As I prepared to write an article about an American living in on a mountain in Shandong Province translating Chinese philosophy by Laozi, I realized that a simple trip to a travel agency in neighboring Flushing, Queens was a more perfect setting for my contributing piece. What I imagined as a quick meeting at a local travel company, unfolded into an inspiring exchange of conversation, culture, cuisine and companionship; all providing excitement and anticipation as I look ahead to my summer in China.
This past Friday, I accompanied my dad into the heart of New York City Chinese culture, Flushing, to help him obtain a Chinese visa for when he and my mom travel to China this summer. I am attending an intensive four week language immersion program through Middlebury College at Capital Normal University. Following the completion of the program, my parents will be joining me in Beijing, where we will travel for another two weeks to Xi’an, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Since my parents require a visa for travel throughout China, Song Laoshi graciously suggested we visit a specialized travel agency in Flushing called COTS (Chinese Overseas Travel Services) where she coordinated a meeting with a special colleague May Feng (冯缝缝). Over the past several years. 冯缝缝 has worked with Song Laoshi to obtain Chinese visas for Jericho High School students as they embark on an Exchange program with Xi’an Middle School (西安中学).
Flushing, only ten miles from downtown New York City, has some of the highest concentrations of Chinese immigrants and first generation Chinese-American families in the area. Originally colonized by the Dutch West India Company in 1645, it was ultimately handed over to the British in 1664. Beginning in the late 1960s and 70s, Flushing transitioned into “a truly international city” with a large immigration from Mainland China settling in the city to fulfill their American dream. The original Queens Chinatown emerged in Flushing as a satellite of the original Manhattan Chinatown. Eventually, it evolved its own identity, and subsequently spawning its own extension of Chinatowns in Elmhurst, Corona, and eastern Queens. 
When my dad and I parked our car next to the agency, 冯缝缝 was standing right in front and welcomed us a with bright smile, eagerly awaiting our arrival. We shook hands, and she escorted us inside her simple office. The building was unassuming, with high ceilings and crisp photographs of Chinese cities including the modern capital of Beijing, the ancient Mongol trading post of Shanghai, the ancient imperial capital of Xi’an and the British naval outpost of Hong Kong adorning her walls. Each image provided a glimpse into ancient and modern China and a welcoming distraction into the treasures of Chinese travel. We handed her our documents, and she worked with professionalism, speed and efficiency. She made her notes, and handed our documents off her eager messenger who darted out of the room, off to the consulate in New York City. Few words were exchanged, but we knew we were in the most experienced hands. When we had finished our business, I was inspired to converse with her in Mandarin and was fascinated to learn about her work, background and what brought her to Flushing, consulting travelers about their upcoming trips to this ancient land.
冯缝缝 is from Guangzhou, in Southern China, near Hong Kong, a fascinating city, rich in history and culture. This city was founded in 214 BC, under the influence of the Qin Dynasty. As time progressed, the Chinese cities began to transition into industrial powerhouses, through the silk and porcelain trade. Guangzhou also began to commercialize in the late nineteenth century with Western investments in shipping and trading, occupying the south of China as a “Sphere of Influence” to expand their worldwide empires. From a young age, 冯缝缝 was always interested in travel, but the isolation and policies of her country made it quite difficult to pursue. Eventually, she got a job with Cathay Pacific, the official airline carrier of Hong Kong. Founded in 1946 as a post-war venture between American industrialist Roy C. Farrell and the British government of Hong Kong, Cathay grew into one of the largest airlines in the world. It is now part of the OneWorld Alliance, the home of over ten different airlines including American Airlines, British Airways and Royal Jordanian. Its unique name was actually conceived in a hotel bar in Manila. While working with Cathay Pacific, 冯缝缝 had the chance to travel and explore the world, employed there for almost 15 years. She then got another job opportunity in the United States, to start a travel agency with her associate from Guangzhou in 2001. She moved to the United States that year, and has been assisting, guiding and coordinating travelers from different cultures and countries ever since. 冯缝缝’s wonderful story is a tribute to her passion, determination, hard work and a desire to fulfill her dream to build a travel agency in New York serving her community.
