Staying with My Chinese Family During the Epidemic

On December 14,2019,I met a Chinese girl unexpectedly for the first time at a bus station.I never thought that we’d be so close,and now she has become my best friend,as well as a sister of mine in China.

We hit it off the first time we met,and we chatted happily that day.She reminded me of my childhood friend back home during high school.We shared happiness and sorrow,and everything in between with each other.She is such an optimistic and sunny girl who always wears a bright smile on her face,and she is also humorous.Before the coronavirus epidemic,she showed me around in Huangshi,an eastern city of Hubei Province,and let me try all kinds of local snacks,and she even bought me a bracelet as a present,which I wear all the time.

Her family is very nice to me.Her mom is an amicable lady.Once she helped me wash my hair,and blow-dry it afterwards.She treats me like her own daughter.

Her dad is not so talkative,but he often invites me to eat,and pours warm water for me,for fear that I might catch a cold.

She has a younger brother,younger than me.He is very shy,but I like him.I teach him English,and encourage him to keep on learning.

During the Chinese lunar New Year,I went to her home to celebrate the Spring Festival with her family,but never had I expected that the dreadful coronavirus would go viral all of a sudden.Wuhan was put under strict travel restrictions,so I had to stay quarantined at her home in Huangshi.I was so upset,and lost my appetite,as I really looked forward to leaving Huangshi and go back to Wuhan as soon as possible.

I turned to my tutor for help,asking him to get me back to Wuhan.He contacted the local community staff,but in vain,so I had to stay in Huangshi.At that time,I felt so anxious,as I didn’t want to bring trouble to her family.My tutor suggested that I stay in Huangshi,which was safer,as it was difficult and dangerous for me to return to Wuhan.

去年12月14日我和我的中国朋友在公交车站偶遇，没想到她现在成了我的家人，我的中国家人。

我和她一见如故，聊得非常愉快。她让我回想到高中时代与家乡发小的友谊！我们无话不说，分享快乐和烦闷。她非常乐观爱笑，脸上总挂着笑容，幽默开朗。疫情还没未发生时，她带我吃黄石有名的小吃，给我买了手链做纪念。我会一直戴着的。

她的家人都非常友善。妈妈温和慈祥，帮我洗头，还给我吹干头发，嘘寒问暖。爸爸不善言辞，总是让我吃东西，给我倒水，让我喝热水，怕我感冒。

我的中国朋友还有个弟弟，比我小，非常害羞。我很喜欢他，教他英语，不断鼓励他。

春节期间，我去她家，没想到，讨厌的病毒突如其来，蔓延得如此之快，离汉离鄂通道关闭后，我不得不在黄石朋友家里隔离。我心情变得沮丧，吃饭也没有胃口，心里只想着早早离开黄石回武汉。

我向老师求助，希望帮忙让我回到武汉，他也联系了社区人员，由于进出武汉的交通已经实行管制，我只得留在黄石家里宅着。当时我真的很纠结，我不想给大家添麻烦。老师告诉我，我回武汉更加麻烦且危险，待在黄石是最安全的。

那几天我和家人的气氛也不太理想。社区工作人员知道我的情况后，给我送了食物和水果，徐阿姨还加了我微信，时常晚上找我聊天，我也教她的孩子英语。她还送了黄石的特产给我。小区的人都非常善良，我的眼镜坏了，楼下钢材店师傅很快帮我修好了。

随着时间推移，我没那么想回武汉了，我尽量晚点起床，不想让妈妈那么辛苦单独给我做早点，大家吃什么我就跟着一起吃什么，心情也好多了。我克服了自身的一些问题，试着做点家务，帮忙洗碗，和大家一起看电视，看到好笑的地方一起开怀大笑，气氛融洽多了。

我和我的中国家人们消除了隔阂，一起抗击疫情，勤洗手，勤通风，老老实实待在家里。我们一起在家里跳绳，跳到大汗淋漓，用欢声笑语抗击着疫情。

我们在家里还学会了一支舞蹈——《你笑起来真好看》。我们5 个一起学习动作，跟着音乐一起律动，所有烦恼和忧愁统统都被吹散。

In those few days,a tense atmosphere permeated the air between us.When Miss Xu,a social worker in the local community,learned about what happened to me,she immediately brought some fruit and snacks to me,and added me on WeChat.At night,she often chatted with me to comfort me,and I taught her child English in return.Later,she bought some special local products for me.Residents in their community were very nice.Once my glasses were broken,and the man working in the steel shop downstairs helped me fix it in no time.

