Imagining China

July 6, 2009


This summer I will be boarding Air Canada flight to China for a 7 week vacation with my mom, brothers, grandma and grandpa. We’re leaving on the morning of July 12th and coming back on August 30th - just a week before school starts. Too bad my dad has to work so he can’t come with us; it would be way more fun if my whole entire family was taking a trip together. Poor dad’s even going to have to spend his birthday without us. (Don’t worry, we’ll celebrate his birthday over the phone!)

When I was just a baby (5 months old) my parents brought me to China so my grandparents could take care of me. I came back about a year and a half later when my grandparents got accepted to immigrate to Canada. I also visited China with my grandma and grandpa when I was four years old, but this time with my little brother as well. During my stay, my aunt Shao-Wei got married and I was one of her flower girls.

Thinking back, I realize I don't really remember much of the environment and the people I met in China as a little girl. Only a few blurred memories here and there, but none which are vivid. Most of the things that come to mind when I think of China is what my friends and family have told me. This summer I plan to explore shop, meet many relatives and friends, and take pictures to remember the (hopefully) amazing time I will be having with my family.

Since we’re leaving for China soon, my dad suggested that my brothers and I should write about our expectations of China. When we come back to Canada, we write about how our experience in China was, to compare the two thoughts. Hmm, what an interesting idea! That got me curious about how different my two journal entries will be. Now you know the reason I chose to actually sit down and write this when I should be playing at the park on a beautiful, sunny day like today.

First things first, how do we get to China? The airplane of course! Normally, waking up at 6AM in the morning is definitely a major struggle for me. However, I have a feeling that won’t happen at 6AM on July 12th 2009. Knowing that I’ll be so excited the night before the flight, I probably won’t get any sleep at all but still be wide awake to go to the airport early next morning.

Since the airplane ride will take more than a day, it better be fun. Well, at least not boring, you know what I mean? Hopefully the food is decent but if not, I will try to survive on the 6 small packs of gum that mom packed for the ride. Ha-ha. My friends told me that there’s a mini personal TV for every passenger on the plane so I’ll probably be eating, watching movies, eating, listening to music, eating, sleeping and eating once again. Yes, I’m a lazy “pig”, so good thing there’s a washroom! (My brothers are lazy pigs too). My grandma told me some scary stories about people getting stuck to the toilets in airplanes because when they flushed the air sucked their butts to the bowl. That better not be true or happen to me. To end off my expectations of the flight, I’ll list some hopes of the seating arrangements. I don't want to get motion sickness so a window seat for me please! Also, not to be mean, but I better not be seated next to a stranger with any of the characteristics following: questionable hygiene, annoying, has H1N1/flu, and last but not least is too funny/creepy/scary. (Credits to my brother Jeffery for helping me think of the last few very important ones)

When I arrive in Hong Kong, I will be taking the bus all the way to Guang Zhou to my aunt Shao-Wei’s home to settle down. My impression/thoughts of China aren’t really great. I’m thinking dirty sidewalks, countless bugs everywhere, getting bitten by those bugs everywhere, lots of rain (which I hate), hard wooden beds, crowds of (sweaty and smelly) people, getting lost in the sea of smelly people, mean/rude shopkeepers, needles whenever you are sick, etc. Hopefully this isn’t all true, but I’m sure I’ll be in for a surprise. My parents warned me that in China it’s really hot and humid, not to mention that many homes don’t have A/C installed. How different from Canada! In our country, it’s more on the cold/cool side but practically every home has A/C. Now that I’ve listed a bunch of my (very depressing) impression, I will try to be optimistic and say at least one positive thing for me. I get to use a cell phone in China! (just in case I get lost), whereas I’m not allowed to have one in Canada.

During our visit, I’m guessing that we’ll be going to Yum Cha and seeing lots and lots of relatives and friends every single day. Wow, how boring! Good thing we’re going to shop a lot too. It must be a very different shopping experience from Canadian shopping. I heard there are street markets/shops everywhere instead of shopping malls. Bargaining is also going to be a new skill for me. My brothers and I are also looking forward to visiting the zoos, museums, theme parks, sight seeing and taking lots of pictures in the many cities we’ll be visiting (Guang Zhou and Hong Kong but also possibly Beijing and several others). When I come back, I aspire to proudly say that I’ve improved greatly in my Chinese and that I’ve been to the remarkable Great Wall of China so I’m not such a disgrace to dear China! Ha-ha. Most importantly, I wish to have an awesome vacation with lots of wonderful memories/experiences and gifts to share with my friends and family back home in Canada.

So after we get back, what next? First day of High School for me! Can’t wait!