Watching this video, brings back memories of China when your MIL was born in the 60s'. As a child born in Singapore in the 50s', I seen my neighbours sending essential foodstuffs like canned oil and butter to their China relatives (Singapore was a poor country in the 60's). The cans were cut and re-sealed to avoid paying customs duty. For people today especially those in developed countries, it is difficult to understand the hard life then. My father brought gifts to his relatives when he visited his ancestors' in present days Shenzhen. He left Singapore with 2 watches and arrived home without it. China has indeed made tremendous progress in alleviating poverty. In term of "Human Development Index", from 1950 to 1980, China grew 3.5 times and India 2.75 times. So having the largest democracy in the world doesn't necessary mean faster progress for the poor. Today, China is well ahead of India in alleviating poverty. Your MIL is doing well and comparing to a country where I am doing humanitarian work, the rural area conditions are far worst. Your video has an organic and ordinary human views which I find refreshing. Hope to visit you one day. Keep it up "chia u"!
Thank you for you comment! Must be you who left the other comment about Singapore on one of my other videos, or am I wrong? I feel like you have many stories to tell, it would be amazing to meet one day and listen to them! Development is a very interesting thing - what does it really mean? It can bring a lot of people out of poverty, but what kind of life is offered instead? Another life of hard work, and a "need" for many many new things, products and services. And to meet those new "needs" people again give up a lot, often including their inner peace, some happiness, health and a lot of their time. But then again, I don't mean that development is a bad thing - begging for food and worrying if you or your kids will survive the year (or the day!) must be absolutely terrible for both body and soul. But it's not necessarily the only thing to strive for. Thank you for your interesting comment!
@@MiriamFollin It is I, Miriam. So far, I have made comments ONLY on your videos and that was the very 1st time ever I commented on your MIL. Having watched many videos aside from yours and read some of the comments; most comments, I reckon the viewers want to "say something" and hopefully I do have "something to say" that is really meaningful. I rather remain silent if my view cannot contribute to the understanding of a subject. In the cyberspace, there is no sound generated in the comments yet the silence is noisy and deafening, and it is the same for WhatsApp & others. It have keep many looking down on the phone, the malady of smart phone. Detour to Singapore, the concrete jungle city, be surprise to see a concrete jungle city in a garden. If a picture paints a thousand words; and why can't your videos tell a thousand stories that win a million viewer hearts.
I was born late 1980s in China. My family used to live in the street and temporary shelters for a couple of years. In the summer, I wore nothing except for a short, and walked around barefoot on the soil. I just can't believe the dramtic change we have made in the last few decades. After having been living in big cities for over a decade, I began to miss my life in rural area where everybody owns some land and properties. You can grow your own food and climb the hill or mountain next to your house. I am planning to be back at certain point in my life.
@@yaobruce9174 My life was not much different from yours and too had walked barefooted in my younger days. Few occasions, I stepped on lighted cigarette butts accidentally which made me hopped like a rabbit (I lived on the ground floor of block of flats). Those days, Singapore was dirty, people threw rubbish without a thought for the environment. I have never go without food like Miriam's MIL neighbours. I could eat chicken only during Chinese New Year (I am a vegetarian now). It was those days when the Chinese would greet each other by whether "one has eaten" instead of "ni hao" today. Spontaneous invitation would be extended for one to join in for a meal. Development takes many people out of poverty and in this aspect China stands out. With 800 million people lifted out of poverty is mind boggling. Its huge area and colossus population poise a great challenge to feeding her people; growth has to be treaded gingerly because any misstep has grave consequences and could spiral into a chaos. The english saying that "A hungry man is an angry man" is a cause for upheaval and China long history is replete with many examples. Stability has provided the foundation for China progress and with the chinese cultural trait of working hard propelled the country progress in record time. Never in the history of mankind, a great number of people have been lifted out of poverty within such a short period. Today, 60% of the households in China have $500 cash for emergency purposes while in American households 60% do not have it. Progress has gone beyond providing the basic needs of survival and it enable 120 million chinese to travel overseas freely as tourists yearly. I was in Osaka, Japan last December, the tour guide shared with us that previously there were 2 shops catering to chinese tourists in the shopping district and the shops closed at 9 pm. It has more shops now and it is run on 24 hours. I am proud that a Singaporean had contributed to the development of China, Dr. Goh Keng Swee, the first foreign economic advisor to China SEZs. Whatever I learned about my ancestral home from my grandmother as a child and my father who visited in late 60s' about the tough and poor conditions was vastly different from what I saw. In 2017, I visited my ancestral home located within the Hakka walled village at Shenzhen, my clansmen no longer stay in the walled village. I held in awe that many of my clansmen are staying in landed houses which many Singaporean would envy, some of which are 3 storeys. Their lives have improved by leaps and bounds. I don't think that you would disagree with what I wrote because you, personally have experienced the almost unbelievable transformation to a better life. The phenomena and spectacular development are miraculous; yet some in the west decry the achievements China made and theirs is the only system that can achieve progress without considering the chinese history and cultural norms. When people are caught in wanting far much more than necessities, it is no longer a basic needs but greed and desires which are delusional. Once you have enough of city life and have accumulated sufficient savings, take the plunge of moving into the country side, hopefully you would find the joy of simple living and that the hills are alive with the sound of tranquility and happiness. Thanks for sharing your experiential insight. Finally, my parting thought with a quote from Bertrand Russell, "To be without some of the things you want is an indispensable part of happiness."
Miriam, you're the only one that i can (safely & happily) give thumb up even before the video start and never (ever) regret it, so humble and honest. ps : and so positive too
I feel the exact same way. Miriam speaks softly, from the heart, with no hype, with great sensitivity, and it is moving to watch her videos. Learning more about rural China, about her husband's family and how they live(d) is enlightening and enriching. I greatly appreciate these beautiful videos.
How China grew into a poor Country into a second largest economy in such short period of time is simply amazing and it still amaze me. I'm not a Chinese but I really appreciate their fast transformation which the world never had seen before....That's why the famous words of Napolean saying, "Let China sleep for when she wake up she will shake the world" is about to be going to happen in our era.... Every economist has projected that China will surpass the US in within a decade to come to take no.1 position....
I love your MIL, she's such a sweet heart. Her warmth, sensitivity and compassion shines through. She also looks like a real laugh and has a sense of fun.
Your mother-in-law is a natural! She speaks clearly and well and looks so happy to be interviewed.!And if I had only heard your voice, I would have thought that it was a native speaking. Beautifully put video., letting the interviewee do all the talking. And interesting to boot! Well done, Miriam!
