Olivia's Childhood

 When I was teaching in China, I often asked my students to write their stories. They all had a story and I just couldn't get enough of them.  They spoke so casually of hardships and resiliency. I loved hearing their stories.

Olivia's Childhood

written by Mimi (Olivia) Lui

Spring 2012

 My birthday is August tenth in 1993, for my family, it was not really happy thing that I was coming. Cause you know, August is such busy season that nobody took care of my mother and me, every people went the farm to cut the wheat, so I was a shoulder at that time.  What was worse as you know the government carried out The Family Planning Policy strictly, so my grandparents wanted to gift me for other family, where is so far from my hometown. But my parents insist to binging me up, so I am so thinking them.  Cause I am the third child in my family, so I was punishmented more money than my brother, it was about 500 Yuan. Of course, my poor family had not so much money, then my parent just lend my relationships. Unlucky, my neighbor was lead two sheep and a trike by the government that was really hardship time for us.

 When I was 10 years old, my little sister was born out, then the government carried out one-child policy, but my family have four children, it is a big family. So my father decided hide my sister's identity, that is to say, she would not sign up on our book of registered permanent, but the truth will come out. Anyway the government knew my sister at her two month. They always knocked our door, and asked a lot of money, we had no money but some furniture, so they moved some away to their place, but my father disagree that.  And we would give sister to other family who had no child. They gave us a couple of days. So my father sent my mother and sister to my aunt's family, then three months later, my mother and sister back.  And the government came again, there was no way to avoid cause they would like take my father to jail. You know, if my father was taken to jail, our family could not keep going. So my father gave them all of money about 2000 Yuan and several bags of wheat, and they back and never return.

Even though I have a poor childhood, but I felt very warm and happiness, my parents love us, and we love them too.

EDITED by me

My birthday is August 10 1993.  For my family, it was not really happy thing that I was coming. Because you know, August is such busy season.  No one could take care of my mother and me because everyone worked on the farm to cut the wheat, so I was a burden at that time.  What was worse as you know the government carried out The Family Planning Policy strictly.  So my grandparents wanted to give me to other family, who lived so far from my hometown. But my parents insisted on bringing me up, so I am so thankful to them. Because I am the third child in my family, I was fined more money than my older brother. it was about 500 Yuan ($90). Of course, my poor family had not so much money, then my parent just borrowed from my relationships. Unlucky, my neighbor was lead two sheep and a truck by the government that was really hardship time for us.

When I was 10 years old, my little sister was born. Then the government carried out one-child policy, but my family have four children, it is a big family. So my father decided hide my sister's identity, that is to say, she would not be registered on our book of registered permanent, but the truth will come out. Anyway the government knew of my sister when she was two months old. They  knocked on  our door, and asked for a lot of money.  We had no money but some furniture, so they took some of our furniture away to their place, but my father disagree with that.  So a neighbor asked if we would give my sister to other family who had no child. They gave us a couple of days to decide. So my father sent my mother and sister to my aunt's family, then three months late, my mother and sister came back.  And the government came again.  There was no way to avoid them because they wanted to take my father to jail. You know, if my father was taken to jail, our family could not keep going. So my father gave them all of his money, about 2000 Yuan (about $300USA) and several bags of wheat. And they left and never return.

Even though I have a poor childhood, but I felt very warm and happiness, my parents love us, and we love them too.
  

  
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