The Student News Site of The Morgan School

The Morgan PawPrint

The Student News Site of The Morgan School

The Morgan PawPrint

The Student News Site of The Morgan School

The Morgan PawPrint

Instagram

    A Trip Across Sea

    A+Trip+Across+Sea

    [slideshare id=12259808&doc=presentation1-120402122935-phpapp01]

    Written by Chou Pan |

    There aren’t many students who have taken a month worth of school time to travel across sea here at The Morgan School. But there’s always one out of the bunch that does. Viviane Hu recently visited her grandparents and friends in China from the start of Christmas vacation until the end of February. She was raised by her grandparents in Wenzhou, China, a small city near Shanghai. There, her grandparents witnessed her growth from childhood to adulthood. After coming to the U.S, she has always thought about visiting them, and finally after three years, she was able to return for a visit.

    How did your family and friends react when you returned to China?

    -“They were very welcoming, especially my grandparents. I was happy to see them again.”

    Did they find you looked different compared to the day you left 3 years ago?

    -“For me, I don’t see much change within me. As for them, they barely recognized me. When they looked at me, it’s almost like they’re staring at an absolute stranger. Maybe my hair is making me look different, but I can’t depict anything different about me.”

    Did you spent the entire month at Wenzhou with your grandparents?

    -“No. I spent half of the month at Wenzhou and the rest of the month at Haikou, Hainan.”

    Where is Haikou?

    -“It’s a small island located south of China in the Hainan Province.”

    Who were you visiting at Haikou?

    -“I was visiting my uncles’ family, haven’t seen them in a long time. I also visited my former high school and middle school friends. But now, they’re all in college.”

    Is there any major difference between Wenzhou and Haikou?

    -“Wenzhou is more developed so people there are richer than Haikou. Weather is different too. Temperature at Haikou is around the 70’s. Women in Haikou work harder than men because most men don’t work.”

    Have you seen any tourists during your visit?

    -“I did saw a few at Haikou. I have a friend who’s white and she’s been living in China for six years, but she doesn’t know much Chinese. She was originally from South Africa, and she said that life was tough in South Africa. People would break into the house to steal things.”

    What do you think of the food there?

    -“The food is different due to a different cooking style. People in Wenzhou don’t like spicy or strongly flavored foods. It’s very bland compared to what I’ve had out here. But I think the food is very tasty.”

    What’s a common type of food that people will find at Wenzhou or Haikou?

    -“Definitely fresh seafood. Seafood there is so fresh, and you won’t find much fresh seafood out here. I would recommend people to try it out if they get the chance to.”

    How’s the environment at Wenzhou?

    -“Pollution there is major problem. I live in the city so life in the city is much different compared to village life. There are so many cars on the road, and it nearly takes more than 5 minutes to cross the street. I can’t tolerate the gasoline smell that the vehicles release. Everywhere I go, there’s traffic. It’s so crazy there. People can walk anywhere because everything is crammed within the city. The malls and restaurants are very close to residential buildings.

    What are your thoughts about traveling alone long distance?

    -“I was looking forward to meeting my family and relatives that I only felt the excitement running inside me. I didn’t really think much nor have any concerns with traveling by myself. But the luggage was so heavy!

    For Viviane, this was a memorable trip. Although she has to catch up on her makeup work, it was worth her time. Having the chance to return and to visit after she moved to the U.S is like a wish come true for her. As you can see, although she returns for such a simple purpose, she has gotten the best out of it. Missing a month of school is tough for a senior, especially when college is right around the corner. Overall, this was a meaningful trip.