China trip exceeds all expectations

I’n not sure what I expected to see or experience in China. I think we all live with certain sterotypes.

I know better now.

After a grueling 40-hour trip from Shanghai to Beijing to L.A. to Milwaukee to Kansas City and then on to Carthage, I’m home. My acre of yard and two-story home never looked so good.

But, I brought back with me memories, information and new friendships that have already started changing my life.

I left the states on Oct. 7 and returned on Oct. 17, traveling on a tour sponsored by the Overland Park, Kan., Chamber of Commerce. My best friend, Tracey Osborne, chamber president, persuaded me to commit my time and money – both of which always seem to be in short supply at my house.

It possibly was one of the best investments I have ever made.

Yes, the sights in Beijing, Shanghai, Suzjou and Hangzhou were breathtaking. From the Forbidden City to the Great Wall, we took in all the must-see places. But my impressions of China go far beyond ancient temples, beautiful gardens and open-air markets.

China is a country quickly changing and the people are eager to forge ahead as they hope for a government that provides them with a greater voice and more choices.

We arrived just days after the 60th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China. Following the Chinese Civil War and the victory of Mao Zedon’s Communist forses of the Kuomintang forces of Gneralissimo Chiang Kai-shek, who fled to Taiwan, Mao declared the founding of the People’s Republic of China on Oct. 1, 1949.

Beijing was still dressed in its best public face. Special landscapes and flowers lined the highways and streets and the city, already bursting, was still overflowing with tourists when we arrived.

The traffic was fierce, the air pollution was ever present and security was in full force at Tian An Men Square, where our group was follwed by security as we passed through the square and on into the Forbidden City. We were warned not to take pictures of the military or of the police unless we wanted to lose our cameras and we were cautioned about asking questions about politics. We took the warnings seriously.

But that was only one face of China.

The people of the country were warm, friendly and funny. They love their country and are proud of their history. Still, they look forward to a day when they have a greater voice.

On today’s editorial page, I’ve launched the first in a series of articles about my trip. Nine days certainly does not make me an expert on China. But, I hope my impressions and experiences will shed more focus on China for you.