The final lap

Exactly two years ago, I laid foot in China together with the spouse and two children. Actually, I arrived in construction city. It was 2009 and the city was about to host the World Expo and the whole place was under construction. Grey sky, blurred vision, polluted air.  It was an extremely difficult time to settle in.  A factory owner said, "to you, foreigners, this is pollution but to me, this is the smell of money!" *shudders*

And yes, for the first time, I saw a dead body being fished out from a river!

China isn't a place I wanted to visit. You know how we all have a list of places we must go before we die. China isn't in my list. I am neutral towards her. There is no like or dislike. After settling down here for the past two years, I must say that this isn't a place I want to come back. But I am thankful that God sent me here because I saw how tough I could be and it was a place where I could, not only teach my kids but show them real-life examples. It was a place to teach survival skills.

Not sure if this is good or bad but having been here, my perception of the people here have changed completely…majority, not for the better. Especially so for those who belong to the upper class. I have witnessed how the rich intimidated a waitress, a driver, a security guard, an ayi….the list could go on. How being nice means "I can take advantage of you". I have warned kids who tried to bully my children. (It is a big mistake to even have a thought about it).  How people try to win your favour because they see some value in you. Am I an idealist?  I hardly could tolerate hypocrites  but are we not surrounded by them all our lives?

The word 'shell' opened my eyes to a new meaning. Nothing is for real until it is real! My first house here was fantastic…on the outside. Barely into the first month, the pipe under the kitchen sink started leaking and believe me, it didn't stop till the day we moved out. Then the roof leaked, then the flooring popped, then the cornice fell……any one of us could have been hurt but the Grace of God kept us. Truly, the Will of God will not lead us to where the Grace of God cannot keep us. I don't have to go on about the food and the most recent 'rail' mess.

It was here that I realised what happened to all the good teachers in SG…they have all descended on SSIS. I have met some of the cream of the crop teachers. Teachers who are more concerned with the learning than the results. This is the TRUE meaning of education. If good results come with good learning, that's the icing on the cake. But honestly, if there is a good learning process, good results will usually follow. Sadly, SG schools are more concerned with only good results.

However, I have also made friends with some really nice humble people. They are not rich, some are middle-class, some are lower class. They showed me what having a soul is all about. My part-time helper is probably the only local whom I can trust. She has been working for me since day one of my arrival. She doesn't take advantage of me although I have been very nice to her. In fact, she reciprocated my kindness with her generosity. Farm grown peaches, corn, vegetables, water-melons, home-cooked dumplings, spring roll are just some of the things she would share with us. The book seller, the DVD seller made sure we only have the best quality. The fruit-sellers who sell me only the sweetest and the juiciest. The gardeners and the cleaners in my compound. I thank them by giving them my little home-baked cup cakes. I could see their gratitude when they gave me a broad smile showing their white teeth on a sun-burnt, red hot face.   The lines and wrinkles on their face could not hide the kind of tough life they have to go through but it will be worth it. Being able to come to the city to work means having a better life when they return to their hometown.

Yes, this will be the final lap. Looking back, I have indeed come a long way…do I want to return to the land which helped me to see how far I could stretch myself? This is a land of opportunities, a land of wealth…

Nah…however good others may say it is…the truth remains, this is not my HOME.