Looking Back

I’d like to start off by saying one word:

WOW!

It boggles my mind to think about how much we were able to do and see in just 2 short weeks. From Xi’an to Yellow Mountain and everywhere in between, there was never a dull moment. Looking over everyone’s pictures, it doesn’t seem possible that we were able to see and do so much. At one point in Beijing, I remember playfully impersonating the tour guide by saying, “Here is one of the most famous places in the ENTIRE WORLD…and you have 5 minutes to look around.” What made it so funny at the time was because it was absolutely TRUE! I am very grateful that Matt took the time to jot down notes and write on his blog because there’s no way I would have remembered half the stuff we saw and did.

Overall, it’s safe to say that we did our our best impersonation of the old Steve Martin and John Candy movie called “Plains, Trains and Automobiles.” Despite the crazy schedule, Sun Yi did an amazing job organizing the trip and I wouldn’t have changed a thing. I felt so privileged and lucky to experience going back to see the village, home, factory and museum with Grandma, Sun Yi and Xiao Yi. Hearing all of their childhood stories and experiences first hand was unforgettable and very moving. It was particularly special being able to hear about Great Grandfather.

My whole life I have only heard scattered stories and bits of information about the man that was my Great Grandfather. In addition to being an important, innovative, and peerless businessman in the Chinese textile industry, I knew that he was a man of uncompromising generosity. I also understood that he had lost everything during the Chinese Civil War and was forced to flee China many years ago. However, beyond these vague generalizations of his life, my overall knowledge of him had always been embarrassingly limited. Here I was, related to this great man and historical icon of China and I probably could not have written more than 2 paragraphs about his life! Now, thanks to Sun Yi's efforts with the trip and especially the book, I finally have the knowledge and appreciation of our family's past that I've always wanted.

The following were some of the other experiences from the trip that stood out to me:

• THE BREAKFASTS! Man, there’s no doubt that I was consuming twice as much food during breakfast as I was for dinner!
• The quintessential tourist spots such as the Great Wall, Bird’s Nest, Tienanmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace were all great. Having a 53 person bus for our group of 14 (and sometimes 7) was pretty hilarious, especially when you looked out the window and saw 100 locals squished into a 40 person bus.
• The hotel location in Beijing was great and it was very fun being able to explore the stores while drinking a cold TsingTao beer in balmy 40 degree weather, lol.
• The crowds at the dumpling restaurant and in the subway gave me a real sense of what life would be like living in such a populated city. Fun to experience, but not to live in.
  
• I got a kick out of Mark’s Bloody Mary drink from the hotel bar, which had a tart taste to it and was yellow! Definitely NOT a bloody mary.
• The hotel room in Jinan was definitely the nicest room I’ve ever stayed in. The Wonton soup for breakfast was something I could get used to.
• Although a little time-consuming, the extravagant banquets with the government officials and movie producers was very eye-opening. Most tourists to China don’t get to experience things like that and I tried to soak it in as much as I could.
  
• The bullet train was awesome! Definitely enjoyed seeing us fly by the cars on the freeway.
• I was simply blown away by the size of the exhibit at the museum for Great Grandfather. I could have spent all day there looking at every little detail.
  
• Going back to the village was very humbling and surreal.
  
• Qingdao was a beautiful city and I really enjoyed going on the Tsingtao brewery tour. I bought a XXL shirt souvenir, washed it once and now it’s probably too small for Robyn!
• Shanghai was a massive and it was definitely the biggest city I’ve ever been to. Really liked seeing the tea house and the old embassies. Cabs were dirt cheap. Something like 2 dollars for a 15 minute cab ride.
  
• After being “High-Jacked” by our tour guide, the foot massage in Huangshan was definitely a highlight of our trip to Yellow mountain. Sitting around listening to the locals compare my dad to Buddha was priceless!
• Our drive up to Yellow Mountain reminded me of Xi’an. Apparently double yellow lines and oncoming traffic are optional suggestions NOT to pass. When I wasn’t bracing myself for impact, it was actually very entertaining.
• Can’t believe how lucky we were to have the fog clear out as we were leaving Yellow Mountain. Some of the prettiest settings I’ve ever seen. I also enjoyed the down jackets provided by the hotel.
  

With all that being said, the one item I treasure above all else was being able to experience such a trip as a family. We may all live in different parts of the country with different lives and different schedules, but for approximately 9 days we set all those things aside and came together to share in our amazing heritage. It’s been so many years since I last saw many of you and getting this opportunity was a great thrill. I certainly hope we do not let so much time pass before getting together in the future. I’m also very happy that all of you were able to spend time with Robyn and now you know why my own parents like Robyn more than me!

In closing, I’d like to offer endless thanks to Mom, Dad, Sun Yi, Xiao Yi, Da Yi (Grandma) and everyone else that made this all possible. It was without a doubt the trip of my life!