By: Katherine Xu

This Sunday July 6 we went with 世伟 to fly kites and visit Castle Island. The purpose of this trip was to help 世伟 get familiar with America. 世伟 is a 10 year old boy. As an infant, he suffered from severe burns. Now he is in America for a short while having surgery. We wanted to help him have fun so 世伟 would not feel lonely while he was in America. After all, language barriers are very tough to deal with.

We went to a beautiful park near Quincy where there was just enough sun and just enough wind to create the perfect kite dayーthe type of day that makes you want to run for years with everlasting energy and happiness. It felt like paradise to sprint around in the warm wind and watch our kites soar high above us. Everyone was really awestruck about the kites. They are things even parents are unfamiliar with.

Elizabeth, Eddie, and Shiwei assemble a kite

Shiwei flying a kite

The whole group participates!

After about half an hour, we all sat down at a sheltered picnic area and ate 粽子 together. Eddie brought a golf ball with him and an exciting, adrenaline-fueled game of ‘hand off the golf ball to someone’ was started. The whole point of the game was to run around. We had to obtain the sacred golf ball of awesomeness and choose someone else to give it to. It might seem a little foolish now that I think about it, but at the time we were all craving that exercise. 世伟 ran around and gave the golf ball to many people. I’m more than certain that he excelled at the game. In all the ruckus Eric grabbed Elizabeth’s hat as ransom for the ball. Thus it became the ‘hand off the golf ball and hat to someone’ game. By afternoon we were all drenched in sweat. 世伟, Eddie and Eric became best buddies! I guess boys really do connect in a way girls can’t understand.

Best Buddies

For lunch the parents drove us to a nearby Wendy’s. Us children got a 汉堡包, 薯条 and 饮料 each but 世伟, Eddie and Eric also chose some chili. While eating, I learned that 世伟 doesn’t like Wendy’s 汉堡包. He ate the chili instead.

An hour of chatting later, we hopped onto our cars yet again and drove all the way to Boston’s Castle Island. Castle Island’s fort was erected in 1634 and has been used in the American Revolution. We walked around and explored the historical fort, playground and shore. 世伟 and everyone else took turns swinging and pushing each other. Afterward, we walked down to the shore and tried to skip rocks.

世伟 found a lot of sea snails and pretty rocks and showed them to us. Then it was time to leave.

Castle Island Fort

Shiwei and Father at the playground

Exploring the shore

The whole group skip rocks

I really don’t regret choosing to fly kites or visiting Castle Island. These activities let 世伟 do things he usually wouldn’t have time for. I also learned a lot on this day. After spending a day with 世伟 and observing, I think I get the idea of what he has to go through in a public place. What amazes me is that 世伟 remains very cheerful and optimistic. I hope he had fun in America.

Group Picture