I LOVED this video so much. Not only because I am really interested in History and China but because your mother in law is so open and down to earth. If you can please tell her how much I appreciate her sharing her up bringing and how much insight it gave me💚💚💚💚
Few people outside China really understand what China faced in 1949. They had a country with the biggest population which had to be fed, clothed, employed, etc. The countryside had been devastated by over 100 years of wars and foreign invasion. No other country on earth had faced such challenges before. As a country committed to socialism, China had not precedents to guide it except the USSR, which itself had a few decades of hesitant headstart. The first 60 years were years of unavoidable years of learning and experimentation with varying results. Some were bad, but few as bad as western media or governments made them out to be. The 60m who starved to death did not happen, as Prof Fitzgerald pointed out in his book. Rather, because of the measures adopted by the CPC, fewer died from the famines than would have otherwise done so. The Great Leap forward failed, but yielded valuable lessons for subsequent leaders. China faced western sanctions which suppressed its development. But its spirit remained indomitable. The subsequent 40 years showed how this spirit expressed itself. Well done, China! Great video. Well done Miriam.
That is very true. Those who demonised China for some of her experimental failures conveniently failed to consider the suppressions that China faced then and even now.
Your mother-in-law gives me a new perspective in life. They had nothing but they are happy, now we have everything but we are not that joyful anymore. Everday my mind revolves around money though I can retire already. I believe we have to balance both.
Very interesting! It is always wonderful to see and listen to real people rather than images on TV. Your mother-in-law seems like a genuine and kind person. I wish you to live happily with your new family.
I agree with your mother-in-law said, "People these days are materialistic, unlike people if the past where they were carefree even when all they had were just one or two meals daily." True happiness comes from within us, not from money.
i born in 1987, this story same as my mother & her generation when i was kid we're so poor & suffering alots, but all the kids have education since we live in city (close city to capital) but almost every kids go to school even in villages, rural places. MOSTLY ONLY KIDS FROM REMOTE ISLAND & REMOTE MOUNTAIN OR FROM TRIBES MINORITY GROUPS don't go schools at that time. The story in Vietnam is somehow is similar as china. Before 1980 mostly people working for government, each month they have ticket to buy foods & needs. NO ONE CAN SALE FOOD OR GROWING FARM BY THEIR OWN, it's illegal. Government think do that is good to took control price & products so poor or rich have same quality. But it fails, as we're all know. At that time, only fews type business can running by their own (fish sauce farm, clothes shop,etc..) as long it not growing food & farming then sale it illegal at 1950-1980 (something like that) After 1980 government admit it wrong mistake so they're changing FREE BUSSINES & free farming to sale of everything you working to be free, it not cause illegal or breaking laws. So everything is better. Plus, after Vietnam wars. ONE OF BIGGEST REASON HOLDING VIETNAM FOR KANY YEARS IS America government punishment trade-ban Vietnam. Every country don't trade with Vietnam under America rules. So that time, after wars Vietnamese suffering alots. Only trade with China, Venezuela, Russia & others communists country. After America stop their trade-ban, they make deal with Vietnam cause we have rich natural resources & sea port linked Southeast Asia. Life after 1990 step by step improve. Even that time i was a kid (my family still very poor) but still ALOTS EASY & BETETR if compare my mom generation. Honestly, if you're education well, have plans for your life, hard working & positively mindset. I can say life in Vietnam & Asian is not that bad. Of course it's still developing, still have some bad side need change, mostly is corrupt government. But if you of good side brightly way, it not that bad. If you avoid politics, you live good in mostly Asia country. Then many people ask, why many Vietnamese running out of Vietnam to USA & western country (aka boat peoples) Need to understand cause back then, mostly peoples don't education so even they're hard-working but they have no tools & technology & information to increase production (farming,growing food & saving food, etc..) Second, the whole country is poor, special after 3 WARS (3LATEST WARS IN VIETNAM, im not count many wars in thoundsand year ago) It's is Japan, then French, then America. After 3 latest wars, the whole country about to break down!! The country get destroyed everything. Plus, last reason is NORTH & SOUTH VIETNAM have different belief in political system style & ideal NORTH VN want run their own country by communist system, NOT DEPEND ON ANYONE. While SOUTH VN is more open, for Western leader to help Vietnam but share business (kind of new-wave of colonial) if thing going good then both is win-win But North Vietnamese scare it nothing more than colonial. We can stand by our own self, our legs. We're open for Western to come to Vietnam do business but not as colonial, not control power, not share army-base. NO ONE WANT TO BE COLONIAL in any good way it can call, right? As youngful generation, we can't say or judging, cause back in that time people think they do the best for country, they make choice & history. To earn freedom MILLIONS OF MILLIONS VIETNAMESE was been dead, been kill during 3 latest war, blood running out!! Now, life in Vietnam similar to Thailand & Malaysia & China, Singapore, Korea,etc.. Of course not rich as Korea or Singapore, i mention in generally side of life & freedom business, growing economic & education. I hope our next generation step by step changing better laws system in peaceful way, building our country & Asia growing better. If people say Africa is black raw diamond, i can say Asia & Southeast Asia is beautiful & rich sources, its like YELLOW DIAMOND God create for our humans lolz 😊
Such an interesting reflection! Thank you for sharing! I'd love to visit Vietnam one day to see for myself the Vietnamese cities and its countryside, as well as meeting the people. Unfortunately I guess I would not be able to speak to the older generation (I assume they only speak Vietnamese, is that right?). I live speaking to older people - they have personal experiences of what to us younger people are just written history. But they remember!
Many vietnamese come to our country philippines and we welcome them, still more Vietnamese in Palawan. Many become rich coz they own busineses.Now they are more progressive than us.?...Greeting from Philippines
I am loving these videos of China, you have a wonderful relationship with your lovely MIL. My son married a beautiful young Chinese girl from Harbin, they have blessed me with two beautiful grandchildren. They live in Australia and I am living in California, I wish I could be there to help with the children and spend more time with them. Thank you for sharing your life with us.
This is a nice video for the younger generation to see. Hopefully it will make them understand that much good things today came from the many sufferings and sacrifices of their parents ang grandparents... Therefore please treasure them.
I love the simple way of life… with having a garden of your own near by a creek to sustain a flow of water to nourished the plants animals and the household…😊😊😊
thanks so much -- this is all so fascinating. I really appreciate the stories of China in the last 50 years or so -- and I am very interested in your mother-in-law's perspective on those times and the differences she points out -- between the more socialist state of the 1960s and the capitalism China has embraced since then. We can learn so much from each other. Miriam -- what a wonder you are -- brave enough to follow your heart -- and look at where it has taken you! While there is lots of hard work, it is good work and you are closer to the land than many of us who follow your videos. I am sure it is not all idyllic, but your smile and the smile of your son indicates you have found a good life there. Here in the U.S., I worry about our future. I am 62 -- I do not have children, but I am a university professor so my students are my children. I fear for their future -- I was just following some of my friends on Facebook who are thinking about our parents' and grandparents' lives during the Depression of the 1930s -- we need to learn those skills again -- growing a garden and then canning, pickling, and freezing - mostly canning -- I do not remember my mother speaking of drying. I never learned how to can vegetables and fruit, but think I might need to when I retire. Thanks again -- love watching your videos while we are here in quarantine (in the state of Ohio) -- I am very lucky to be able to work safely at home, even though teaching online is difficult for both the students and the teachers. But my husband and I are incredibly privileged -- and you are privileged to have such a warm, compassionate mother-in-law. I can sense you and your husband's compassion and determination to work hard as well. And your son is just so sweet and cute. He is having a wonderful childhood. I am also interested in all the different experiences of the diverse group of subscribers you have. So much to learn.
