The Year of 1999 as We Saw It

In this past year of 1999, Li-qing went back for a visit. Two weeks after she returned to the US, her mother in China died. Yannan has become a U.S. citizen, and will have to apply for a visa when he wants to visit his hometown in China next time. Hong is still with Holiday Retirement Corp., and has got chances to fly first class and their corporate jet. Wei quit school for one semester with OSU* so that he can earn enough for a visit to China with his girl friend Maki.

Li-qing went back to China around the Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival. Her mother looked well and still loved watching TV or reading newspaper and novels. The family got together to celebrate her 92^nd birthday with children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren from Fuzhou, Shanghai and Hongkong. The picture below shows Li-qing standing in between her mother and her eldest brother.

Li-qing also went to Yannan's hometown for a visit. The picture above was Li-qing with Yannan's mother visiting with their friends in an overseas Chinese state farm. Numerous "overseas Chinese" state farms exist in Fujian (Province) and Guangdong (Province). They were mostly set up to accommodate overseas Chinese returning to China from Indonesia in the early sixties. Those farms usually yield very little income and residents eventually leave again for better places in the cities, or go abroad again. Fourteen years ago when we were working in Xiamen University, we got acquainted with this overseas Chinese couple. At that time, they wanted their teenage son and daughter to find job in Xiamen. In order to do that, they needed to have residence registration. We helped them by adopting them into our household on the campus. That was the beginning of a lasting friendship. Their son and daughter later left and settled in Hongkong, but we are still one close family.

Two weeks after Li-qing's return from China, Li-qing's mom died. It was evening, and Li-qing's mom was sitting on a chair washing her feet in a basin when her heart suddenly stopped beating. She died instantly, without a pain or groan. After all the shocks, disbelief, and grief, we took comfort in the fact that Li-qing's mom died without suffering or illness. It was also very fortunate that Li-qing was able to pay her mom a visit just two weeks earlier. On the All-Saints Sunday, Trinity Covenant Church held services in honor of those family members who died in the past year. When her mother's Chinese name was called, Li-qing seemed to see her mom again in their home in a narrow and deep lane in Xiamen, sitting on an easy chair. She was watching television, and had a novel in her hand!

On March 18^th, Yannan had his naturalization ceremony in Portland INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service) office. He is grateful that this country has admitted him and accepted him. When he was here alone by himself 11 years ago, many of you befriended him and later his family members when they managed to join him one by one. We will always treasure your friendship and the opportunity this great country has given us. The picture on the top is the citizenship celebration party given by Yannan's former host family and friends from the Trinity Covenant Church. Yannan is now in the process of getting his mom here for a visit. Yannan's mother had tried several times to get a non-immigrant visa to visit the U.S., but the American consulate in Guangzhou had turned her down repeatedly. As mother of a citizen, Yannan's mother now entitles to come immediately, pending paperwork. Yannan's naturalization also made it possible for Hong to file for permanent residency right away (again pending paperwork). Hong would still need to wait for three years or more had Yannan not become a citizen. Hong is enjoying his job at Holiday Retirement Corp. He has got chances to fly 1^st class and their corporate jet in his trips to New York, Toronto, and Washington D.C. He may even be able to make a business trip to Shanghai in April next year when the first retirement facility built by his company debuts in Shanghai. Sandy, Hong's Taiwanese girl friend, still has one year to go as an undergraduate. Sandy's family in Taiwan was not hit by the recent earthquake.

Maki, Wei's girl friend, graduated from college last year and has returned to Japan since. That is why we do not have a new family photo for this Christmas letter. Maki will join Wei in a trip to China at the end of this year. She plans to come back to the U.S. in April next year. This summer, Wei quit school to pick up his old job at Western Tool. He said he needs to work for the expenses of the China and Japan trip, and for his tuition at OSU* next year, the Year of the Dragon.

*OSU: Oregon State University