China 2004

Hong Kong and Kowloon

I was told that the only place you could get a 90 day visa was in Hong Kong so that was my plan. Arriving there on September 2^nd, I took the Airport Express train to Kowloon on the mainland side of Hong Kong, and a taxi to the Golden Crown Mansions, only to find that Dana's visa agent was gone.  I looked at rooms available there (at 8:00 in the morning) and they were quite awful.  So I left.  I went across Nathan Rd to look for the China Travel office listed in the guide book.  It was gone.  I was now getting hot and sweaty, carrying a big backpack and dragging a huge suitcase full of kid’s clothing in the humid climate of Hong Kong.

I went back across Nathan to look at a small hotel I could see, but decided first to stop in the lobby of the Holiday Inn to cool off.  Their rates were about 130 $US per night, too much for my budget.  So I went on down the street.  A Chinese guy on the sidewalk asked me if I was looking for a place to stay and I said yes.  He described a place that sounded good to me so I followed him into a building past currency conversion booths, a convenience store and what all, to a tiny elevator.  With my extensive luggage jammed in, we went to the 16 floor and then walked up to the 17th.

Little hallways branched off every direction.  I followed him down one that ended at a locked steel security door which he opened, then another security door right behind the first.  Inside, there was a short, sunny hallway with five doors to rental units.  He opened one and we went in.  It was spotlessly clean, all tiled, nice mattress on the bed and a clean western bathroom with shower.  I rented it for 200 HKD (about 25 $US).  What a bargain for Hong Kong!

I discovered later that I was in the infamous Chunking Mansions.  The elevator was usually crammed full of dubious looking characters of all nationalities, Africans, Indians, young European drop outs and me, a 70 plus American feeling quite out of place.

Frank Chen, the fellow I was dealing with was the owner of this tiny “hotel”.  He lived in an adjacent apartment, separate from the rentals.  He offered to get my visa for me and reported back later that they were only issuing 30 day visas anywhere and the fee was 750 HKD (about 100 $US) for one day service.  I was disappointed on both counts, but what could I do?  I checked later with CTS (China Travel Service) and confirmed the 30 day limit and they quoted 850, so I guess Frank was on the up and up.

　

After a good hot shower and 7 hours of sleep I was a new man.

I got the visa about 11:00 the next morning, took a cab to the ferry terminal and caught the ferry to Shenzhen airport.  I had to pay almost $8 for excess weight for my bag full of used kid's clothes (on a half empty zillion ton turbo jet boat).

　

Baji

The second time around, I made short work of the Shenzhen Airport and passed through Chengdu with ease. Upon my arrival in Kangding, I contacted Mr. Wu of the Kham Aid Foundation, which had selected Tsewong Baji, for me to sponsor.  She had written me a long letter in beautiful Chinese script that was translated by Kham Aid people.

“I was born into a poor farming family.  I live with my father, mother, older sister, older brother and niece.  My parents are already in their fifties.  My mother is partially disabled and my brother could do odd jobs, so our family never had much income.  We just depend on the little grain that we grow.

When I got the acceptance letter from Kangding Middle School, I was overjoyed.  I showed it to my parents and they said 'Can this be our daughter?!'  Even though they can't read, they were still very happy and proud of me.  But their joy quickly evaporated and then they just stared silently at the acceptance letter.  I knew they were worrying about the school fee, but I didn't say anything.  ........  As the clock ticked down to the start of school, my parents finally decided to take out a loan.  Some of our relatives opposed this decision, but there was no other option!  I was miserable because I kept thinking: how will my parents ever repay this loan?

So I came to Kangding and enrolled, then I called my old class tutor and he told me "The Women's Federation has decided to keep sponsoring you."  When I heard these words, I was struck dumb.  "Is for real?"  He repeated his words and told me I was the only senior middle school student to get sponsorship.  I wanted to cry, but I held back my tears.  I immediately called my family.  I called the neighbors' phone and it took a long time for my mom to come.  I told her the good news and as I spoke, I couldn't hold back my tears any longer.  She cried too.  She kept telling me that I must thank them and study hard so as not to disappoint them.  At the time I didn't know who my sponsor was, but every day I was imagining you and thanking you from the bottom of my heart.  To see your picture today is the biggest honor of my life.”

 Mr. Wu arranged to take me to the school to meet Baji.  She was very shy, meeting me for the first time and I don't know what she thought.  I asked her about school, what subjects she liked and so forth.  Mostly I got very short answers in a soft voice that I could barely hear.  Mr. Wu had to coax some of the information out of her.  She did say she was taking English, Chinese, math, physics, chemistry, geology, history and some other courses.  She liked the English, math and physics.  After a bit, Mr. Wu and I returned to town.  This was my first encounter with a sponsored student, the starting point of a long series of wonderful experiences that would become the central focus of my later trips.