Oli aika, jolloin matkustin melko usein Kiinaan, yleensä suoralla lennolla Shanghaihin Helsingistä, mikä on suosittu kauttakulkukaupunki Aasiaan. Ajan kuluessa huomasin, että reitti oli suosittu myös kiinalaisten vauvojen keskuudessa.
Ensimmäisillä lennoilla manailin huonoa tuuriani löytäessäni itseni aina koneen "crying babies"-osastolta. Jossain vaiheessa kuitenkin huomasin, että kyseessä ei ollut huono tuuri vaan itse asiassa koko kone oli täynnä vauvoja, kiinalaisia, hieman alle vuoden ikäisiä vauvoja.
1. Vanhemmat asuvat Kiinassa ja vauvat ovat syntyneet siellä. Perhe on lomaillut Euroopassa.
3. Vanhemmat asuvat ulkomailla ja vauvatkin ovat syntyneet siellä. Vauvat viedään Kiinaan rekisteröitäviksi, jotta he saavatt rajoitettuja oikeuksia (kuten päivähoitopaikan) Kiinassa. Kiinalaisen kollegani mukaan tämä ulkomailla syntyneiden vauvojen rekisteröinti tulee tehdä ennen kuin lapsi täyttää vuoden.
4. Vanhemmat asuvat ulkomailla ja vauvat ovat syntyneet ulkomailla. Vauvat viedään Kiinaan isovanhempien hoidettavaksi, jotta vanhemmat voivat tehdä töitä ja ansaita rahaa esim. Euroopassa.
Vaikka kiinalaisten yleinen kiinnostus matkailuun on Kiinan vaurastumisen myötä kasvanut ja varsinkin varakkaiden kiinalaisten keskuudessa toisen tai kolmannen lapsen kohdalla synnytysmatkailu Kiinan rajojen ulkopuolelle on suosittua, en pidä ensimmäistä tai toista vaihtoehtoa todennäköisinä seuraavista syistä:
a) Kaikki pienen vauvan kanssa matkustaneet tietävät, että on rentouttavampiakin tapoja lomailla kuin kaukomatkailu;
b) En koskaan nähnyt raskaana olevia kiinalaisnaisia paluulennoillani;
c) Vanhempien yleinen habitus ei antanut vaikutelmaa sellaisesta varakkuudesta, että matka-, asumis-, elin- ja synnytyskustannukset sekä yhden lapsen politiikan kiertämisestä annettava kolmen vuoden ansiotuloja vastaava sakko löytyisi takataskusta;
c) Vanhempien yleinen habitus ei antanut vaikutelmaa sellaisesta varakkuudesta, että matka-, asumis-, elin- ja synnytyskustannukset sekä yhden lapsen politiikan kiertämisestä annettava kolmen vuoden ansiotuloja vastaava sakko löytyisi takataskusta;
d) Yleensä toinen tai kolmas lapsi mennään synnyttämään naapuriin Singaporeen tai Hong Kongiin tai mikäli samalla iskulla halutaan uusi kansalaisuus ja esim. mahdollisuus opiskelustipendeihin, mennään Amerikkaan.
Olen siis taipuvainen uskomaan teoriaan nro 3 tai 4 mutta tutkimuksistani huolimatta en ole saanut asiaan selvyyttä. Kiinalaiset ystäväni, Finnairin lentoemännät eikä googlekaan tiedä. Asia askarruttaa mieltäni.
Vaikka edellä kuvailemiani kiinalaisia vauvaperheitä ei osunut kanssani paluulennoille Euroopaan, kiinalaisia vauvoja niillä kyllä oli. -espanjalaisten adoptiovanhempiensa kanssa. Tuoreet, hieman haparoivin ottein uusia lapsiaan käsitteleviä vanhempia, jotka todennäköisesti useiden kivuliden vuosien jälkeen olivat viimein saaneet pienen suloisen tytön rintareppuunsa. - ja nuo hellyyttävät pienet ihmeet olivat autuaan tietämättömiä miten radikaalisti heidän elämänsä oli juuri ottamassa uuden suunnan.
Passijonossa mieleeni jäi hieman iäkkäämpi pariskunta, joka matkusti kahden n. 4-vuotiaan kiinalaispojan kanssa. Pojilla oli samanlaiset bränikät vaatteet ja lenkkarit. Toinen pojista reagoi jännittävään tilanteeseen itkemällä, kitisemällä ja kiukuttelemalla. Hän ei suostunut pitämään uusia vanhempiaan kädestä kiinni ja hangoitteli vastaan joka käänteessä. Toinen pojista piti isäänsä tiukasti kädestä kiinni, hänen askeleensa oli kevyt, katseensa kirkas ja koko olemus henki valmiutta uuteen seikkailuun. Lennon loppupuolella kuulin hänen jo jakelevan iloisia "hola, hola" tervehdyksiä kanssamatkustajille.
Haluaisin kovasti tietää, mitä noille kaikille pienille kiinalaisvauvoille kuuluu. Niille jotka vietiin vuoden ikäisinä Kiinaan ja niille jotka vietiin sieltä vietiin pois.
***
There was a time when I often travelled to China, usually by taking the direct flight to Shanghai from Helsinki, which is a popular hub for flights from Europe to Asia. I noticed it was also a popular route among Chinese babies.
On my first flights I blamed the bad luck for been seated to "Crying Babies"-section in the plane. Aftrer few flights I noticed that in fact the whole plane was full of Chinese babies of age of almost one year.