Thank you for such a wonderful comment! And yes I feel very blessed to have my mother-in-law, she's so open to share her stories, experiences and knowledge with me. And I'm so fascinated by it, and by her strength! She's had a difficult life. I'm happy to hear you can continue working, but I understand that it must be so different to teach through a screen! Some of the human interaction is lost that way. I'm sure for many students, it's also quite lonely. I hope this passes soon - and that we can return to social interaction. I read about the effect of isolation on the elderly, and it makes me quite sad. Especially the ones who do not have a partner but live all alone. My grandmother in Sweden lives alone, and in the beginning of the pandemic her cat passed away and now she's quite lonely, and the recommendations for my family is not to visit in case they bring the virus. I wish I could go and see her. I think canning and preserving food is such an important skill, and for a community to dare to be co-dependent on each other and that way also be relatively self sustainable. In Sweden most communities are not. My dream is to keep learning about preserving and growing food, and eventually be able to eat a majority of my own produce. I would love to also have animals, like sheep, for the wool. But I think that would be far ahead in the future.
Chinese people are resilient, diligent and kind by nature but seldom express their feelings...they may appear aloof but are faithful and loyal and take marriage and responsibilities seriously.You are blessed to have a good husband well brought up by a loving family!
Ur mother in law spoke like a learned person !!?? (she said a lot of things in this video, but was not translated...) she's very clear headed, intellectual, and sentimental. I always thought she's a typical village lady...
Miriam, I like your attitude toward life! You have found yourself a very nice husband and family. Lucky you! Besides, your Chinese is very good! Im very impressed . ☺️
Lovely video but I would have loved a full translation. This is an interesting topic. It is especially interesting to hear woman' s perspective. My happiest days were also my times of hardship strangely. It made me think back. Thank You
Thank you to your intelligent and warm mother in law for sharing her experiences in her upbringing. So insightful and interesting to listen to someone from a different generation. I also love how supportive you are of each other 💞 what a beautiful bond you have! I can tell your mother in law's father was very caring towards his family from the way she speaks of him and this has passed down in each generation to her and then her son (your husband) and now to the lovely family you have both created. Love how accepting, respectful and open you are to the Chinese culture. Thank you so much for showing the way of life in the area you live in 💞 it is so fascinating and educational.
This video should be shown to the international big brasses meeting, to clarify the distorted narrative we are being told about China and communist countries. I was born in Jugoslavija, in 1948 and for her reasons (very young widow) my mother brought me and sister in Italy, where we live. I've been taught to hate my people, my country were still part of the family lives and today they regret the fall of the Republic, which they describe as your mother in law does of communist (of old) China. Thank you for this video, my deepest regards to your mother in law and to you and family. Spartaco Giacometti, Monfalcone - Italy.
Thank you for this beautiful video! We have so much to learn this way, by actually hearing the stories of real people. I left a modern life in California 30 years ago to settle in a small remote village in Guerrero State Mexico to marry a local guy. So much about this video touches me. The part about the relative poverty or lack of 'things' combined with the joyous happiness of those early years and how that seems to change in reverse proportion...is really the same here. People were more joyous and seemed more happy in those early years when this village was so remote and would be considered very poor. Now, the modern world has arrived and people have more things but seem to have less joy.
I am a Taiwanese living in the big island of Hawaii. I left Taiwan in 1982 to Japan to study. I studied in the USA later and worked in the USA, Japan, and China. Life was hard in the 60s in Taiwan. Many collage graduates went to USA to pursue a better life. I chose Japan, and USA. I worked in China in 1992 and 2005. China changed a lot, and keeping changing every year. I am really happy that you enjoy your urban life in China. Years ago many foreigners went to China and left China with regrets. I think you will continue enjoying your life in China. God bless you.
such a beautiful conversation between two different generations and world. You are lucky to have a mother-in-law accept and respect you. Even more by being so generous sharing her history with you and the world. Best of luck and lots of love from San Francisco-United States
I was born in 1992. When I was five years old, my mother worked in a nearby factory. My mother has read only the third grade of elementary school. The salary is $70 per month. The most valuable thing in the house is the electric fan. Until I was nine years old, my family had the first TV set. That TV is equivalent to my mother's three-month salary. Women who work in factories now earn about $500 to $600. In the past ten years, wages have increased eightfold, and my family has built their own small house. There are twenty-four hours of hot water, all the furniture and appliances in modern life. The most expensive thing in the house is no longer an electric fan. This is a cheap domestic car, and my family, in the area where we live, is definitely not rich, just the most ordinary people, even some poor people, because my parents, no business, are still the most common workers.
@James Lummost families only had bike in 80s, 90s ordinary families could afford a motor cycle, and about 2000 or 2010s, many families can afford cars. So, it's really a huge change in china during few decades.
@@Alice12578 The $600 is certainly less than the US, but you have to remember that it was only $70 a decade ago. In the past decade, wages have increased more than eightfold, and domestic cars are now generally $6,000. Second-hand as long as more than 3,000 US dollars, so the average working-class family can afford
Thank you so much for sharing your mother in law's story. I remember those times. My mom was able to travel back to China in 1980, to visit her mom in China, after having left her 40 years prior because of the Japanese occupation. I understood your MIL's tears. For decades, my mom and her sister would send care packages from the US to their mom. When finally in 1980, they both went back to China to visit her, it was such a beautiful moment.
New subscriber here from Australia. This is so heartwarming. I got teary as soon as she mentioned her dad and how much she missed him.. I didn’t have a good relationship with my dad and he’s passed away as well, I instantly saw her as a vulnerable little girl who loves her dad with all her heart (and he did all he could to provide for her) and I know my daughter will feel the same way about her dad too. I hope your mother in law lives a long and healthy life 💕 what a warm person she is
Am your new fun from France in a mixed marriage... You cannot imagine how vidéos have attached me... Your beautiful... The wonderful in laws... The joy and simplicity of life.... When your husband said in one of the video that everything we do has to come from the heart. ♥️💚
It is nice that you can speak and ask your mother inlaw these questions. I also married a chinese but i didnt speak enough chinese and mil didnt speak english. I live in canada. They imigrated in the 70s to canada. My husband was not so good at translating. I would have loved to have heard about her life from her.
Your videos are awesome. You're an amazing person for interviewing your mother-in-law. Your heart is full of love. We need more people like you in this world.
You video make me feel so warm and also remind my family went trough the poor time when I was a kid,now we all live in Beijing in our own apartment ,thanks a lot for Deng xiaoping,his make China get on the right way.
