Joys in Life

I have met a total of three Helens in my whole three years in China. The three are significant because they became very close friends. So if I am going to include the other helens there there could be at least 15 because in almost all sections, there is a student named Helen as their English name.

I know it is already the middle of the week, quite late for the Memory Lane meme, but I would like to catch up for the reason that it is Chinese New Year celebration week and beginning this time, it is Spring Festival break in China. Because of this, I felt a strong “miss you” feelings for my two friend – Helen & Henry.

Helen & Henry at the Botanical Park
Spring time  2003

They are sweethearts since college days. Me & my companions met them in our school as they became one of our students.  But these two and a few more really made effort to constantly connect with me, Liza, and Nap even after their term and that is how our friendship developed.

Liz, Nap, and I arrived in China in June 2002 and we met them just before winter came.  When Nap went home to the PHilippines ahead of us, that left me and Liza sad.  In fact, very sad.  I cried almost everyday for crazy reasons. lol!  I was depressed because I felt we were stuck in a school where we don’t like to belong.  We feel we were cheated.  But then, I had more responsibilities, same with Liza, so the thought of also going home was far from our mind.   To lessen my depression and sadness, these guys and another friend, brought me to the Shijiazhuang’s Botanical Park.

They were so happy of what they did because they saw me smile…

and they heard me laugh…

There is more to tell about this day and my friends but I don’t like to make this post too long so I will just add one more significant act these friends did for me and my co-teachers.

During SARS outbreak in mainland China in 2003 — they were our life support.  Our employers wanted to let go of us because all schools were closed, but Liza and me decided to stay plus the these two – Helen and Henry, tried to research for us on what to do and where to go.  Indeed they went with us to the Police Bureau to inquire on how to extend our working visas and related stuff.    Neighboring was not allowed that time, so these two will just wait for us outside our compound and we would go somewhere where we can still bond.

With their effort, Liza and I were suppose to be hired by the #1 Shijiazhuang Hospital and we will be housed in a very beautiful apartment.  I declined because the contract is only 6 months and picked the 1 year offer with another private language school.   Liza left me after her contract expired and I was left there for more time.  In my third year, I went to another city to teach, but I still took time to meet out with them every spring time to visit the Pear Farm.

They brought me and Liza to that farm in spring 2003.  Then in spring 2004 I was the only one with them and just before I came home, I traveled to Shijiazhuang to meet another friend and of course them and they treat me to another visit in the Pear farm with their art students.

To all my friends in China, Xin Nian Kuai Le!

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