Thursday, March 30, 2006


Julia and Jen's Adventure at the Village

Three Cousins, Two Sisters, One Ancestral Home and priceless memories

March 4th 2006, Julia and I went to see our ancestral village in south China! It was a slow drive of more than six hours total due to traffic but well worth it. It was amazing to me to see where my father’s family comes from.

Now that I am a mother, I understand what it is to want to give your children everything in the world. To wish for them; a better life than that which you yourself had, to fulfill their dreams and aspire to give them every opportunity possible. Or at least I thought I understood that until I went to the village.

Going to the village was eye opening. It is nearly impossible for me to imagine what is was like for my family to leave their home to move across the world to a place that they had not gone on a visit to, which could not be researched on the internet, and where they would be unfamiliar with so many aspects of the culture. I could clearly see how much easier it is for my sister and her family who have (and continue to) move around the world when you can research a culture, learn the norms before you arrive, buy language books/lessons, or easily visit. I felt awe and true appreciation for the love and hope that my grandparents must have had for what was only the hope of me and my family when they left China. Certinally if they had not left China before the Cultural Revolution, famines and other interesting parts of China’s recent history, this would be a very different story….

I did also wonder, just how different was Moose Jaw Saskatchewan in the 1940’s and 1950’s from this village? Obviously the language, food, and weather were in stark contrast, but I had to wonder if going to a small town was easier.

I will never forget the magic of this day. It is amazing to visit something you never dreamed you would. I truly believe that only divine intervention could have made so many things come together to make this day possible. I am so thankful that: my Uncle Bill was able to share so much important information, super brother-in-law took a job in China, that my sister persevered and learned to read and speak Chinese that she never gave up trying to find the village and for my dear husband who made my trip back to China for the third time possible.

May you enjoy the pictures.

With so much thanks to you all,

Jen


Our Rest Stop lunch in Kaiping

 Our wonderful food which did not meet the minimum of $2/person so we got free bottles of water!

Ordering Queen enjoying the fruit of her labour



The Big House built with the money made in Canada



Walking up to the house



At three stories, it is much taller than I expected!

 

The Front Yard ~


~ The backyard where Uncle Bill liked to lay as a boy in the massive bamboo

On the steps of my family's home ~

The pictures within that forever cement my belief that life is full of miracles if you look!

~ a picture I have looked at 100 times that I see again for the first time in a new light


~ Pictures remembered from my Grandparents home


Discussing the who's who of the family ~


~Who are these three men, and how are we related to them?


All of the little details in the structure of the house that I found astonishing, and the source of some of the things I love....


The not so safe wiring ~


Learning that my love of ceiling medallions comes to me naturally ~


The circular main room on the second floor


The bedrooms, store rooms, and furniture stored within.



Nothing could prepare me for the locked bedrooms which still had their desks set up, clocks and all of the things you would expect. It was as if they had gone to get the mail..... I wish that I could have captured pictures through the keyholes.


~apparently we needed many barrels and planters

Up on the Roof
































Views of the yard from the roof ~























~Grandpa's childhood home (extreme roof makeover needed!)



Grandpa’s Childhood Home











The entrance~





View from the old house to the new house~





The remains of an impressive fireplace~





The loft~





A scary looking machine~





The Geese being raised in the corner of the room that were very loud and Julia wanted to touch along with the wild dogs! ~





Wood really does last even with some large holes in the roof ~

The hay loft adventure begins! ~















The Village











Our trusty van which brought us ~









Discussing just how cleaver it is to have arrived here once again! ~









Villagers playing a quiet and pleasant game of Mah Jong ~









Village street ~









The pond where Uncle Bill would catch frogs for Uncle Len ~









Village farming fields ~





Avain flu anyone?









Village dogs or “puh “ as Julia squeaked in an impossibly high voice every time she saw them ~









The place of ancestor worship which has fallen into disrepair. The villagers are collecting money as detailed by family and amount on the red paper on the wall for repairs. ~





















The village meeting place/tower in case of a Japanese attack ~

















General village shots ~

















The village gates ~





















The neighbouring villagers ~









Walking the village ~









The villagers enjoying our gift of the oily stick ~