Neil's Journey

Neil is a poor Chinese immigrant who moves to America to create a better life for his family. He encounters numerous struggles along the way, but overcomes them. He becomes a successful acupunturist

They named him Neil. It was the spring of 1937, and this was their second baby. They had eagerly waited for this moment for so long. A boy would become a breadwinner of the family. Despite their joy, they knew life would still be tough. Neil's parents were both poor and struggling to get by as farm workers. One baby meant one more mouth to feed, but having a boy was all worth it. He could take care of his parents in old age and provide for the whole family. Plus, they thought, boys are superior over girls in every aspect. They had high expectations from a boy, and Neil grew into a perfect little boy with brown eyes, black hair, and a slender figure. He hardly ever cried, slept well, and got along well with his parents and peers as a toddler. He had immaculate manners and his large vocabulary was impressive. He was also very obedient. As much as he enjoyed studying, he loved recess. Every day he took the long road to his school, and looked forward to learning. He was well-rounded both in academics and extracurricular activities. He did so well that he was number one in class and even placed into advanced classes where he continued to succeed through high school. He was also very outgoing, and seemed to make friends easily. Not only was he a star student, he was an ideal child and always helped his parents at home with the farm work. . Never once did he complain that the work was too hard, or disrespect their rules. Everything was going well until he got the biggest suprise of all at age 16. During this era, prearranged marriage was very common. Without being informed, his parents arranged him to marry an attractive and poor lady. "What's going on? Why is everyone here?" he asked. They said, "We're sorry we didn't tell you soon enough. This is your bride, " they said and pointed to the bride. "Now go upstairs and change into your suit," they added. So Neil went upstairs and changed into the suit they laid out on the bed. He hurried downstairs and found the everyone was talking. "How handsome you are," the guests said. "Thank you," he responded. He took a look at his bride and thought, what a beautiful girl. People gave compliments her way. "What a beautiful dress and bride!" they exclaimed. Soon the wedding began, and they exchanged their vows. He was now a married man.

Their marriage was ordinary. They were the typical hardworking couple of their time, and they lived with Sally's father in law. Sally was a dutiful housewife, tending the farm and cooking, which was nothing new since she had cooked since she was nine years old. While Sally was busy, Neil attended school. He was so smart he jumped grades, and his total years of schooling was only five years. He was accepted into a prestigious university, but had no money to attend any college, so he kept studying until the war broke out. There was a lack of soldiers, so they drafted young men, and Neil was one of them. He mastered all the training in the army and was a dedicated soldier. Many soldiers died of gunshot wounds in the army, and but he survived. When he came back, the condition of the economy was appalling. His family was struggling, and he wanted to make a better life for them. He had read the advertisements for coal mining, and from the information, it was promising even though he knew the dangers and risks. He could earn a steady income, much more than what he earned back in China. He told his wife and went to Germany to sign up for the coal mining job. There were two rounds of testing: the written and the physical exam. Whoever applied was required to pass both in order to become a coal miner, and many people did not make it. However, Neil preservered and made it. The coal mining job was a very dangerous job for most. Many people died and it was not uncommon to lose a limb. Neil had a zest for learning, and wanted to learn more about the coal mining job. So he decided to work in an assigned area that was far more dangerous than other areas. It was very hot in this area, and as a result, many people suffered from ezcema and Neil was a sufferer. Still he worked in the area, and exposure to the hot temperature caused his foot to go bad, and he had to be hospitalized for six months.

When he came back, a letter from his wife was waiting for him. "Come back home," the last lines of the Sally's letter read. The words tugged at his heart. He tried hard not to think about it. It was May 1959, and he was only 22 years old. Sally missed him, but Neil had a different plan for a better life. He knew how harsh life was in China. Every day he had to walk an hour to and from his house. He had to do many hours of farm work and studied until midnight because of the work. Even as he got married, he worked on the farm from dawn to dinner and had only a few hours to study. Even with farming, there was barely enough food to eat, and there was no other source of income. Back at home, he had a family of seven eagerly waiting for him. It may have sounded easy, but it was far from true. He needed time to think things over. If he was to return back home, he would go back to square one and start all over again. It meant struggling to put food on the table and taking on a low paying job because he had only a high school education. Making ends meet would be a constant worry due to the lack of money. Back where he lived, people filled their bellies with water and plants because they couldn't afford the price of food. The net income of the entire population of China was equvilant to a mere 2,000 in American dollars. During this time, there was a high demand in coal mining jobs in Germany due to the lack of workers. Many Chinese took this opportunity to escape their life of poverty, including Neil. It was not for everybody because of the vigorous physical training and testing , but Neil passed the coal miner's tests with flying colors. He had finished the last round of testing and finally given the job of a coal miner. He was making 35,000 a year, which was five times more than the average citizen's income in China. He was faring well, so why would he want to go back to a harsh life in China? It just didn't make sense to him. Family of course was very important, but he thought what difference would it make if he could barely take care of himself and his family? They would still be in the bleak situation they were in. Wouldn't it be better if he just sent money from Germany? It still meant he cared for them, even though he was not physically with them. Still, the words lingered in his mind. No, he thought, he needed more money. Then when things were better, he would reunite with his family. Yes, he thought, that's what he would do. So he wrote back, telling her to wait a little bit longer until things got better. Sally was a very understanding wife, and wrote back telling she understood although she wanted him to come back.

The years without him were very hard, raising six children by herself and taking care of in-laws as well. She missed the companionship she shared with Neil. Every day she looked at his picture in the living room hoping he would come back. Many people noticed his picture and commented on his good looks, comparing him to the president during that time. She thought he would come back soon, but she was wrong. It was four years and counting.

After four years, he grew tired of his coal mining job because it was dangerous and hard. He had heard that the U.S. was a very good place to live and raise children. So he came to visit the U.S. and decided he wanted to settle down. He worked a variety of odd jobs to stay in the U.S. and bought his own apartment with his savings he earned as a coal miner.

It was 1975. "Come to America," he wrote in his letter to Sally. He had attached the plane tickets to the letter. Sally was excited to be able to meet with Neil. A few days later, they packed a few clothes and boarded the plane. It was a dream come true.

 

They arrived in America on May 25, 1975. Dressed in their best clothes, they were finally excited and curious to meet with their father after years without him. Some of his children didn't even remember what he looked like. How he had changed, the other children thought. He was older and more mature. How everyone has changed, he thought. They are different from the last time I saw them, but how big they are now. He hugged his children and they hugged him back. There was so much to talk about.

 

He remembered getting treated by an ancupunturist in China for back pain. As a result, he got better. From that point forward, he was fascinated by it. So he went to night school to learn all about acupuncture. His curiosity grew, and he bought various books and studied them. He prepared for his acupuncture licensing exam. When test day came, he was ready. "404," they called. He went up and took his exam. He hesitated at the questions, but calmed himself down and remembered. After double checking his answers on the exam, he handed it in. He was finished and relieved to be.

The mail came in. He passed! He was overjoyed. It had been a month's worth of studying, and it all paid off in the end. Now it was time to open his own clinic. After months of searching, he found a place in Oxnard, California. It was a small clinic, but had all the necessary rooms. He moved his things into the office. It is mine, he thought. He closed his eyes for a moment and visualized it in his mind. He opened his eyes. Yes, he thought, this is the start of a new beginning.