I live in Switzerland and today is cold and rainy so I’m video binging 😄... catching up wth YongHong’s videos and some of Miriam’s which I haven’t watched... your mother-in-law is a wonderful person, God bless her heart! 🙏🏼🍀💕
My mother is in her 90’s. She always talked about how difficult things were and at a very young age, had to help out her family. Coming to Canada was also a difficult journey. All these sacrifices, so that our lives would be better. How I appreciate their efforts so much. This experience is probably similar to other families. It takes courage and fortitude to face challenges in life. Everyone, stay safe and healthy.
You are a special daughter in law, so I also want to be a special mother in law. She said it so naturally and honestly, and she touches me. Hope all of you enjoy look life and healthy.
Miriam. , I think you are an amazing person with such an open mind and so much goodness in you. Your embrace of your new family and new culture is a good reminder to us that our willingness to learn and be accepting of things unfamiliar and new is the key to how we can all get along with one another. The love for others is a really powerful emotion. Thank you Miriam. The world can learn a lot from your videos. 😘🥰
Hi Miriam, thanks for sharing it! I really love all your videos, specially the way you edit and put everything together! Just makes me want to watch more and more. Wishing you and your family all the best!!!
By listen her story that kind life style I was born everything on this video it brings back lots memories when lived in the village when I was kid I'm so glad she have sweet daughter in law like you
Your mother seems to be a very nice and hardworking woman. So down to earth to make a living. Many westerners will not able to understand what live is to live with bare necessities.
Your MIL is right. Nowadays it's all about money, money, money. The young people (worlwide) are growing up with the idea that the more money they make and the more money they have, that's going to bring about happiness. It's not wrong to have money but the LOVE of money that's wrong.
My hometown is in the countryside of Anhui, and my friends have all left there. Although we have more material wealth than before, but more busy and anxious. There is a feeling that we don't know where we will be tomorrow
Thanks for sharing your beautiful videos that reach out right into the heart of China... and sharing your life with it. I'm so happy to se your son in some of the videos - he's so dynamic and such a ball of energy!
Its so lovely to see you again Miriam, and that you're doing well. Thank you for sharing your mother-in-law story about growing up in her village. I got to learn something new today :)
Thank you for watching! I know it's been a while haha. But work got really busy and almost two weeks ago our little baby boy decided to enter the world ❤️ Hopefully there will be more videos coming now, since I won't be working! I hope you have been doing well lately too!
Brings back memories of my Chinese roots especially my Grandparents. Your Mother-in-law is a kind person. Very hardworking and value her experiences. She may not have an Education, but she exudes more honesty and humility in her words. I want her to be my Mother-in-law, too! ❤
I just subscribed because I am very touched by your videos’ honesty and simplicity, not being simple. I have been in China many times and have family there, although I was born in Germany. I go back every years and love it there, wishing I could live there permanently...
This video is so awesome and let me things at another perspective. Your mother in law has a great attitude towards life. Admire her strength, spirit and toughness. She has a fruitful life and it is all through her hard work. Thank you for this great video. I learned. Two thumbs up!!
Another heartwarming video. God bless you Miriam to put in the work to give us a window into the world. God bless your family in China. What an industrious woman. I am so impressed. Your business acumen fits right into the family.
I subscribed cause i was touched by your videos , natural honesty & i do appreciate how you deal w/ your chinese family it's kind of you keep it up . Love is the most wonderful ever given to us .
You are a wonderful mother in law there. So gentle and soft spoken. Having a simple life can be a blessing coz you don't really need alot to be really happy. I would trade this anytime to have a community style of living where everyone knows everyone and able to help each other or look out for one another.
Watching this video, brings back memories of China when your MIL was born in the 60s'. As a child born in Singapore in the 50s', I seen my neighbours sending essential foodstuffs like canned oil and butter to their China relatives (Singapore was a poor country in the 60's). The cans were cut and re-sealed to avoid paying customs duty. For people today especially those in developed countries, it is difficult to understand the hard life then. My father brought gifts to his relatives when he visited his ancestors' in present days Shenzhen. He left Singapore with 2 watches and arrived home without it.
China has indeed made tremendous progress in alleviating poverty. In term of "Human Development Index", from 1950 to 1980, China grew 3.5 times and India 2.75 times. So having the largest democracy in the world doesn't necessary mean faster progress for the poor. Today, China is well ahead of India in alleviating poverty. Your MIL is doing well and comparing to a country where I am doing humanitarian work, the rural area conditions are far worst. Your video has an organic and ordinary human views which I find refreshing. Hope to visit you one day. Keep it up "chia u"!
Thank you for you comment! Must be you who left the other comment about Singapore on one of my other videos, or am I wrong? I feel like you have many stories to tell, it would be amazing to meet one day and listen to them! Development is a very interesting thing - what does it really mean? It can bring a lot of people out of poverty, but what kind of life is offered instead? Another life of hard work, and a "need" for many many new things, products and services. And to meet those new "needs" people again give up a lot, often including their inner peace, some happiness, health and a lot of their time. But then again, I don't mean that development is a bad thing - begging for food and worrying if you or your kids will survive the year (or the day!) must be absolutely terrible for both body and soul. But it's not necessarily the only thing to strive for. Thank you for your interesting comment!
@@MiriamFollin It is I, Miriam. So far, I have made comments ONLY on your videos and that was the very 1st time ever I commented on your MIL. Having watched many videos aside from yours and read some of the comments; most comments, I reckon the viewers want to "say something" and hopefully I do have "something to say" that is really meaningful. I rather remain silent if my view cannot contribute to the understanding of a subject. In the cyberspace, there is no sound generated in the comments yet the silence is noisy and deafening, and it is the same for WhatsApp & others. It have keep many looking down on the phone, the malady of smart phone.
Detour to Singapore, the concrete jungle city, be surprise to see a concrete jungle city in a garden.
If a picture paints a thousand words; and why can't your videos tell a thousand stories that win a million viewer hearts.
I was born late 1980s in China. My family used to live in the street and temporary shelters for a couple of years. In the summer, I wore nothing except for a short, and walked around barefoot on the soil. I just can't believe the dramtic change we have made in the last few decades. After having been living in big cities for over a decade, I began to miss my life in rural area where everybody owns some land and properties. You can grow your own food and climb the hill or mountain next to your house. I am planning to be back at certain point in my life.
@@yaobruce9174 My life was not much different from yours and too had walked barefooted in my younger days. Few occasions, I stepped on lighted cigarette butts accidentally which made me hopped like a rabbit (I lived on the ground floor of block of flats). Those days, Singapore was dirty, people threw rubbish without a thought for the environment.
I have never go without food like Miriam's MIL neighbours. I could eat chicken only during Chinese New Year (I am a vegetarian now). It was those days when the Chinese would greet each other by whether "one has eaten" instead of "ni hao" today. Spontaneous invitation would be extended for one to join in for a meal.
