My Tonghua life

In Five Years Time

In five years time, you'll find me,
in the same, old, quiet place.
Living life, quite comfortably,
at the same, old, quiet pace.

Breathing in the colours
that are scattered all around.
Appreciating every taste
of sight, of smell, of sound.

You'll find me in these wooded hills,
or wandering the street.
Sharing smiles and friendly words
with all the folk I meet.

While change is bound to happen.
Improvements, day by day.
The warmth you find in towns like this
can never fade away.

In five years time, you'll find me,
in Tonghua (in Jilin).
And if you need a little break,
well, Tonghua 欢迎您. [welcomes you]

— A.Harris

Life in a small city in the northeast of China is incomparable to the metropolises found elsewhere. Often overlooked, Tonghua is brimming with beauty and culture. Flower laden rolling hills surround a city full of surprises to discover. Each street, a photographer's dream, with something to catch your eye or someone to take your interest. The people are genuine and warm despite of (or maybe because of) the bitter cold in winter. The city is developing as fast as anywhere else in China but still it retains its charm.

A water park. A ski resort. Huge, luxury hotels. Tonghua is moving forward at lightning pace. New parks have popped up throughout the city. Walkways through lush hillsides with ice cream stands ready to cater for summer outings. Life here is improving at every level and yet its culture remains untouched. Go, early morning, to the misty river and you'll likely hear a fisherman with his flute. Take a stroll in the hills and meet people wearing the smiles of the countryside, happy to chat a while and answer any questions you have about the surrounding area. Then, on the other hand, you can visit one of the many food streets and markets in the town center where you will feel the bustling energy you'd expect from China. Tonghua is a rare amalgamation of both rural and urban environments which gives it a unique feel and makes it a wonderful home.

As a foreigner living here, I have come to disregard the cliché of "The Real China". It's a tepid phrase of little significance. Beijing is the real China. As is Shanghai, Shenzhen and any other city you can name. Including Tonghua. My life in China has been defined by the places in which I have lived. As a photographer, I find beauty in this city wherever I look. The rate of development I've seen in my time here is astounding and it instills in me an excitement for the future. For one thing, I can't wait to learn to ski with my son. While I don't expect my interest in the beauty of everyday life here to change, I can only foresee the smiles of my photographic subjects widening as our life continues to develop. I wrote this little poem with these ideas in mind. All the photos shared in this article are taken within Tonghua.

Thank you for reading.

Aled teaches in Tonghua Normal University. He is happily settled in Tonghua where he lives with his wife and son and far too many pets.

The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of China Daily and China Daily website.