The author of this passage is a Chinese immigrant who spent their first 33 years in China and then moved to the United States in the late 80s. They experienced several significant events in Chinese history, including the Great Leap Forward, "Three years of Natural Disasters," Cultural Revolution, May Seventh Labor School, and being sent to the countryside for reeducation. Despite facing many obstacles, the author was eventually accepted into medical school and became part of the "Class of 77."