Development takes many people out of poverty and in this aspect China stands out. With 800 million people lifted out of poverty is mind boggling. Its huge area and colossus population poise a great challenge to feeding her people; growth has to be treaded gingerly because any misstep has grave consequences and could spiral into a chaos. The english saying that "A hungry man is an angry man" is a cause for upheaval and China long history is replete with many examples.
Stability has provided the foundation for China progress and with the chinese cultural trait of working hard propelled the country progress in record time. Never in the history of mankind, a great number of people have been lifted out of poverty within such a short period. Today, 60% of the households in China have $500 cash for emergency purposes while in American households 60% do not have it.
Progress has gone beyond providing the basic needs of survival and it enable 120 million chinese to travel overseas freely as tourists yearly.
I was in Osaka, Japan last December, the tour guide shared with us that previously there were 2 shops catering to chinese tourists in the shopping district and the shops closed at 9 pm. It has more shops now and it is run on 24 hours.
I am proud that a Singaporean had contributed to the development of China, Dr. Goh Keng Swee, the first foreign economic advisor to China SEZs.
Whatever I learned about my ancestral home from my grandmother as a child and my father who visited in late 60s' about the tough and poor conditions was vastly different from what I saw. In 2017, I visited my ancestral home located within the Hakka walled village at Shenzhen, my clansmen no longer stay in the walled village. I held in awe that many of my clansmen are staying in landed houses which many Singaporean would envy, some of which are 3 storeys. Their lives have improved by leaps and bounds.
I don't think that you would disagree with what I wrote because you, personally have experienced the almost unbelievable transformation to a better life. The phenomena and spectacular development are miraculous; yet some in the west decry the achievements China made and theirs is the only system that can achieve progress without considering the chinese history and cultural norms.
When people are caught in wanting far much more than necessities, it is no longer a basic needs but greed and desires which are delusional.
Once you have enough of city life and have accumulated sufficient savings, take the plunge of moving into the country side, hopefully you would find the joy of simple living and that the hills are alive with the sound of tranquility and happiness. Thanks for sharing your experiential insight. Finally, my parting thought with a quote from Bertrand Russell,
"To be without some of the things you want is an indispensable part of happiness."
@@MiriamFollin 大家都没钱，就没有欲望了，如果有一部分有钱，每个人都有欲望了，78年之前中国就是社会主义实验田，可是大家实在太穷了，发展是肯定的，至少让8亿农民都吃饱了顿顿有肉有房住，虽然牺牲了当时的快乐。
以一個西方女孩來說，嫁到窮苦農村願意聽婆婆閒話家常，可見妳的純樸誠真，而這就是妳的自然美，這種美不會隨時間退化進而形成階段性的成熟，越久越香。祝福妳姑娘。
Miriam, you're the only one that i can (safely & happily) give thumb up even before the video start and never (ever) regret it, so humble and honest.
ps : and so positive too
Wow, thank you so much for that! Such a compliment ❤️
I feel the exact same way. Miriam speaks softly, from the heart, with no hype, with great sensitivity, and it is moving to watch her videos. Learning more about rural China, about her husband's family and how they live(d) is enlightening and enriching. I greatly appreciate these beautiful videos.
Rachel Robinowitz I also feel the same way, Miriam and another channel called Talasbuan, young Swedish couple in northern Sweden.
Exactly!
How China grew into a poor Country into a second largest economy in such short period of time is simply amazing and it still amaze me. I'm not a Chinese but I really appreciate their fast transformation which the world never had seen before....That's why the famous words of Napolean saying, "Let China sleep for when she wake up she will shake the world" is about to be going to happen in our era....
Every economist has projected that China will surpass the US in within a decade to come to take no.1 position....
just curious where you from
@@cadhlaohanlon4443 #Metoo
@@cadhlaohanlon4443 China lol
It is logical China is clever and hardworking people !!
China is clever and hardworking people
你婆婆活得从容而幸福，一点也不焦虑。没有掉进钱眼子里，很难得！
I love your MIL, she's such a sweet heart. Her warmth, sensitivity and compassion shines through. She also looks like a real laugh and has a sense of fun.
Your mother-in-law is a natural! She speaks clearly and well and looks so happy to be interviewed.!And if I had only heard your voice, I would have thought that it was a native speaking. Beautifully put video., letting the interviewee do all the talking. And interesting to boot! Well done, Miriam!
妹子你好幸福啊，有这么好的公公婆婆，他们人真很好，很像我的爸妈，朴实的中国人
I LOVED this video so much. Not only because I am really interested in History and China but because your mother in law is so open and down to earth. If you can please tell her how much I appreciate her sharing her up bringing and how much insight it gave me💚💚💚💚
Few people outside China really understand what China faced in 1949. They had a country with the biggest population which had to be fed, clothed, employed, etc. The countryside had been devastated by over 100 years of wars and foreign invasion. No other country on earth had faced such challenges before. As a country committed to socialism, China had not precedents to guide it except the USSR, which itself had a few decades of hesitant headstart. The first 60 years were years of unavoidable years of learning and experimentation with varying results. Some were bad, but few as bad as western media or governments made them out to be. The 60m who starved to death did not happen, as Prof Fitzgerald pointed out in his book. Rather, because of the measures adopted by the CPC, fewer died from the famines than would have otherwise done so. The Great Leap forward failed, but yielded valuable lessons for subsequent leaders. China faced western sanctions which suppressed its development. But its spirit remained indomitable. The subsequent 40 years showed how this spirit expressed itself. Well done, China! Great video. Well done Miriam.
That is very true. Those who demonised China for some of her experimental failures conveniently failed to consider the suppressions that China faced then and even now.
这妈妈很善良也可爱
米粒很纯真善良。永鸿娶到她是大福
这一代老人是最幸苦的一代人，全世界可能都没有他们这样的经历。
少先队员 不算老人吧，66年，跟我妈差不多大
40,50后应该最苦的，也没遇上改革开放的红利上升期
祖辈40-50年代最苦，那时候生产队的主力，60-70年代是青年军也是受苦，饿肚子，到现在80-90年代中国才真的算是富起来了，尤其是最近几年，中国让全世界都震撼了。
Your mother-in-law gives me a new perspective in life. They had nothing but they are happy, now we have everything but we are not that joyful anymore. Everday my mind revolves around money though I can retire already. I believe we have to balance both.
I enjoyed the interview with your MIL. She's an authentic person. Down to earth. You are a good interviewer. Thank you.
媽媽住在純樸的農村,訴說辛苦的往事,現今兒孫滿堂,兒娊又孝順,真棒
Very interesting! It is always wonderful to see and listen to real people rather than images on TV. Your mother-in-law seems like a genuine and kind person. I wish you to live happily with your new family.
She is! Thank you so much.
