Missing Home: My Trip to China

There are typically 2 ways people go about Spring Break.

1. Including (but certainly not limited to) pajamas 24/7, junk food, waking up at 2PM, the absence of a location other than your bed, and several consecutive seasons of Parks and Recreation on Netflix.

2. By traveling, most often to dreamy tropical destinations. Side effects encompass bronzed tans and Instagram feeds that are sure to elicit a few “goals omg”s in the days following.

To me, both of these ways were absolutely ideal for the well-deserved rest from the absolute mess that was my school year. So, a month or two before Spring Break, I was already preparing myself for the light at the end of the tunnel: a carefree couple of weeks. In fact, I was daydreaming about getting enough sleep for once when my mom came into my room and told me we would be going to China, staying at our apartment in Guangzhou. It was then that I realized I would certainly not be upholding either one of my 2 methods.

Since I’m Chinese, I’d been to China several times before. But maybe it was the fact that it was my freshman year-- my first Spring Break with new friends, or maybe it was the fact that I had been desperately sleep-deprived during the year and needed some relaxation in my life. Whatever it was, something made me roll my eyes and groan when my mom closed my door that night. Needless to say, I was annoyed. I would be spending Spring Break in the land of humidity and carbon dioxide emission.

My break started with a fourteen-hour plane ride across the globe. Fourteen. If this was any indication of what the rest of the trip would have in store for me-- boredom, a distinct lack of wifi, me trying to fall asleep-- I would expect the arrival of an overwhelming desire to return home only a few hours into the trip. Thankfully, the airline had some great recent movies and I spent the ride binging La La Land, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and Manchester by the Sea.

When we arrived, Guangzhou was already well into nighttime. Exhausted from the flight, I collapsed into bed.

The first couple days were physically uneventful. Although we didn’t really do much except visit the mall, explore to find good places to eat, and take walks, I found myself enjoying my time rather than being excruciatingly bored. Each day I would wake up, first around 4am (thanks to jetlag), then later around 8am. My mom and I would leave the complex and find a cute store to get breakfast from, which we would take back to the apartment to eat. We would then take a walk and explore the area. The city, as seen from my bedroom window, looked like a dimmer New York City, and the interior of the apartment complex was surprisingly nice. Further than that, I was content spending time with my family without a schedule looming above us. I was experiencing day-to-day reality in a different place, living a different life. I even tried jellyfish at this expensive Chinese restaurant! (FYI-- tasted good, but had gelatinous yet crunchy texture that can only be described as … interesting) I hadn’t even thought about the little networks in my phone droning on without me to reply.

The next few days I would spend in Hong Kong. We went out shopping for hours at the stores that lined local streets. A highlight was when we visited a flower festival that was absolutely gorgeous (we made it just before the 2-day event closed !!). Floral displays lined the paths, and bright pinks, oranges, reds expelled powerful floral fragrances. Apparently “flower design” is a big thing in Asia; students even attend schools for it. We saw some vast, beautiful, winding structures of flowers and branches, winning pieces from students displayed there.

One night in particular, we climbed up a trail to a platform overlooking the glowing city. It was freezing and I had only worn a flannel, but in all honesty I didn’t pay much mind to my slowly numbing fingers. There weren’t any stars in the purple sky but it was okay because the flickering metropolis looked like a little piece of space in and of itself. Although no one pictures Hong Kong when they think of a stunning, picturesque destination, I saw some of the prettiest things in my life there.

My absolute favorite part of the 2 week trip was when we had returned to Guangzhou. We visited the hot springs of Havana Resort with my parents’ friends. After entering the locker rooms connected to the hotel, locating the cubby dictated by my wristband, and changing into my swimsuit, I stepped out of the unassuming building into a different world altogether. It was like walking out of reality and into one of those ads for an over-commercialized tropical tourist destination, only real. The hot springs were strewn about a huge piece of land, and each one had a different theme. Most were treated with health-giving herbs like jasmine or chrysanthemum. Some played with massaging jets or temperature (AKA the “fire and ice” baths-- one burning hot, one freezing cold. Apparently switching between these foster skin elasticity. I was too much of a baby). One of the baths were positioned on the edge of a huge river that flowed slowly past, as if being drowsily soothed in the presence of the spa too. There was even a pool full of hordes of tiny fish which nibbled softy at the dead skin on our feet (In case you were wondering, yes, exactly like that one episode of Victorious). At first, I was literally screaming at the feeling, making the fish dart away as my feet jolted back. After awhile, it actually became super enjoyable and I stayed at that one spring for at least half an hour. Periodically, workers would come around and hand out little cups of water and tea to keep us hydrated. It was pretty much an outdoor, do-it-yourself spa for your whole body. I was pleasantly surprised that this place wasn’t a huge tourist attraction, as not many people were there, although it certainly deserves to be one. When I sat down to rest for a little bit on the interspersed reclining chairs, a woman came over and started laying a cucumber mask on my face without saying anything. I thought this was hilarious, and my parents said I looked terrifying. Just for the record, my face felt really smooth after.

My personal favorite was the rose-petal bath, and not just because it made for great photos. This one was raised and the pool was shaped like a flower. At the ends of each of the petals, candles flickered softly and warmly. I thought this deserved its own shoutout since it was especially pretty and romantic.

Inside the premises a small wooden restaurant stood off to the side. After the sun went down, we were all starving and decided to eat there. I ordered suan la fen, or hot and sour noodles, my literal favorite thing in the world. Can I just mention how BOMB this food was?! In China, most dining is family style, so we shared everything… and everything was unbelievably good. The air around me was humid, but in a comforting way, like being cocooned in a warm blanket. I was surrounded by family and friends speaking Chinese, laughing at the bits of their jokes that I felt good knowing I understood. The scent of spices wafted through my nose, and honey-colored light tinted my vision, fittingly so because reality there felt a little bit tinted anyway. Taking in my culture, my roots, made me feel nothing but inspired. I think it was there that, inside my mind, home was given a different meaning. Specifically, as I flew back to America, eyes full of satisfaction and sadness, I wondered when I would return home again.

By Julia Chang

#China #Springbreak #Travel #Home #Spa #Asia #Festival #Flowers