Introduction

Beijing-Changchun

Beijing International Airport

                                                            

My father was not in good health for a while due to his chronic kidney disease. Therefore, my son and I made a trip to China to visit my family during the past winter break. The 13 hour trans-ocean travel was a test of my endurance. The concerns over my father’s wellbeing and the noises from the fellow passengers in the packed airplane kept me mentally unsettled all the way. After landing at Beijing International Airport in the afternoon of December 20, 2010, we rushed to a railroad station to catch an overnight train heading for my hometown, Changchun.  Because of the short change-over time, we did not get to sightsee of one of the most vibrant cities in China, Beijing. However, we did have a makeup visit of a few famous sites in the city while we were on our way back to US. We arrived at our final destination in a cold and flurry falling morning, the next day. Just like anywhere else in China, construction and renovation sites were spread to every corner of the city. In the meantime people are prone to be irritated because of the traffic jam resulting from the construction.  Kevin was yelled at by a gentleman since he thought Kevin blocked his way out.  Thank God, we got into my parents’ community without an incident.

Nanhu Park at Night

Changchun Geological Society Square

With only about 200 years of history, Changchun, the capital of Jilin Province, is a fairly young city. The city is located in the central Northeast Plain in China. Not only is it the political, economic, cultural, and transportation center of Jilin province, but also China's famous "Auto City", "Movie City", "City of Science, Technology and Culture". Changchun’s urban planning is somehow like idyllic European cities. The streets are straight and wide, with trees on both sides making the streets stripes of green. Furthermore, there are many squares with blooming flowers, which are the best places for people to relax, do morning exercises, and take entertainment. I vividly remember that in my childhood, my father took me and my sisters to go through Stalin Boulevard, now called Renmin Avenue, which was very wide, quiet, and full of pine trees growing alongside the road. The center of town has some buildings that are Japanese or European style, reflecting the Japanese occupation of the city during WWII and Soviet Russian influence on the city. Others are traditional Chinese style. Skyscrapers rise continuously and new residential regions appear one after another. Surrounding my parents’ neighborhood, there are many well-constructed condos, which look European. All these add lingering charm to the blends of culture ancient and modern, Chinese and foreign, and make the city more majestic.

The reunion with my family was short and joyful. It seemed that my visit also played a magic role in my father’s health. Right before my return his condition was improved to a point at which he was about to be discharged from the hospital where he had stayed for about a month. Through the interaction with my family members and others, and my personal experience during my 11 days of short visit, I had some thoughts over a few of social issues in education, poverty, and environment in China. I would like to take this opportunity to share them with you since these issues are also the hot topics in the society here.

References: 

 Chinahights (n.d). Beijing International Airport. http://www.chinahighlights.com/china-flights/china-airport/beijing-capital-airport.htm Retrieved March 24, 2011 from http://www.google.com/images/.

Inmagine (n.d). Nanhu Park http://www.inmagine.com/searchterms/nanhu_park.html Retrieved March 27, 2011, from http://www.google.com/images/.

Jilin101(n.d). Changchun Geological Society Square. http://www.jilin101.com/ Retrieved March 26, 2011, from http://www.google.com/images/.

Urunashii Kan Karate (n,d). Beijing-Changchun Map. http://www.nd.edu/~tyeh/karate/pictures/shaolin/Map%20of%20China%201.gif. Retrieved March 23, 2011 from http://www.google.com/images/