[Mid-Autumn Festival] To All‘Remainers'

Autumn’s pace is faster and the silver moon was high overhead: It’s time for family reunions. Different from the usual, a bit of silence and loneliness is added to GDUFS. However, there are a group of people who stick to their workplaces and are not able to reunite with their families. Today, let’s pay our respect to these ‘remainers’.

DOCTOR

As shown in the series On Call 36 Hours, doctors in the clinic keep working day and night. According to the on-duty arrangement, Doctor Yang, who is nearly sixty, was still stuck to the working position during the Middle-Autumn Festival. She said there had been several emergency cases on the evening of the 14th.

Doctor YANG keeps working in the clinic

Her children and grandchildren have all settled in Canada now. She is very content with her life. When talking about arrangements for the festival, she replied with a smile “Just spend the holiday on-call. I am now used to it after all these years.” Doctor Yang has been working here for ten years. And because of this, she has also spent ten Mid-autumn Festivals in the clinic of GDUFS. What makes her delighted is that when she finished her shift, which is exactly Middle-Autumn Festival in Canada time, she could see her grandchildren via video and say ’Happy Mid-Autumn Festival’!

CANTEEN

When the university was still bathed in moonlight and people there were in sweet dreams, Mr. Tu had set off to his workshop in the second floor of No.2 canteen from his rented house in Beigang. “If I don’t prepare this early, students who have early classes in the morning will miss breakfast. But if I prepared this last night, the food would be stale”. Mr. and Mrs. Tu run a bakery shop at the No.2 dining hall. Their cheap and fine food wins widespread high praise among students and teachers.

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Mr. and Mrs. Tu working at No.2 dining hall

Tu’s hometown is Xinyang in He’nan province. To make a living in Guangzhou, they left their young children to elderly parents to take care of. Each time they left for Guangzhou, their children would cry and keep them from leaving. Tu said his parents had no idea how to use a smartphone, not to mention WeChat. It is impossible for this couple to have a look at the latest photo of their children. Picture saved in their phone before seemed to be a comfort for this couple. This festival, they only could send blessings via phone.

Several meters away from Tu’s shop, there is a milk tea shop Xiang Piao Xuan which is also run by a couple. What impresses GDUFSers most is the boss lady’s loud voice. They have three daughters. The days spent with their daughters were numbered. Separated by long distance, this couple could only send their blessings to their family by communication software. However, different from Mr. and Mrs. Tu, they bring their three daughters to GDUFS when the summer vacation comes. At this time, students on campus who are familiar with them become children’s tutors. It’s a tie between them and GDUFS.

Night befalls. Though tired, Mr. and Mrs. Tu said that they would have a great meal on the evening of Mid-Autumn. Even though they can’t reunite with their family, thir wonderful life never ceases.

SECURITY GUARD

The security guards of GDUFS who worked during the whole year are the protectors of the campus. Among them, some live in Guangzhou with their families, and others stay here alone. When it comes to festivals, nostalgia will creep up on everybody. Mr. Wang on duty at the South Campus is one of those. When asked about his feelings of failing to reunite with his family, he replied “I have become accustomed to it. They always need somebody to do this.” The peace and difference on his face contains countless feelings of bitterness of heartache. After so many years, they are no longer obsessive about festivals. It will be satisfying for them to have a meal with their family. “The reason we stand at our posts is to protect others and ensure the university’s normal operation. Because these are our jobs and duties. We have no complaint.”

Mr. Wang on duty

Di--there comes a security car, Mr. Wang mustered the energy and saluted.

All of us, GDUFSers, should salute to them.

Thanks to all who always work at GDUFS.