December of 2004 was the first time that I had visited my motherland China. Sitting on the train from Kowloon to Guangzhou, I was filled with anticipation. I had been looking forward to the trip since the day I learned I would be able to finally set foot in China. I had heard many things about China, but until this trip I was never able to experience them.

 Although my two-day excursion in the Guangdong province of China was not long enough to satiate my curiosity and interest in China, it was definitely enough to whet my appetite and increase my desire for a chance to live and pursue a career in China. My parents and I were fortunate to have the help of several kind officials from the Guangdong province of China. Prior to our arrival, they had already searched for and located our old home in Jiu Jiang. This was the home that the grandfather of my grandfather lived in. They not only found the house, but they also contacted two distant relatives of ours, who visited our old house with us.

 This experience has indeed been a very memorable one, and I am thankful to my parents, Mr. Woo, Mr. Zheng and the many other people who helped make this visit to China an unforgettable one. This trip could not have been so successful without the help of the many people in China, who were there from the moment we arrived till the moment that we left. I feel that this was a main factor in my feeling perfectly at home during my stay in China. Although it was the first time I had ever visited the Guangdong Province, let alone China itself, I felt an immediate connection with both the land and the people. No matter whether I was in a large metropolitan area, a suburban area or in a small town, they all brought about a feeling of homeliness to me, and I did not feel as if I was actually all the way across the Pacific from my home. I feel that of all my experiences abroad, my stay in China, though short in time, was definitely one of the most complete and fulfilling travels I have had.

 I really have not had any prior knowledge of my roots. I remember growing up and being told by my grandmother that I am a Cantonese and that I should be proud of my heritage. Growing up in San Francisco, this background was something that I held in common with most of the other Chinese immigrants. However, the only dialect of Chinese that I spoke was pu tong hua (Mandarin). Since visiting Guangzhou, I have been taking initiative to learn Cantonese in order to come closer to my roots.

 I think that it is important for Chinese-Americans, if given the chance, to take advantage of opportunities to return to their homeland. It is amazing to be in a completely foreign country yet still feel a sense of complete belonging. I felt that I was a part of China and that it was a part of me. And amazingly enough, I think that most people of Chinese descent will feel this way when they visit China, even if for the very first time. I heard stories from people I know, who traveled to China with the intent of only staying for a short time, but ended up staying there for years. In fact, a neighbor of mine visited several years ago, and loved China so much that she decided to relocate there indefinitely. After graduation, I plan to move to China to work and to get to know the place that my ancestors are from even better. My parents always tell me to be proud to be a Chinese, and I feel that as a proud Chinese-American, I will be able to do the most in my home country. I feel that China is a place that welcomes its descendants back. Whereas it is difficult for many European-Americans to feel a bond with their home countries, most Chinese do not have this same problem. China is a home for them and they have no problem returning and feeling just as if they had never left. In my case, I had never been to China before, but I felt as if I had grown up there or had some type of bond with it. Although my visit to China could be seen as a simple vacation, I feel that it is actually the opening of a new door in my life.

Editor:Lisa Yenchung Cheng