The Youngs were teachers at Patagonia High School in 2012-13. The following year, they left for Chengdu, in The Republic of China, with their two children, for one-year teaching positions. They recently returned, and PRT asked them to write about their experience.
Obviously, life in a Chinese city of 14 million is much different than life in Santa Cruz County, yet there are some similarities. The Chinese people want the same things we do. They want to raise their families, have financial security, and be happy. While we strive for the same goals in our lives, the environment in which we live here in the US compared with that in China is incredibly different.
For the Chinese, raising a family is filled with challenges. One of the most important things a newly married couple can do for their extended family is to have a baby, and having a boy is seen as a blessing. In the recent past, the pressure to have a boy was so great that a woman would have an abortion if she found out she was pregnant with a girl. It was a matter of family obligation, and family comes before your own desires, no matter how great.
However, the climate has changed, in part because of a government campaign aimed at stopping abortions based on the gender of a child. Today, when walking the streets of China, you will see as many girl babies as boys. Additionally, the government has loosened its strict “one child” policy and has begun to allow parents to have two children. There are various circumstances in which couples are permitted to have two or more children, but in general the “one child” policy prevails.
While Americans often perceive China as a Communist nation, economically it operates as a capitalist society. Businesses spring up constantly; there are vendors selling things on the street; and you will find international corporations such as Starbucks, Walmart, and upscale companies like Prada and Gucci. The middle class is growing, and the upper class is enjoying its wealth. We saw more luxury automobiles in China than we have ever seen in the US.
Unfortunately, there is still a large portion of China that is living in poverty. As there are few social programs, and a good education is key to success, underprivileged people have difficulty securing a financial future for themselves. In a large city, it is not unusual to walk by a neighborhood of fancy high rise apartments to find a small field filled with growing vegetables tucked in a corner among the construction rubble and a small humble shack filled with a family that is still making a living by farming.
There seems to be a perception among Americans who have visited China that the Chinese people are unhappy or rude. This was not our experience at all. We found the Chinese people to be extremely helpful and friendly. We lived and worked side by side with Chinese citizens and developed good relationships, all while speaking very little Chinese. Despite the fact that we lived in Chengdu, a city of 14 million, it seemed to us that life was more laid back. People stop to chat, take the time to smile, and aren’t obsessed with time, as is so common in the US.
One of my fondest memories is of families in the park by our apartment complex spending time together in the evenings. There is often Tai Chi or a small group exercising to music, grandparents doting on their grandchild, parents mingling with neighbors, and, in general, a warm and welcoming environment, even for strangers like us. We were always welcomed with a smile and an encouraging wave.
We cherished our time in China, but it sure is great to be back in Santa Cruz County. Our time in China taught us how special a place this is. The clear blue skies, the clean air, the desert and mountains are all here, and we are glad to call this place home.