Shiying Guo didn't speak a word of English when she arrived in America nearly 13 years ago, her life's possessions stuffed into two suitcases.

Guo, 44, who was an internist in Beijing, lives in a three-bedroom house in Towson with her young daughter and is studying full time for a master's degree in business.

"The scandals don't stop me from trusting business," she said, seated in her dining room. "American business ... has a long, outstanding history; it has earned the trust." In the United States "you have good here. You have got the best here," she said.

She remains a fan, for example, of software giant Microsoft Corp. despite its legal controversies and admires the philanthropy of its founder, Bill Gates.

"I just think he is genuine. He wants to push the country forward," she said.

"If I would never take risk, I would probably still be in China. The bottom line is, if I lose everything, I just go back to two suitcases."