Chinese Friends

After traveling through China for over 20 years one meets many people and some become good friends. The photo above is Shi Mao Ting or Sherry as we call her by her western name. I saw Sherry when she was only two or three years old in a small village outside of Chengdu in Sichuan province. She was quite shy but the photo turned out very well. Enough so that I have a poster size photo framed and in our home. I have been visiting Sherry and her family now for 14 years watching the changes in their lives. Mom has a small shop selling things to tourists and they live in what can't be more than 75 square feet in back of the shop and sleep in a loft. Dad died just two years ago and was deaf and could not speak. Mom is also disabled. Grandma lives with them and helps out in the shop while Mom works 7 days a week and 14 hours a day. Sherry is now at boarding school near Chengdu and is able to get home most weekends by Saturday afternoon by bus as she has classes on Saturday mornings. She must be back by Sunday afternoon as she has class on Sunday evenings from 6 to 9. Classes during the week are from 7:20 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with a two hour break for lunch. Classes again in the evening from 6:30 until 9:00. She must study usually until midnight. Sherry will graduate in 2010 from high school and will enter the university hoping to be a teacher at this point. Knowing Sherry and her family has been a wonderful experience and I hope to attend her university graduation. For more stories, check in with my blog that I try to write each week.
There are over 90 stories now. China tourism is my business; but Chinese culture and people are my passion. Let me by your China Travel Agent for customized private tours to China and Tibet. 20 Years experience and over 50 trips since 1989.