A Day in an Ordinary Chinese Village: Market, School Run, and Daily Life

to trickle in. Everyone lights up like clockwork. The roads are covered with wheat drying in the sun. June is the wheat harvest season here. Locals dry their crops out along the street. The whole road smells like freshly Wheat is a staple for the farming northern China. This is my hometown, my childhood village. >> >> There are no skyscrapers, no food delivery apps, and honestly, not even proper sit-down restaurants. >> >> A large portion of population here still makes a living from farming. So, the village is completely surrounded by farmland. >> >>

Now, here is my folks' place, >> >> right in the middle of the village. >> >> Right over there are the mountains. When I was a kid, I used to roam there all the time to dig for wild veggies and pick wild fruits. I think our childhood happiness is locked in those mountains. And then, 500 m that way is subway station. Even though this is village, the public transit is super convenient. Getting into the city center is a breeze. >> >> Today is market day. I'm heading over to the village fair now. These local fairs are the loveliest part of rural life here.

This is the local farmers market here in our village. This is the prime time for locals to stock up on groceries and junk here and all. It happens in the village every 5 days, rain or shine. I currently base in Shenzhen, so I only get to come back home once or twice a year. >> >> Every single time I come home, the thing I care about most is whether I can catch the market day. If I miss it, I honestly feel weirdly disappointed. Here, villagers sell wet goods like big goods or sales and chickens or ducks they raise in their backyard. This is the clothing

section. You can find literally everything you need for daily life. >> Right next to the market is the subway station. Local city folks actually take the subway into the village just to shop here because the veggies are freshly picked, super crisp, and dirt cheap. After the market, I need to pick up my express packaging. Trivia night, this is probably the most unique part of village life. Courier don't deliver to our doorstep. They drop everything off at pickup station about 2 km away. So, I have to ride there myself. The entrance is packed with all

kinds of street food stalls, so lively. This entire room is filled with packages. The whole pickup process is completely self-service. I found my packages on the shelf based on my tracking number. Then I just scan it at the machine by the door to sign for it. The whole system basically runs on automation trust. These are the lettuce balls I just bought from the market. They've still got dirt on them. Mei Jie is making lunch right now. Like I said, no worries, no restaurants here. So, we can cook all three meals from scratch. Right now it's noon, and the

sun is absolutely scorching. A lot of people are baked outside turning over the way, so it can dry more evenly. >> I feel that putting some of the times I really do struggle with some of the ingredients I really try. But the moment I step out into this weed and breathe air that feels completely different from city, I instantly unwind. All the anxiety and first day stress I built up in city suddenly feels so far away. Now I'm taking the subway into the city to renew my 12-month permit for Hong Kong and Kowloon. First, I need to ride the subway station. >>

>> This subway station is in rural Bay and it's completely open air. So it feels a bit empty. But thankfully, there's an air conditioned pool. Those rows of flat roof houses over there, that's my village. Since it's pretty remote area, hardly anyone takes the subway here. So the trains only come once every 20 minutes. This is the new hair color I just got last week. What do you guys think? But I got to say, it really stands out like Duracell in the countryside. >> We're arriving at Wenzhou East. Doors open on the right. >> This is mine. I got this permit

11 years ago when I was still in the college. Now it has been expired for a year. I've been working for almost 10 years. How many months we too fast? It's 4:30 p.m. My sister is out of school. It's time to pick her up. Even though it's raining, everyone is coming out to sweep up and get out of the way. The school bus still hasn't arrived yet, but some parents are already waiting here. But my sister's day is not over yet. I have to take her to our after school study center near our house. >> So she can finish her homework. Honestly, this study center is

actually the village kindergarten. I used to go to school here too when I was little. The village in the evening is just so beautiful. And my dad is back again making dinner. Oh, he's making potato pancakes which I absolutely obsessed with. Around dinner time, vendors will drive around on a three-wheeler selling food. We can just hail them down whenever we want to grab a bite. It's 4:07 p.m. now. My sister has finally finished her homework and comes home. Both of them are selling yet and no break until 7:00 or 8:00 p.m. The academic pressure on Chinese

students is insane. Honestly, their day are tougher than my work. It's 9:00 p.m. and it's time for bed. In the city, nightlife is just getting started at this hour. The streets are glowing and everything is buzzing. But here in the village, it's already dead silence except for the sound of crickets. >> >> So, this is my village. It has a spectacular scenery but also more than touches a peaceful moments that hold the soul. What do you imagine rural China is like? Let me know in the comments. >> >> And I'll see you in the next video.