Take Care of My Baby

My fellow teachers Mrs. Auty, Ms. Wun, and I met up with the students at the Tai Wai train station not too far from our school. Students who regularly get themselves around Hong Kong on their own were accompanied by their parents who wanted to see them off. We even had a few grandparents show up. For many of our students this was the longest and the farthest they would be from their parents.

Based on the parent information meeting we had a month ago, many of the parents were quite anxious about sending their eleven- and twelve-year olds into China. I’m guessing that many of these parents –like many people in Hong Kong- have conflicted views of China. Many residents in Hong Kong- including parents and grandparents of some of our students- are in Hong Kong today because they fled China during the political upheaval of the 1960s and 1970s.

In retrospect, maybe that little light-hearted comment I made at the parent information night wasn’t such a good idea. At the end of the night I said, we would bring all their kids back safe and sound. And –considering there are about twenty kids going, if we did lose one, there was only a five percent chance that it would be theirs.

Hey, VanNoord, think, then speak. We’re going let that slide this time because you’re new around here. Sheesh.

Moms and Dads took a few last minute pictures at the train station and gave their kids final hugs.

We did a head count. All nineteen kids were there.

-Jack