate about.

In 2000, Joyce started the U.S. Orientation Center (USOC) in San Francisco as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, EIN # 94-3351798. USOC's main goal is to help immigrants and students coming to the U.S. by conducting pre-departure seminars on how to manage the transition; deal with practical matters such as pre-tax planning and banking; and adjust to the culture. Joyce wanted to devote more time to USOC while also taking on a new project in which she has set up a China-based NGO to help the visually-impaired. And thus, the organization "Insight" was founded.

The initial funding for Insight comes from Joyce and three of her close friends. As Insight is still in the early stages of development, the organization would like to reach out and request for donations or contributions in order for Insight to fulfill its mission of developing employment opportunities for the blind or visually-impaired. Part of the services Insight provides is computer-based training and as there is a current shortage of computers available at Insight, donations of computers as well as any software and equipment which could assist in training programs, would be welcomed and appreciated.

For more information on Insight and its mission, please visit www.insight4vision.com (coming soon)

At the time I decided to start Insight, I had a very nice job, great pay, was successful, and living a 5 star lifestyle. I was doing great in my career and at the peak of my life. Through my work, I was also helping my clients and the bank make a lot of money. But because of all this, I realized not only how lucky I was, but that life is short. At my age of 60, I needed to do something that had more than just monetary value and I wanted to contribute my "luck and wealth" back to the community. It is easy to just hand over money and have someone else do the job, but I wanted to use my finances, skills, and everything I've learned over the years to give back to those who need it most.

The more I learned and understood about the blind and vision impaired group I knew this was what I wanted to do. I think I can make a difference in their lives. I started to brainstorm the possibilities, beginning with where I should start, which city to base the project from, and finally I decided to come to Shanghai and I'm glad that I did. I chose Shanghai because it's very similar to Hong Kong, a world-class city and where I had been living the previous decade. Shanghai is easy for people to get together, network, and turn great ideas into reality. My Shanghainese team has really impressed me. They are very special, they are keen to make a difference in their lives and others' lives. They are all fighters and committed to the end goal.

Insight isn't only about me. There are many people who have helped develop Insight. People like Ann, our tutors, and all of our supporters are the real Insight. Your efforts and spirit have really inspired me. Although there is still a long way to go, it is a continuous effort and I am sure we will reach our goal soon.