Category: Anything and everything

Image source: Andrew Chan’s mother, Helen Chan, at Sydney international airport. Photograph: DEAN LEWINS/AAPIMAGE

I have been reading up on reports about Bali Nine members Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, then this photo of Andrew Chan’s mother at the airport waiting to board the plane to Bali caught my eye. In the photo, she is dressed in this top with flowers printed on it, I have seen many women her age in similar clothes. Her hand held on to the stanchions that is actually not going to give her any support, other passengers around her seem to be in a good mood. Of course, most people heading to Bali is probably on holiday. But to Helen Chan, she is the mother whose son is probably going to be executed by death penalty in a few days. This image tells so much more than what the news could have covered. I can not imagine what is going through her mind on this flight to see her son for the last time. It is the kind of situation not many people can comprehend.

I know the logical argument is that Andre Chan did commit a crime. It is the law of Indonesia.

But by death penalty? !

Andrew and Myuran both spend 9 years in prison and each of them has led a life there. Andrew found his faith in Christianity, Myruan got into arts and painting and even received a university degree while he is serving the sentence.The more I read about the different point of views from political parties and governments, the more sadness overwhelms me. Please do not turn this into a political game. Just for once, look at these two individules as human beings with flesh and beating hearts, Just look at this picture of a mother who carries so much sorrow.

I hope in the next few days there is some hope of clemency for these two men. I pray for them to be saved.

This February is the first time in five years I am not busy with organising international performers at the lantern festival in New Zealand. I still remember vividly the first time I took part of that festival as a volunteer. I was assisting a group of lantern makers from Shanghai to install this 4 meters tall dragon over the street. We worked into midnight and I was shouting loudly in Chinese , translating for the other event organisers of the message they were trying to convey. That night when I got home I was so excited and I could not sleep. I told myself this was exactly the job I want to do. Work for events, to help other people to communicate, use my language skills.

Some say if you wish for something hard enough, the universe will hear you. In this case, it worked for me. 2 years later I got a job at the Asia New Zealand Foundation, and worked closely with Jennifer King. She is the person who started this festival in New Zealand. I could not describe how happy I was when I started working at the Foundation. Every week there were interesting events to attend and people to meet. My world was never the same again. Over the five years working on the festivals, I have made friends with so many performers from different parts of the world. I have been to the emergency room at hospitals too many times, due to performers getting sick or injured. I have “missing performers” after busing them off to sightseeing places. I experienced post earthquake chaos at the airport. I met Prime Minsters, diplomats, culture attache, CEOs and famous artists. I could not ask for a better role than the one I had at the Foundation. Most importantly, I had an an amazing bunch of people to work with. Each one of them have their own personality, unique set of skills to contribute to the work we do. Not only I learnt new skills from my colleagues, most importantly I learnt the value they have towards their work and the people. Respect, kindness, integrity and fairness all these are the things we value dearly at the Foundation.

Now I am in Beijing working at a complete different sector and enviroment. People ask if I miss the last job? Of course I do. I even dreamt of working back in New Zealand. Do I regret of moving to China? No I do not. I believe one thing certain in life is the constant change. I had to leave, for better or for worse, I need to have new challenges and get out of the comfort zone. It is true that new life in Beijing can get very uncomfortable sometime, it can be so frustrating at times, but pain makes me grow. It makes me realise exactly what I want and how to get it.

Tomorrow the festival will be back on again to celebrate the year of the sheep in Auckland. I know it will be enjoyed by so many people in New Zealand. I wish wholeheartedly that the festival will go superbly well. My colleagues will have a great time while doing this meaningful and amazing piece of work .

Nga mihi

Liyang

Here is a quick summary of life in 2014

January – enjoyed the beautiful summer in New Zealand, hosted many house parties because we have a pool

February – Finished the last lantern festival , hosted China’s most well known rock band Tang Dynasty in New Zealand for two weeks

March – Organised the first hen’s night of the year then attended the wedding

April – Chill

May – Celebrated my birthday with the theme of a Oneseis party, over 30 people came all dressed up.  A few days later terrorists attacked my home city, 10 minutes away from where I grew up.

June – Registered as a married couple under the secret tree in Rosegarden. Decided on wedding venue for 2015 – in the mountains.

July – Hosted a group of business people from ASEAN , had an awesome trip in NZ, been to Hobbiton for the first time, took another group down south island visited the stunning Canterbury Highland farm

August – Organised the 2nd hen’s night of the year. Topless waiter arrived late so turned himself to a stripper for free.

September – Parents arrived New Zealand for long term stay.  I organised the 3rd hen’s night of the year. Bought a house within 2 weeks.

October – Went to Hawaii with 12 friends from NZ attended friend’s wedding. Attended Foundation’s 20th anniversary , left the best job I have ever had so far.

November – Parents left NZ coz grandma was ill, rented out the house, attended another wedding as the maid of honour 2 days before I leave NZ. Landed in Beijing, traveled non stop for 17 hours to my city to see my grandma for the last time. Back to Beijing, started new job, grandma passed away.

December – starting new job in a completely different sector, trying hard to adapt to the new life, getting sick for three weeks, got fake money, been to many live shows, caught up with many old friends, and finally sent out wedding invitations for next year.