Foreign daughter-in-law enjoys Spring Festival with her new family in South China

Updated: 2017-02-06 13:20

By Jessica Ward(chinadaily.com.cn)

Jessica helps with the hens at her husband's home in Zhanjiang city, South China's Guangdong province, earlier this month. [Photo provided by Jessica to chinadaily.com.cn]

Getting off the plane and feeling that warm and breezy fresh air hit my face was enough to make me want to stay for a few months. I was so run down and tired of Beijing's cold and dry weather. What a difference four hours can make! My husband greeted me at the airport and while we waited at the bus stop, we had a few black taxis come over and ask if we wanted a ride. This was after my husband told them I was his wife. "WA!" followed by a long rambling of local dialect was the response. A small bus, about half of the size of a bus in Beijing, pulled up and we got on.

We have to spend one hour traveling to a place called Dong Hai Dao. This is where his parents live. It's a small fishing village about one hour outside of Zhanjiang. The road is full of twists, turns, bumps, and tall buildings under construction. Signs pointing to nearby villages line the road. Our bus has to slow down in order to let the cow cross the road. After battling a bout of motion sickness, we arrive. Situated next to a small convenient store, their two story home looks shabby next to a fairly new apartment complex. The current house is about 17 years old and was built by hand by my husband's father and grandfather. A proud accomplishment that not many can claim. Later this year though, the house will be torn down and rebuilt.