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After 15 hours in the air and 2 extra hours strangled on the runaway due to severe thunderstorm, I am back in DC. Even though I am quite tired from the trip, I know you are eager to learn the events in Beijing, so here is a brief summary. Hope this information can serve you as healing, just as the trip was a healing-closure process for me as well. I arrived on the 20th and spent the next 6 days with Yan's family. Her brother went to pick me up at the airport and her parents greeted me at home. There is a room in the apartment decorated with Yan's pictures, flowers and her favorite toys. I paid my respects there on behalf of all of you by offering 2 bouquet of flowers at her apartment and 2 flower arrangements at the memorial service (2 from Cohort G and 2 from GW Chinese Student Association). The next few days I visited some of the places that Yan used to visit, her old high school, her college, her old neighborhood and some tourist attractions that she also went while she was in China. The weather was hot but breezy. The sky was always blue. The ceremony was held at Fragrant Hill Hotel, 1 hour
outside of Beijing. The scenery was great for there were lots of trees,
greens and fresh air. The memorial service was divided into 2 sections,
one in the main hall, where the service was held for all 3 victims (all
of them from J&J), and the second half was held in a private room, where
Yan's friends can come and pay their respect directly to her and her family.
The main hall was decorated with flower walls, pictures of the 3 victims
and condolences calligraphy, a Chinese tradition during funerals and memorial
services. In Yan's private room, flowers from friends and classmates made
up the decoration, together with her family pictures, cards, toys and
diploma. The wall was also decorated with condolences email print outs
from all of you. Her parents read all of your messages and wanted to have
them in the memorial room. The background music was Yan's favorite songs,
interesting enough; all of them are from the same "Notting Hill" album.
Each song has a special meaning, like "No Matter What" (http://www.allspirit.co.uk/matter.html),
sounded like Yan's words of wisdom to all of us. Another songs, which
were not played but the lyrics were pasted in her room: "She" The ceremony was about 2 hours long and after that we left for Beijing. And a day later I was on the plane heading back to DC. It was a brief trip yet worthy because I was there, representing all of you, walking hand-in-hand with Yan's family during Yan's last mile in her earthy life. Although I am sad like all of you of losing a great friend, I know that she is now in a better place, watching over for us. With this warm thought I left Beijing, on a sunny Sunday afternoon, with sweet memories and love in my luggage. Yan loved to smile, laugh and above all, loved to live. And she left us with more good memories than regrets. Therefore I urge you to enjoy each and everyday, live to the fullest; don't hesitate to say "I love you" to those that deserve your affection; and smile every chance you have, for life is good and life is short. I leave you with these words of wisdom that Yan once told me, hope they can serve you as good mottos. Take care and keep in touch. Lydia May 27, 2002 |
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