Going home: In pursuit of a better life

Internet news portals reported yesterday that about 100,000 rural migrant workers in Guangdong province were on the G321 Highway to Sichuan, Guangxi, Guizhou and other inland provinces riding motorcycles to return to their homes for the upcoming Spring Festival holidays. Looking at the photos of heavily-clad men carrying their wives and oversized luggage on the back seats of the vehicles, I felt tears welling up my eyes.

Besides being touched once again by the Chinese people's traditional determination to reunite with their family members for the Lunar New Year no matter how far they are from home, I was particularly moved by these migrant workers' courage and optimism to defy the freezing weather and possible hazards on the daunting journeys. The journeys can be as long as several thousand kilometers and could take them several days to finish.

Equally touching is the news that local public security departments set up temporary reserves along the highway providing free tea, gruel and raincoat to the migrant workers. The police even offered escorts to the bikers when it was foggy or raining.