哇喔！你很厲害喔！才結婚沒多久就和婆婆聊得那麼深入！
I agree with your mother-in-law said, "People these days are materialistic, unlike people if the past where they were carefree even when all they had were just one or two meals daily." True happiness comes from within us, not from money.
i born in 1987, this story same as my mother & her generation
when i was kid we're so poor & suffering alots, but all the kids have education since we live in city (close city to capital) but almost every kids go to school even in villages, rural places. MOSTLY ONLY KIDS FROM REMOTE ISLAND & REMOTE MOUNTAIN OR FROM TRIBES MINORITY GROUPS don't go schools at that time.
The story in Vietnam is somehow is similar as china. Before 1980 mostly people working for government, each month they have ticket to buy foods & needs. NO ONE CAN SALE FOOD OR GROWING FARM BY THEIR OWN, it's illegal. Government think do that is good to took control price & products so poor or rich have same quality. But it fails, as we're all know.
At that time, only fews type business can running by their own (fish sauce farm, clothes shop,etc..) as long it not growing food & farming then sale it illegal at 1950-1980 (something like that)
After 1980 government admit it wrong mistake so they're changing FREE BUSSINES & free farming to sale of everything you working to be free, it not cause illegal or breaking laws. So everything is better.
Plus, after Vietnam wars. ONE OF BIGGEST REASON HOLDING VIETNAM FOR KANY YEARS IS America government punishment trade-ban Vietnam. Every country don't trade with Vietnam under America rules. So that time, after wars Vietnamese suffering alots. Only trade with China, Venezuela, Russia & others communists country.
After America stop their trade-ban, they make deal with Vietnam cause we have rich natural resources & sea port linked Southeast Asia.
Life after 1990 step by step improve. Even that time i was a kid (my family still very poor) but still ALOTS EASY & BETETR if compare my mom generation.
Honestly, if you're education well, have plans for your life, hard working & positively mindset. I can say life in Vietnam & Asian is not that bad. Of course it's still developing, still have some bad side need change, mostly is corrupt government. But if you of good side brightly way, it not that bad. If you avoid politics, you live good in mostly Asia country.
Then many people ask, why many Vietnamese running out of Vietnam to USA & western country (aka boat peoples)
Need to understand cause back then, mostly peoples don't education so even they're hard-working but they have no tools & technology & information to increase production (farming,growing food & saving food, etc..)
Second, the whole country is poor, special after 3 WARS (3LATEST WARS IN VIETNAM, im not count many wars in thoundsand year ago)
It's is Japan, then French, then America. After 3 latest wars, the whole country about to break down!! The country get destroyed everything.
Plus, last reason is NORTH & SOUTH VIETNAM have different belief in political system style & ideal
NORTH VN want run their own country by communist system, NOT DEPEND ON ANYONE. While SOUTH VN is more open, for Western leader to help Vietnam but share business (kind of new-wave of colonial) if thing going good then both is win-win
But North Vietnamese scare it nothing more than colonial. We can stand by our own self, our legs. We're open for Western to come to Vietnam do business but not as colonial, not control power, not share army-base. NO ONE WANT TO BE COLONIAL in any good way it can call, right?
As youngful generation, we can't say or judging, cause back in that time people think they do the best for country, they make choice & history.
To earn freedom MILLIONS OF MILLIONS VIETNAMESE was been dead, been kill during 3 latest war, blood running out!!
Now, life in Vietnam similar to Thailand & Malaysia & China, Singapore, Korea,etc.. Of course not rich as Korea or Singapore, i mention in generally side of life & freedom business, growing economic & education.
I hope our next generation step by step changing better laws system in peaceful way, building our country & Asia growing better.
If people say Africa is black raw diamond, i can say Asia & Southeast Asia is beautiful & rich sources, its like YELLOW DIAMOND God create for our humans lolz 😊
Such an interesting reflection! Thank you for sharing! I'd love to visit Vietnam one day to see for myself the Vietnamese cities and its countryside, as well as meeting the people. Unfortunately I guess I would not be able to speak to the older generation (I assume they only speak Vietnamese, is that right?). I live speaking to older people - they have personal experiences of what to us younger people are just written history. But they remember!
Many vietnamese come to our country philippines and we welcome them, still more Vietnamese in Palawan. Many become rich coz they own busineses.Now they are more progressive than us.?...Greeting from Philippines
I am loving these videos of China, you have a wonderful relationship with your lovely MIL. My son married a beautiful young Chinese girl from Harbin, they have blessed me with two beautiful grandchildren. They live in Australia and I am living in California, I wish I could be there to help with the children and spend more time with them. Thank you for sharing your life with us.
This is a nice video for the younger generation to see. Hopefully it will make them understand that much good things today came from the many sufferings and sacrifices of their parents ang grandparents... Therefore please treasure them.
I love the simple way of life… with having a garden of your own near by a creek to sustain a flow of water to nourished the plants animals and the household…😊😊😊
She is such a nice lady 👵 great stories 🖐️🖐️🤷🙋🏻♀️👵👵
You are not a shallow girl at all. You have an amazing mindset. Your story makes me interested in your country- Sweden. I will visit there one day. !
你婆婆很慈爱和乐观，非常像我的母亲，我妈妈比她年龄要大几岁，听她讲，非常舒服，非常治愈，感谢！
thanks so much -- this is all so fascinating. I really appreciate the stories of China in the last 50 years or so -- and I am very interested in your mother-in-law's perspective on those times and the differences she points out -- between the more socialist state of the 1960s and the capitalism China has embraced since then. We can learn so much from each other. Miriam -- what a wonder you are -- brave enough to follow your heart -- and look at where it has taken you! While there is lots of hard work, it is good work and you are closer to the land than many of us who follow your videos. I am sure it is not all idyllic, but your smile and the smile of your son indicates you have found a good life there. Here in the U.S., I worry about our future. I am 62 -- I do not have children, but I am a university professor so my students are my children. I fear for their future -- I was just following some of my friends on Facebook who are thinking about our parents' and grandparents' lives during the Depression of the 1930s -- we need to learn those skills again -- growing a garden and then canning, pickling, and freezing - mostly canning -- I do not remember my mother speaking of drying. I never learned how to can vegetables and fruit, but think I might need to when I retire. Thanks again -- love watching your videos while we are here in quarantine (in the state of Ohio) -- I am very lucky to be able to work safely at home, even though teaching online is difficult for both the students and the teachers. But my husband and I are incredibly privileged -- and you are privileged to have such a warm, compassionate mother-in-law. I can sense you and your husband's compassion and determination to work hard as well. And your son is just so sweet and cute. He is having a wonderful childhood. I am also interested in all the different experiences of the diverse group of subscribers you have. So much to learn.
Thank you for such a wonderful comment! And yes I feel very blessed to have my mother-in-law, she's so open to share her stories, experiences and knowledge with me. And I'm so fascinated by it, and by her strength! She's had a difficult life.
