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China Daily Global / 2021-04 / 15 / Page016

What we decide to take with us reveals who we are

By Matt Prichard | China Daily Global | Updated: 2021-04-15 00:00

Virtually everyone bemoans the act of moving. Whether you're switching your home to a new place around the block or around the world, it's still a hassle.

The young-who have lots of energy-often will move their own things by renting a truck. One popular brand of rental truck in the United States is U Haul-as in, you haul it. As people grow older and accumulate things like nicer furniture, of course, they often will shop for a reliable mover who won't break their belongings.

An international move presents special challenges, especially when you're moving to a different continent. Corporate executives from abroad sometimes have their companies move many of their household goods-even furniture. In Shanghai, we used to call them "package people" because moving services came with their employment package.

Those of us of more modest means are, in essence, the international U Haul crowd. When my wife and I arrived in China nine years ago, we came with four large suitcases and two backpacks.

We had sold our houses and gotten married, so we had to sell or give away huge amounts of stuff. We rented a storage space for family keepsakes and the few antiques we have. But we ended up keeping way too many things. That is a very common experience for people who move abroad. Letting go can be a challenge. Our excuse was that we didn't know how long we were going to stay-we certainly didn't know it was going to be almost a decade.

Setting up housekeeping in our adoptive land was a real adventure. Remember, this was before the advent of being able to get virtually anything delivered online in short order. Tesco, the British grocery chain, was our go-to place. We still have a few pieces of the blue porcelain plates and bowls that were some of our first purchases. As I pack to head back to the Western Hemisphere, I hope to take a few of those pieces as a keepsake.

It is difficult to choose what to take. I'm going back with four large suitcases and a backpack. My wife, having already moved, is waiting for me.

We are not especially acquisitive, but there are some things we'd love to have to help us remember our special years in China. A big wooden mask that's a little heavy is one of them. But airport luggage scales are unforgiving, so I am forced to pare down.

There is a little ceramic statue I've had on our desk of a grandfather in traditional Chinese dress. It makes me happy. But, it's a little heavy. Do I take it or leave it? Decisions, decisions…

My wife really wants me to pack her wok. She can't find one like it in our new town, so it may have to go in the suitcase. There are several books that I will take, including one written by a dear friend from Singapore.

But while I am sorting and packing and putting things in piles, it is important to remember that the most important things we take with us are memories and friends we have made.

It's also easy to forget that moving can be an opportunity to start anew, to find a new happy place and make new friends. And when we invite friends over, we will have pictures, masks and other keepsakes from China and other countries that will help us tell them about our wonderful time in Asia.

 

Matt Prichard

 

 

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