The Japan Airlines flight to Beijing was an uneventful except for the sweet voice of the Japanese flight attendants. At the airport, after I got my luggage and went out, I looked around but didn’t find mom or dad in the waiting crowd. I bought an IC phone card to call dad’s cell phone and saw them immediately—they just entered the building seconds ago and were looking into the luggage area. They haven’t changed much in two years, except for the gray hair above dad’s ears. “Mom and dad!” I yelled at them to get their attention. I walked over and wanted to hug them, especially mom, but somehow I didn’t—I’m still regretting to this day. This would never have happened to an American, but once I landed in Beijing, I was back into my Chinese self.
Pushing my cart and dodging the guys with little flyers advertising cheap air tickets, we crossed the street and got into the parking garage. It was just like any garage in America, with multiple stories and painted but compact parking spaces. We walked to our car, a shiny silver Volkswagon Bora (Jetta in the US), which I have seen in pictures. Dad’s dream finally materialized, I thought.
Dad’s driving as mom still didn’t know the direction well. Parking was free for under 30 minutes—again, just like the US. Two years saw a lot of changes in China and I can’t predict what it’ll be like in ten years.
It’s already 10PM by the time we got home. Wife was waiting for me—she’d been back for about two months to treat her back pain (disc degeneration). She’s in pain and of course glad to see me.
I needed a rest, I thought, and quickly went to sleep.
I woke up at around 6AM, with no jet lag at all. It’s always been so smooth after every trip to China.
It’s nice to be home.
Posted by Shamu at August 3, 2004 04:54 PMYour "sweet voices" comment got me thinking: what do Chinese guys typically think of Japanese girls? What are Chinese stereotypes of Japanese girls?
Posted by: 托的 at August 4, 2004 02:08 AMOnce my schoolmate went back home for vacation. Her parents went to airport to meet her with camera and a bunch of flowers. This is her 1st time to go home. They didn’t see her for nearly one year. But when she appeared, they were surprised. She almost put ten kilo on weight. Finally her mother said, “ Welcome back. Let’s go home. Hurry up.” They even forgot to take a picture for her. Later she said: “they just don’t want to take picture for me. They feel shame for me.” : (
Posted by: Wendy at August 4, 2004 07:27 AMPersonal trip or business trip? Enjoy your time back home!! Envy you... :)
Posted by: juju at August 4, 2004 08:16 AM托的: I don't know what stereotypes we have for Japanese girls. But from the girls I saw in Narita Airport and Japan Airlines, I have to say they are more gentle and caring than Chinese girls, at least on surface. I've read somewhere about Japanese women and it says they are pleased to be women and really bring out the *womanhood* in themselves. In China, since the "liberation", women were taught to compete with men. As a result, most of them did not possess the womanhood. But nowadays, there's a reverse trend, as you can tell in cities like Shanghai and Chongqing.
Posted by: Shamu at August 4, 2004 08:49 AMWendy:
My mom and dad are normally not that sensitive to my weight, but my aunt is. Last time I went back, in 2002, every time she saw me, she kept telling me how overweight I was. I wasn't that bad at all by American standards. Lucky me this time I shed some weight from two years ago. But my sympathy goes to your friend. I know what it's like to be excited to see a relative after so long only to hear those comments. We Chinese are sometimes too direct. :)
On a side note, I've noticed in this trip that China has become such a health-conscious society, especially among the older people. My dad told me there's a simple economic reasoning, that they figured out it's much more economical to exercise than to go to hospital.
Juju:
This is a business trip and personal vacation combined.