I'm happy to hear you can continue working, but I understand that it must be so different to teach through a screen! Some of the human interaction is lost that way. I'm sure for many students, it's also quite lonely. I hope this passes soon - and that we can return to social interaction. I read about the effect of isolation on the elderly, and it makes me quite sad. Especially the ones who do not have a partner but live all alone. My grandmother in Sweden lives alone, and in the beginning of the pandemic her cat passed away and now she's quite lonely, and the recommendations for my family is not to visit in case they bring the virus. I wish I could go and see her.
I think canning and preserving food is such an important skill, and for a community to dare to be co-dependent on each other and that way also be relatively self sustainable. In Sweden most communities are not.
My dream is to keep learning about preserving and growing food, and eventually be able to eat a majority of my own produce. I would love to also have animals, like sheep, for the wool. But I think that would be far ahead in the future.
Chinese people are resilient, diligent and kind by nature but seldom express their feelings...they may appear aloof but are faithful and loyal and take marriage and responsibilities seriously.You are blessed to have a good husband well brought up by a loving family!
Thank you so much for sharing. :) I'm Norwegian, and I've never been to China, but I just love hearing people's stories.
I loved ur mother in law very much for the way she cried for her father .that is a daughters love for their parents. please make more videos with her
Ur mother in law spoke like a learned person !!?? (she said a lot of things in this video, but was not translated...)
she's very clear headed, intellectual, and sentimental.
I always thought she's a typical village lady...
Miriam, I like your attitude toward life!
You have found yourself a very nice husband and family. Lucky you!
Besides, your Chinese is very good! Im very impressed . ☺️
Lovely video but I would have loved a full translation. This is an interesting topic. It is especially interesting to hear woman' s perspective.
My happiest days were also my times of hardship strangely. It made me think back. Thank You
Thank you to your intelligent and warm mother in law for sharing her experiences in her upbringing. So insightful and interesting to listen to someone from a different generation. I also love how supportive you are of each other 💞 what a beautiful bond you have! I can tell your mother in law's father was very caring towards his family from the way she speaks of him and this has passed down in each generation to her and then her son (your husband) and now to the lovely family you have both created. Love how accepting, respectful and open you are to the Chinese culture. Thank you so much for showing the way of life in the area you live in 💞 it is so fascinating and educational.
She is such an inspiration. Her tact as well as caring speak volumes. I’m happy that you have such a great mother in law!
鲍大姐是我的同龄人，你经历的回忆的令我想起我出生成长的西北家乡，幸好我们是在县城中心，还有户口本粮本和邮票布票，县城边的亲戚都很苦，经常要接济，舅舅们在1962年下放的时候帮助过我们，因为不去农村被收走了粮本，要不是娘家救济，可能全部的孩子都成了农业户，这是我一生感恩妈妈的，也是我不顾多次被拒签，也要让她来美国团聚的动力。谢谢真挚的回忆。在这种封村隔绝的环境中，不要气馁，坚强挺过去！
This video should be shown to the international big brasses meeting, to clarify the distorted narrative we are being told about China and communist countries. I was born in Jugoslavija, in 1948 and for her reasons (very young widow) my mother brought me and sister in Italy, where we live. I've been taught to hate my people, my country were still part of the family lives and today they regret the fall of the Republic, which they describe as your mother in law does of communist (of old) China. Thank you for this video, my deepest regards to your mother in law and to you and family. Spartaco Giacometti, Monfalcone - Italy.
Thank you for this beautiful video! We have so much to learn this way, by actually hearing the stories of real people. I left a modern life in California 30 years ago to settle in a small remote village in Guerrero State Mexico to marry a local guy. So much about this video touches me. The part about the relative poverty or lack of 'things' combined with the joyous happiness of those early years and how that seems to change in reverse proportion...is really the same here. People were more joyous and seemed more happy in those early years when this village was so remote and would be considered very poor. Now, the modern world has arrived and people have more things but seem to have less joy.
I am a Taiwanese living in the big island of Hawaii. I left Taiwan in 1982 to Japan to study. I studied in the USA later and worked in the USA, Japan, and China. Life was hard in the 60s in Taiwan. Many collage graduates went to USA to pursue a better life. I chose Japan, and USA. I worked in China in 1992 and 2005. China changed a lot, and keeping changing every year. I am really happy that you enjoy your urban life in China. Years ago many foreigners went to China and left China with regrets. I think you will continue enjoying your life in China. God bless you.
such a beautiful conversation between two different generations and world. You are lucky to have a mother-in-law accept and respect you. Even more by being so generous sharing her history with you and the world. Best of luck and lots of love from San Francisco-United States
Respect and acceptance works both ways.
Love your beautiful spirit Miriam. Keep up the great job. Hello from a canto in San Francisco.
Thank you!
Miriam In China having seen this video, definitely look up the channel by MichaelRogge . I think your family may enjoy the videos. 🌷Gena🌷 🏴
These memories are invaluable record of China's recent history. Thanks to your MIL for sharing.
I was born in 1992. When I was five years old, my mother worked in a nearby factory. My mother has read only the third grade of elementary school. The salary is $70 per month. The most valuable thing in the house is the electric fan. Until I was nine years old, my family had the first TV set. That TV is equivalent to my mother's three-month salary. Women who work in factories now earn about $500 to $600. In the past ten years, wages have increased eightfold, and my family has built their own small house. There are twenty-four hours of hot water, all the furniture and appliances in modern life. The most expensive thing in the house is no longer an electric fan. This is a cheap domestic car, and my family, in the area where we live, is definitely not rich, just the most ordinary people, even some poor people, because my parents, no business, are still the most common workers.
@James Lummost families only had bike in 80s, 90s ordinary families could afford a motor cycle, and about 2000 or 2010s, many families can afford cars. So, it's really a huge change in china during few decades.
I'm surprised factory workers earn only 500 to 600 now. Can they afford a domestic car?
@@Alice12578 The $600 is certainly less than the US, but you have to remember that it was only $70 a decade ago. In the past decade, wages have increased more than eightfold, and domestic cars are now generally $6,000. Second-hand as long as more than 3,000 US dollars, so the average working-class family can afford
@@xuliu8062 oh you converted them to USD. That sounds about right.
Thank you so much for sharing your mother in law's story. I remember those times. My mom was able to travel back to China in 1980, to visit her mom in China, after having left her 40 years prior because of the Japanese occupation. I understood your MIL's tears. For decades, my mom and her sister would send care packages from the US to their mom. When finally in 1980, they both went back to China to visit her, it was such a beautiful moment.
New subscriber here from Australia. This is so heartwarming. I got teary as soon as she mentioned her dad and how much she missed him.. I didn’t have a good relationship with my dad and he’s passed away as well, I instantly saw her as a vulnerable little girl who loves her dad with all her heart (and he did all he could to provide for her) and I know my daughter will feel the same way about her dad too. I hope your mother in law lives a long and healthy life 💕 what a warm person she is
Am your new fun from France in a mixed marriage... You cannot imagine how vidéos have attached me... Your beautiful... The wonderful in laws... The joy and simplicity of life.... When your husband said in one of the video that everything we do has to come from the heart. ♥️💚
God bless you Miriam and your family
I love the kindness and adoration with which they look at each other.