Usually the babies travelled with their parents but there were also babies travelling only with their mother. In my opinion the amount of these Chinese little families was extra ordinary on the way to China but none of such Chinese families ever travelled to Europe with me. I followed this baby traffic with an increasing interest and came up with the following theories:
1. The parents lived in China and the babies were born in China. They had vacations in Europe.
2. The parentes lived in China but in order to avoid the Chinese one-child-policy, they had travelled abroad to deliver the baby and they were returning home. Chinese one-child policy does not apply to children born abroad.
3. The parents lived in Europe/abroad and the babies were born there. The babies were taken to China to be registered as the registration will allow them certain benefits in the future such as right for daycare. According to my Chinese colleague, the registration should be done before the baby turns one year.
4. The parents lived in Europe/abroad and the babies are born there too. The parents were taking their babies to China for grandparents to raise them while the parents continued working and earning money abroad.
Even though the Chinese's interest in travelling has increased during the past years due to general economical growth in China and the birth tourism is popular especially among wealthy Chinese, I do not consider the first two options very likely for the following reasons:
a) anyone who has travelled with a small baby, knows that there are better ways to relax than take a long-haul flight;
b) I never saw a pregnant Chinese woman on the flights to Europe;
c) Parent's general beign did not look as they could afford all travel-, living- and birth expenses plus the fine for avoiding the one-child policy (amount equivalent to three years' salary)
d) usually the second or third child is born in Hong Kong or Singapore; or if the parents wish to have extra benefit such as nationality and possibility to scholarships, they travel to the US.
So I am willing to believe on either option 3 or 4 but despite of my research I have not been able to confirm it. My Chinese friends, Finnair flight attendants nor Google knows.
As said, such Chinese families did not fly with me to Europe but Chinese babies still did. -with their Spanish adoptive parents. New proud parents who after painful years had finally got their baby girl in their slings. -and those cute little miracles who were totally unaware how the course of their lives was just about to change.
When queuing for passport control, I paid attention to an older couple who was travelling with two approx. 4-years old Chinese boys. The boys had brand new clothes and sneakers. The other boy was reacting to the new situation by crying, trying to do the travelling as hard as possible. He did not accept to hold his adoptive mother's hand and was having a tantrum. The other boy instead was holding his father's hand, he was jumping lightly instead of walking, his face was lightened and his whole body language seemed to say that he was ready for new adventures. At the end of the flight I heard him greeting "hola hola" other passangers in the plane.
I would love to know how all those Chinese babies are. -the ones who were taken to China and the ones who were taken out of there.
Haluaisin kovasti tietää, mitä noille kaikille pienille kiinalaisvauvoille kuuluu. Niille jotka vietiin vuoden ikäisinä Kiinaan ja niille jotka vietiin sieltä vietiin pois.
***
There was a time when I often travelled to China, usually by taking the direct flight to Shanghai from Helsinki, which is a popular hub for flights from Europe to Asia. I noticed it was also a popular route among Chinese babies.
On my first flights I blamed the bad luck for been seated to "Crying Babies"-section in the plane. Aftrer few flights I noticed that in fact the whole plane was full of Chinese babies of age of almost one year.
Usually the babies travelled with their parents but there were also babies travelling only with their mother. In my opinion the amount of these Chinese little families was extra ordinary on the way to China but none of such Chinese families ever travelled to Europe with me. I followed this baby traffic with an increasing interest and came up with the following theories:
1. The parents lived in China and the babies were born in China. They had vacations in Europe.
2. The parentes lived in China but in order to avoid the Chinese one-child-policy, they had travelled abroad to deliver the baby and they were returning home. Chinese one-child policy does not apply to children born abroad.
3. The parents lived in Europe/abroad and the babies were born there. The babies were taken to China to be registered as the registration will allow them certain benefits in the future such as right for daycare. According to my Chinese colleague, the registration should be done before the baby turns one year.
4. The parents lived in Europe/abroad and the babies are born there too. The parents were taking their babies to China for grandparents to raise them while the parents continued working and earning money abroad.
Even though the Chinese's interest in travelling has increased during the past years due to general economical growth in China and the birth tourism is popular especially among wealthy Chinese, I do not consider the first two options very likely for the following reasons:
a) anyone who has travelled with a small baby, knows that there are better ways to relax than take a long-haul flight;
b) I never saw a pregnant Chinese woman on the flights to Europe;
c) Parent's general beign did not look as they could afford all travel-, living- and birth expenses plus the fine for avoiding the one-child policy (amount equivalent to three years' salary)
d) usually the second or third child is born in Hong Kong or Singapore; or if the parents wish to have extra benefit such as nationality and possibility to scholarships, they travel to the US.
So I am willing to believe on either option 3 or 4 but despite of my research I have not been able to confirm it. My Chinese friends, Finnair flight attendants nor Google knows.
As said, such Chinese families did not fly with me to Europe but Chinese babies still did. -with their Spanish adoptive parents. New proud parents who after painful years had finally got their baby girl in their slings. -and those cute little miracles who were totally unaware how the course of their lives was just about to change.
When queuing for passport control, I paid attention to an older couple who was travelling with two approx. 4-years old Chinese boys. The boys had brand new clothes and sneakers. The other boy was reacting to the new situation by crying, trying to do the travelling as hard as possible. He did not accept to hold his adoptive mother's hand and was having a tantrum. The other boy instead was holding his father's hand, he was jumping lightly instead of walking, his face was lightened and his whole body language seemed to say that he was ready for new adventures. At the end of the flight I heard him greeting "hola hola" other passangers in the plane.
I would love to know how all those Chinese babies are. -the ones who were taken to China and the ones who were taken out of there.
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