As I take the last step up the Great Wall, I glance out into the hilly view filled with lush green plants. I was not really excited about going to China, due to the horrible 13 hour flight, but aside from that; it was pretty amazing. I quickly descended back down the Great Wall, passing by many other tourists and shops surrounded the attraction. Soon enough, my family and I boarded the tour bus. As it rolled through the streets of Beijing, Many aristocratic buildings appeared near the major attractions and government buildings under the hazy sunshine. Tiny snack stands lined up along the street as sounds of laughter filled the smoky polluted air. At first glance, I can see how life in China is similar to my life back home. After a few days of touring and going shopping in stores around Beijing, my family and I soon took off to the ancient southern capital of China, Nanjing.
Once the plane landed, the suffocating heat and the sudden wave of humidity were detrimental to my dark dusty soul. The bus drove down rugged roads to towns and cities along the rushing river rapids of the Yangtze towards Shanghai. As each road sign passed by, I realized how rusty my reading was. The tour guide was speaking Mandarin nearly the whole ride and my electronics ran out of battery by then so I was only left with one more form of entertainment: staring out the window. The bus sped by, past the trees dancing in the breeze and past by many homes of rural China for countless hours. Vast valleys and colossal mountains dominated the skyline as we drove down the road.  That was the moment where I finally realized something that I never thought nor felt in my life.
As the bus continued to drive us to certain tourist areas in across the cities, my mind completely lost itself in the images of people living in destitution. I could see so many generations of people all compacted into one small area they called home. The grandparents and their grandchildren sat on the ground and on the steps to their shelter, watching the men walk to the filthy river to do their daily chores. Capturing the moments of the families struggling really gave me a true display of what a tough life is really like. And before this trip, I thought taking out the trash was tough. The people wore grimy old rags as they worked the day away in the muddy ground. The everyday heavy responsibilities that are placed on the aching shoulders of these families made me realize how appreciative I should be about my life. Respecting each other and smiling even during tough times come as a second nature to these families, as they know how to live life to the fullest despite their circumstances. When these people work hard to earn their living, it made me realize how unappreciative I was when I received presents just because I turned one year older. Even with all this struggling. They always appreciated everything and found reasons to enjoy life even at its worst. So I decided. I’ll smile. I’ll live life to the fullest. Because they can too.