Thanks very much for making this video. China has come a long way from what it was four decades ago.
Yes it sure has!
Well produced video as always and a very informative, touching interview with your mother in law.
Thank you!
It is nice that you can speak and ask your mother inlaw these questions. I also married a chinese but i didnt speak enough chinese and mil didnt speak english. I live in canada. They imigrated in the 70s to canada. My husband was not so good at translating. I would have loved to have heard about her life from her.
Your videos are awesome. You're an amazing person for interviewing your mother-in-law. Your heart is full of love. We need more people like you in this world.
You video make me feel so warm and also remind my family went trough the poor time when I was a kid,now we all live in Beijing in our own apartment ,thanks a lot for Deng xiaoping,his make China get on the right way.
Thank you @Miriam - this video has taught me so much. What an interesting perspective of the changes in china since the 70's!
My dad was born in 64 and here i am his first children and now i still 16 :( btw nice video! You mother in law is really nice!
Mil seems to be so gentle and kind
I live in Switzerland and today is cold and rainy so I’m video binging 😄... catching up wth YongHong’s videos and some of Miriam’s which I haven’t watched... your mother-in-law is a wonderful person, God bless her heart! 🙏🏼🍀💕
I can see and feel Miriam is a simple woman who is elegant and has a kind heart. Enjoy watching all of your videos. Keep making a new video for us.
My mother is in her 90’s. She always talked about how difficult things were and at a very young age, had to help out her family. Coming to Canada was also a difficult journey. All these sacrifices, so that our lives would be better. How I appreciate their efforts so much. This experience is probably similar to other families. It takes courage and fortitude to face challenges in life. Everyone, stay safe and healthy.
Miriam I admire your courage to marry into a Chinese peasant family , your mother-in-law is a simple and friendly .
Hello Miriam!!!! I've joined recently your channel and I am loving it
Thank you so much, and welcome to my channel! ❤️
😍🥰😊love your videos..from memphis Tennessee
You are a special daughter in law, so I also want to be a special mother in law. She said it so naturally and honestly, and she touches me. Hope all of you enjoy look life and healthy.
Miriam. , I think you are an amazing person with such an open mind and so much goodness in you. Your embrace of your new family and new culture is a good reminder to us that our willingness to learn and be accepting of things unfamiliar and new is the key to how we can all get along with one another. The love for others is a really powerful emotion. Thank you Miriam. The world can learn a lot from your videos. 😘🥰
Wow! Amazing story by your lovely kind gentle mother in law. She is really a tough resourceful and a smart lady. Your son has her strong genes.
Happy for you and thanks for the real story of China, this is the real story about most of Chinese! Wish you a good life with the people around you!
Your mil tears brought tears to mine too. Her description of current capitalistic lifestyle is pretty accurate. My warmest regards to her.
Great video Miriam - touching and insightful!
Thank you!
Miriam, great video. You have a nice and lovely mother-in-law ! That's luck !
Hi Miriam, thanks for sharing it! I really love all your videos, specially the way you edit and put everything together! Just makes me want to watch more and more. Wishing you and your family all the best!!!
It is very good to record your families for the safe of the next generation. It is good to let them know that their great grandparents'life.
Wow, I'm born in 1966 same as your mother in law! She's looks like my one of my sister actually 😊😊
she is even younger then my mom,nice video,the generation of them has been through the very difficult period and the best which is now!
真的是深入了解中国生活，佩服。
By listen her story that kind life style I was born everything on this video it brings back lots memories when lived in the village when I was kid I'm so glad she have sweet daughter in law like you
Your mother seems to be a very nice and hardworking woman. So down to earth to make a living. Many westerners will not able to understand what live is to live with bare necessities.
I truly enjoyed watching this vlog and I wish it was a bit longer, you and your mother in law was a joy to watch
Lovely connection between daughter - and mother in law ! You found your place in this family with such grace Miriam. 💕🌷
This is so beautiful!!!
Your MIL is right. Nowadays it's all about money, money, money. The young people (worlwide) are growing up with the idea that the more money they make and the more money they have, that's going to bring about happiness. It's not wrong to have money but the LOVE of money that's wrong.
My hometown is in the countryside of Anhui, and my friends have all left there. Although we have more material wealth than before, but more busy and anxious. There is a feeling that we don't know where we will be tomorrow
Thanks for sharing your beautiful videos that reach out right into the heart of China... and sharing your life with it. I'm so happy to se your son in some of the videos - he's so dynamic and such a ball of energy!
Its so lovely to see you again Miriam, and that you're doing well. Thank you for sharing your mother-in-law story about growing up in her village. I got to learn something new today :)
Thank you for watching! I know it's been a while haha. But work got really busy and almost two weeks ago our little baby boy decided to enter the world ❤️ Hopefully there will be more videos coming now, since I won't be working! I hope you have been doing well lately too!
this was an amazing story, thanks for sharing!
Brings back memories of my Chinese roots especially my Grandparents. Your Mother-in-law is a kind person. Very hardworking and value her experiences. She may not have an Education, but she exudes more honesty and humility in her words. I want her to be my Mother-in-law, too! ❤
This video was great!!! So interesting to hear about life in rural China from someone who has not only lived it, but still is....
My father grew up in rural China during the 1920s, such a huge difference
Thank you for the insight! I hope this doesn't get deleted
What a wonderful happy person your mother inlaw is,and so interesting
I just subscribed because I am very touched by your videos’ honesty and simplicity, not being simple. I have been in China many times and have family there, although I was born in Germany. I go back every years and love it there, wishing I could live there permanently...
Miriam，我看得出来，你有一个很慈祥的婆婆。祝福你们！
Thanks for the video ...as an overseas Chinese, I was not aware the hard life in rural China.
Such a strong woman she is!
This video is so awesome and let me things at another perspective. Your mother in law has a great attitude towards life. Admire her strength, spirit and toughness. She has a fruitful life and it is all through her hard work. Thank you for this great video. I learned. Two thumbs up!!
Another heartwarming video. God bless you Miriam to put in the work to give us a window into the world. God bless your family in China. What an industrious woman. I am so impressed. Your business acumen fits right into the family.
I subscribed cause i was touched by your videos , natural honesty & i do appreciate how you deal w/ your chinese family it's kind of you keep it up . Love is the most wonderful ever given to us .
Beautiful story, thank you for sharing
You are a wonderful mother in law there. So gentle and soft spoken. Having a simple life can be a blessing coz you don't really need alot to be really happy. I would trade this anytime to have a community style of living where everyone knows everyone and able to help each other or look out for one another.
So interesting!
Thanks for sharing, both of you!
Cultural history. Women’s history. So emotional. Wonderful.
So touched