神仙湖畔 | An interview with the Jones-Katz family

香港中文大学（深圳）汇聚了一批来自五湖四海的优秀学子以及来自全球各地的顶尖学者和老师，大家怀着梦想与憧憬，相聚在神仙湖畔，共同书写着一所大学的理想与信念。

本期《神仙湖畔》节选带你走近港中大（深圳）人文社科学院George Jones-Katz 及 Laura Jones-Katz 老师一家，讲述他们在深圳的生活体验，中国旅行见闻以及疫情下的生活变化。

Our campus feels like a protective bubble. The university provides a comfortable, convenient, and safe place for our family. We appreciate the natural environment the university offers. We enjoy going out for a walk as a family, especially around the beautiful lake between the upper and lower campus. Also, we’re grateful for the family-friendly environment. Our child can grow up in a neighborhood-like place, where he can meet people across different generations – whether university students, grandparents, or other kids of his age. Even during the pandemic, we felt safe on campus.

Yes, we love traveling. Whenever we have the opportunity, we try to explore different places in China. For example, we’ve visited the terracotta warriors in Xi’an, the mountains in Yangshuo, and the Great Wall near Beijing. We hope our next big trip will be to Dunhuang to see the camels in the Gobi Desert.

Shenzhen is a wonderful city. Although it is very young, it is fascinating to observe its transformation over the years. It is sometimes strange for Gregory, as a historian, because Shenzhen is a city without a very long history. But that is also exciting, because we can be part of the process of creating the city’s traditions. There are also many places we can visit and things we can do. We like to go to restaurants, museums, and Shenzhen’s one-and-only record store in Nanshan (if you know of another one, please let us know!). And like we mentioned earlier, we love nature, so we appreciate the many green spaces in Shenzhen, like local parks, forests, and mountains. We were both born and raised on the East coast of the United States, where we enjoyed four seasons. The weather in Shenzhen can be challenging for us, particularly the heat. But at least we can see the clear blue skies, which we prefer over snowy weather and polluted air.

The pandemic really made clear the importance of being mindful and grateful. Before, we did have some family time, but the pandemic helped us focus even more on quality time. We have better sleeping habits, time for self-reflection, and interactive family moments. We have been playing board games and watching all-age-appropriate TV shows like The Flash.

It has been a little challenging for us, especially as parents, during the pandemic. Our son grew up in Shenzhen, so he speaks Chinese fluently and feels comfortable here. But our parents and siblings all live outside China, and we want our son to know them and spend time with them. He has been having video calls with them, but it’s not the same. We believe that offline interaction is still more valuable than online, and as soon as it’s possible to travel outside the country, we will take him to see his grandparents.

We would continue to be mindful and grateful, to put our discomforts and losses in perspective. If we think of what others have endured during the pandemic, we are very fortunate to be living a harmonious life in China. Our son could start attending on-site classes. We can still work in a physical place and see our colleagues and students in person. And most importantly, we are safe and healthy.

Above all, the University has provided a sense of community. We have a support network here. There is administrative support, such as notification of changes in the epidemic situation or remote teaching assistance. But even more important than that, there is a sense that the people who live, work, and study here care about each other and will help each other when needed. Living in a foreign country has been especially challenging during the pandemic, but feeling that we are also “home” here makes it a million times easier.

If you happen to see the Jones-Katz family, don’t be afraid to talk to them! They are more than eager to share their stories and listen to yours.

Also, feel free to share with them any hidden eateries, family-friendly TV shows, and historical places!