I will have a ninety-day vacation in China, and I really want to keep writing journals in both English and Chinese when I am in China. Since my old blog site cannot be opened here, I decide to build a new one on a common Chinese website in order to keep write and post my daily journal.
In May 26th, three days after my final exams, I was departure from New York. There was only one stop at Hong Kong before the airplane arrived to its final destination. The flight from New York to Hong Kong was sixteen hours long. Because the airplane from Cathay Pacific Company was a newest type, rather than watch a big TV screen, each passengers enjoy a small screen individually. Everyone can choose different movies, TV shows, music, and games to watch or play by his or her own interests.
I have watched four movies, a TV documentary about African native tribes, and played several small games. For this reason, I did not feel the long hour flight was extremely unbearable. I stayed at Hong Kong International Airport around seven hours, including two hours unexpected delay. The flight from Hong Kong to Chengdu was much shorter that cost two hours and ten minutes. I arrived to Chengdu at 11:40 at night of May 27th. My parents and husband had already waited me here more than two hours.
I was not so excited by seeing them, which I was suppose should to be. I examined the unusual feeling and believed that the reason should be that because I called my family very often while I was separated with them, and we shared detailed things around our lives, so when we met each other face to face finally, there was little strange or alien feelings between us. The situation was like that I just had a few days trip to other city, although this was the longest time that I did not see my parents in my whole life. My husband said he had a feeling in common with me. We always understand each other very well. However, my mother disagreed with my opinion. She did not express her longings, but, definitely, she does not have a neutral feeling towards the separation. My father did not say too much on the way while we drove back home from the airport. He is mature enough and has experienced too much suffering and changes during his lifetime; he rarely shows a strong emotion to anything.
Today is the second day of my vacation. My husband and I went to the commercial area of downtown Chengdu for shopping. He brought me some T-shirts, trousers, a pair of contact lenses, and an expensive bag. I feel bad that I spent much of his money, but he replied, “The money is little for a husband spends for his wife for total two years.”
I access my college website everyday or even several times a day to check my grades. Yesterday, I finally found two grades from Art history and Anthropology history, they are both A+. I am so excited. I have expected one A+ among five of my courses. Every semester I get one A+, and I want one this time too. Two A+s are really a surprise. Although there is no difference on GPA between A and A+, I believe A+ shows my hard work on the course. My husband feels very happy for me as well. However, my father holds an different opinion about that. He thought I didn’t study hard in my young age; but now, it is the proper time when I should have children and take care of family, but I am crazy about study. He did not express his disagreement directly, but I sensed his criticism.
Prof. Sukhu gave me two As. For this reason, I won’t ask him to return my seal back. So far, I got two A+s and two As. I am happy about my grades. Yesterday I did not go out but stayed at home practicing calligraphy the whole day. In the morning, my mother went to a park to meet her friends; they played Majiang together. She asked me to go to a supermarket to buy some food for dinner by chance. I like to do that, but because she forgot leaving me the key of our apartment, I could only stay at home until she returned.
I know my English journals are boring, but I write them for the goal of practice. I am worried when I stay in China, there is little chance to use English. I have to do something intentionally for continuously improving myself. I watch English TV programs in CCTV9 as well.
The terrible earthquake of Sichuan is gradually gone although it is said that there are still some less intensive earthquakes everyday; most of them is too small and weak to be sensed by human beings. It is interesting to interview people’s earthquake experience. Seem as everybody has many things and opinions to express.
However, one of the serious problems of post earthquake is barriver lakes. Because of earthquake, numerous rocks dropped into rivers from nearby mountains and blocked the rivers, which formed the so call “barriver lakes.” So far, there are more than thirty barriver lakes in Sichuan. Some of them are safe, but some became serious threat because they can break at any time and the flow can result in huge damage on the downstream areas. Lately, residents of Mianyang and Santai were all arranged by the government to move to higher locations. Rather than running to high places randomly, people were assigned to specific areas to stay based on their communities. Obviously, it is not a pleasure thing to do.
There are two examples from my relatives who live in Santai. Uncle Long sent a text message to us, saying, “Staying on mountain, no food, no water, no toilet.” Moreover, nobody knows exactly when the flow will come and when they can go back home. My mother’s sister and brother-in-law are both in old age and under a bad health condition. Their child lives in a far away city and they have to take care of themselves. For them, the sudden retreat is extremely difficult.
My mother’s sister has called my mother to ask if they could come to Chengdu to live in our home a few days. Of course, my mother said yes. However, my father’s opinion is opposite. He believes that the flow can never come to Santai or make any significant influence here. He does not say he is not welcome them, and I believe he does not mean that either. He just wants to say that they really don’t have to worry too much of the flow; moving to mountains and another city are ridiculous. He has told my mother’s sister and her husband, “I can bet by my head that the flow will not come to Santai.” Thus, my mother’s sister and her husband decided not to come to our home. When the government insisted the residents to move yesterday, they went to mountains with others.
I will accompany my husband to go to Guanzhou tonight. We are trvaelling by train instead of airplant in order to save money. He will have an interview on June 10th for geting a non-immigration visa from the U.S.. If he can get it, he will go to America with me in the end of this summer. If he couldn’t get the visa, all of our plans will be changed. I believe there is a big chance that he will win, but that doesn’t mean we worry about nothing.
Last Sunday I have met my old coworkers in the Huanhuaxi Park in Chengdu. There were more than ten people coming. We drank tea in the afternoon near a river and had fish hotpot as dinner. Despite some of us have not seen each other more than six or seven years, we all agree that most of us still keep our old appearances. In other words, nobody looks older.
We discussed the happy and crazy things happened in our old company in the old time. We also spent hours to discuss the resent earthquake. One girl sitting next to me asked, “How do you think the subject will be if the earthquake did not take place?” I have thought about this question before as well. I think probable we will talk about the Olympic games. I am so happy to see my old coworkers, and I believe they are realy worthy to be called my friends.
I got an A- on my history 200 course. For me, A- is the best grade I can get from this course. I knew the two professors of this course are nice and this grade is fair. Thus, the spring semester of 2008, I totally got two A+s, two As, and an A- in my five courses. It is certainly not a bad result although I have expected all As.
I have returned China half month but seem as I have stayed there very long. I have spent little time to study English and I feel my knowledge of English is losing so quickly. It is so difficult for me to writing in English now. Moreover, I almost have no time to speak in English although I force myself to watch some English TV programs and read some articles loudly as more as I can. I have registered several difficult courses such as archaeology, biology anthropology next semester, if I stop studying English in the whole summer, I doubt if I can survival then.
on June 10, My husband received his visa in Guangzhou. When he showed me the note, I just could not believe my eyes. We have been separated almost seven years, such a long period. Anyway, since now, I single life style is going to meet an end.I sent emails and left text messages to my friends and relatives. I knew very well that they will be glad to hear the good news of mine. I knew they like me and wish me having a happy life.
Of course, the first person whom I contacted with is my father. I sent a text message to him as in word, “passed!” He replied, “That is good, take care!” I felt my father was so clam and cool. However, a few hours later, he made a call to us and complained, “you message is too simple.” Finally, I figured out that he is badly excited by this news as well as us.
