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Train tickets the most precious gift
(China Daily)
Updated: 2006-01-23 05:44
They migrate to big cities to earn a living all year round, so the holiday
trip for most migrant workers for a family reunion in the upcoming Lunar New
Year is sweet and full of hope despite a lot of difficulties in getting a
ticket.
Zhang Xiao is one of them. He cannot find words to describe his feeling as
Spring Festival approaches.
Chinese passengers try to
board a train at a railway station in Shanghai, January 21,
2006. [newsphoto] |
The 28-year-old from Guizhou Province in Southwest China is eager to see his
wife and their 21-month-old son, as this is the first time that he has returned
home since he migrated to Beijing to work for a construction company several
days after last year's Spring Festival.
"The feeling becomes increasingly strong as the festival approaches," Zhang
said.
After 7-odd-hours queuing in the bitter cold at Beijing Railway Station last
week, he finally got a ticket, which is a difficult task for most Chinese during
the peak period.
With luggage packaged in three big bags, which includes new clothes he bought
for his wife and food and toys for his son, Zhang boarded the train bound for
his hometown yesterday. "Anyway, I'm going home to spend the festival with my
family," he said, smiling.
"My family are expecting my return," he added.
After almost one year of hard work, he earned around 7,000 yuan (US$863)
minus daily expenses on meals and travels, which, Zhang said, is enough to
support his family in the mountainous countryside.
"My hometown is very poor and most of the young male villagers go to big
cities for work all year round to earn a living for their families," Zhang said.
"So the short period during Spring Festival is very valuable for us to
reunite with families," he added.
According to Zhang, he has to go back to his worksite in the outskirts of
Beijing before the end of next month.
"To be honest with you, I'm very envious of the city dwellers' life. They
have a decent job and can entertain themselves as they wish after work," he
said. "I hope my son can lead such a life."
Thousands of migrant workers like Zhang are joining the massive movement of
people. They crowd the railway stations, either to take the trip home or to
queue for a ticket.
According to the Ministry of Railways, around 144 million journeys will be
made by rail during the festival period from January 14 to February 29.
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