As time went by,my desire to go back to Wuhan gradually faded.Sometimes I deliberately got up late,so Mom wouldn’t need to make breakfast for me.I learned to eat the same food as the family,and began to feel much better.I’ve overcome some of my own problems,and tried to help around the home,like washing plates.I also watched TV with them.When we saw something funny in a TV program,we’d laugh together.The tense atmosphere was finally relieved.

My Chinese family and I have bridged the gap,and we fight against the pandemic together.We frequently wash hands,ventilate the home,and stay indoors.Sometimes we do rope skipping at home until we’re drenched in sweat.We’ve fought against the deadly virus with laughter and cheerful voices.

We’ve learned a dance called “Your Smile Is So Sweet” during the quarantine.The five of us learned the moves,danced to the music,and drove all worries away.

Gradually,the epidemic situation has improved,and the travel restrictions was eased in many places,so our whole family went outdoors.My Chinese mom took me on a sightseeing trip to a mountain,and during the trip,she said with great sincerity,“It was fate that brought you to our family.Although there’re so many differences between us,we conquered them in the end.Different skin colors and religious beliefs are not a big deal,and they’re never barriers between us.I’ve seen you as my own daughter,and I hope you can regard me as your Chinese mom.The first time you came to our home,when I held your hands,and looked at your big eyes,I felt that you were such an adorable girl.Since you’re all alone in a foreign country,you can regard us as your own family.” Hearing her words,I was all in tears,and immediately threw myself into her arms,enjoying her gentle touch on my head.At that moment,I felt as if time had stopped,and my heart was throbbing with happiness.

I have become deeply attached to my Chinese family.When the epidemic ends,I want to invite them to Wuhan.I can’t imagine the moment when we say goodbye.I’m sure I’ll cry.

This epidemic gave me an opportunity to spend over two months in my Chinese home,and allow me to feel the warmth of the family.I love China and everyone in this great nation! They are not an affluent family,but an ordinary and small one.During the coronavirus outbreak,no one in the family could go out to work,but they were still willing to look after a foreigner who has a completely different lifestyle than them.I believe this is the real power of the nation—tolerance,broad-mindedness,and endurance.

Of course,I’ll share this story with my family and relatives back home.Lots of doctors,nurses,police officers,and social workers who have a family have sacrificed their lives in this epidemic.I’m deeply touched and inspired by their stories.Through these experiences,I’ve grown up a lot,and learned to think more of others and less of just myself.

I do love my Chinese family,and I’ll bring them to visit my own hometown one day.(Translation: Zhu Yaguang)

疫情在慢慢好转，各地相继解禁，一家人可以出门了。中国妈妈带我去山上看风景，语重心长地和我说了很多：“遇见你是缘分，尽管我们之间有很多不适应，但是我们慢慢克服了，肤色、信仰不同不算什么，更不会阻碍什么，我把你当作我的女儿，你就把我当作你的中国妈妈。从你第一次来的时候，我拉着你的手，你用大大的眼睛望着我。我心里觉得你非常可爱。一个人在异国他乡，身边一个亲人也没有，就当我们是你的家人吧。”听着中国妈妈的话，我眼眶湿润了，我投进妈妈的怀抱，她抚摸着我的头，那一刻仿佛时间已经停滞，我的心幸福得飞起来了。

那一天之后，我的心已经融入了这个黄石家庭。疫情结束时，我想把他们请到武汉来玩。我不敢想象与他们分别的时刻，我肯定会哭的。

这次疫情的到来，让我在中国朋友的家里度过两个多月，我感受到了中国家庭的温馨幸福，感受到了家人的关爱。我爱中国，我爱这个民族的人们！一个小家庭，生活本就不富裕，人人都在家里没有工作，还要负担一个生活习惯完全不一样的外国人，这也许就是一个民族真正强大之处，包容、宽广和忍耐。没有什么坎是伟大的民族过不去的。

我一定会把这段经历讲给我的家人和我的亲友听。许多承担着家庭责任的医生、护士、警察、社区工作者，在这次疫情中牺牲了，他们的事迹感动着我、教育着我。经历了这次疫情，我也成熟了不少，我懂得为别人考虑，站在别人的立场考虑问题。

Jennifer holding a bag of famous local snacks,a gift from Miss Xu珍珍手持徐阿姨送的黄石特产

我真的非常爱我的中国家人们。我要带他们去看看我的家乡。