Part 2 of the Leaving China story
Added 2020-07-02 23:35:55 +0000 UTCHey Laowinners!
Feels crazy to finally tell the story.
A TON of you sent me messages wanting to hear a part 2, specifically how my wife and daughter got out.
Would you guys be interested in seeing that video?
Long story short, my wife and my daughter went into hiding with some distant relatives, while I contacted many people in China who might know what was going on. My building manager called her many times and sent messages saying that the police were looking for me at my building.
My contacts who got ahold of some relevant parties confirmed that the government was cracking down on foreigners who spoke even slightly negatively about China, and I had been let free to film for years until the policy changed internally.
I stayed in HK for around a month while Vivi waited for her greencard to finally be processed. After it was, she was questioned at the border upon leaving, but they let her exit when they saw her green card for the USA for some reason. My daughter used her American passport and her China exit permit.
In my month stay, I hopped around and never stayed in the same place. I stayed in dodgy cheap apartments and hotels in ghetto areas, careful not to make my presence known. People are often kidnapped from HK back into China to face trial (Google Hong Kong Bookseller Kidnapping).
It was horrible, stressful, and I missed my family dearly. However, when I finally saw them meet me in the HK airport, the feeling of joy and relief coursed through my body. Let me tell you, when I saw the customs line in NY, I almost cried. We were all so relieved, and so happy to be on free soil.
I can do a more detailed video if you guys think that would be interesting.
Thanks so much for your support!