After our exchange and fascinating discourse, our Chinese adventure concluded with a traditional lunch in downtown Flushing sampling authentic culinary treats. At the recommendation of both Song Laoshi and 冯缝缝, we visited a quaint dumpling paradise called 南翔小笼包, specializing in Shanghainese Soup Dumplings. We enjoyed a variety of dumplings including the house specialty of soup dumplings and pan-fried pork buns. Not only were these delicacies light, airy and tasty, but there was an art form to eating them as well. With a soup spoon in your left hand and maneuvering it with your chopsticks in the right, you balanced the pouch without bursting the dough before it reached your tongue. What an tantalizing experience! After the feast, we explored the neighboring shops and colorful streets mesmerized by the close knit, welcoming and lively community. On the ride home, I thought about my day, reflecting on the roots and heritage of this remarkably diverse community and the excitement for my own upcoming summer adventure. I look forward to returning to Flushing this fall and sharing my travels and stories with a new friend. 
Some of the information in this article came from the following sources.
https://medium.com/flushing/flushing-where-mainland-chinese-immigrants-are-moving-in-42156f62943a
https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_US/about-us/about-our-airline/history.html
Wow! I lived in Flushing for 9 years and never knew about its history! You should try the New World Mall Food Court next time. It isn’t fancy but it is not your averge food court. They have many authentic Chinese dishes and even some other asian cuisine as well. If you’re up to it and can handle very spicy food you should try my personal favorite, 水煮鱼(shui zhu yu) which literaly translates to “boiled fish” but it is very spicy and has a slight numbing taste to it.
Great article! I have been to Flushing multiple times before. However, I did not know that it had such deep and interesting history and background to the location. I really liked how you were able to have a conversation and discuss with 冯缝缝 about how she enjoyed traveling and how you were fascinated by Chinese culture. It is great that you got to try out Shanghainese Soup Dumplings. I would like to try it out at 南翔小笼包 as well. Great job, keep up the good work!
Very well written article! Thats soo cool that you will be going to China this summer! I was thinking about going to China either this summer or next summer, but I am still unsure. It sound like you had a great experience and will have an amazing one in Xi’an. I think that Chinese food is one of the best parts of the culture! It is sooo delicious! May Feng sounds like a very welcoming and genuine person.
Nice article! Congrats on going to China this summer. It sounded like you had a great experience and will have an amazing one in Xi’an. I think that Chinese food is one of the best parts of the culture! I heard its very delicious!
Great article Matthew! Very cool that your attending a language immersion program with your parents in China. I’ve seen the building you visited to get your visa, and have passed by it in Flushing many times. I also love soup dumplings! I only learned how to eat them correctly recently.
Wow, Matt! Great article! I love how your writing always makes your stories seem alive. I learned about the history of Cathay Pacific, how to eat soup dumplings, and about the history of Flushing. Enjoyed reading this and can’t wait to hear about your adventures in China!
I truly enjoyed reading your true experiences in Flushing. Visiting a Chinese community in New York helps us improve our knowledge and understanding of China and Chinese culture. I did not know the proper way to eat Shanghainese soup dumplings either until I visited the restaurant with my native friends.
I hope you have a great summer in China. I’ll be waiting for articles about your experience in China next school year!
看了这篇文章，我挺有感触的，在美国有很多留美华人。特别是在法拉盛和纽约的唐人街，都聚集了许多的华人。随着时间的慢慢推移，在美国甚至是全世界都有越来越多的唐人街，而在这些唐人街里越来越有中国的味道了。
great article ! I really enjoyed the pictures you incorporated with your article and I feel as if I learned a lot!!
Wow very intersting! I want to visit where you’ve been to too. That dumbling looks amazingly nice. Thanks for continuing with the postings I am having a lot of fun looking at it. I hope you had a wonderful week in China.
Having grown up in Flushing, I loved eating soup dumpling! I am so glad you were able to not only immerse yourself in genuine Chinese culture but also Chinese culture in New York City! I really hope you enjoy your trip back to China! I am so jealousss! I hope you are able to meet up with our old friends!
Very well written article Matthew! I think that it is awesome that you will be traveling to China this summer and it’s nice to see that you have a strong passion for becoming fluent in Chinese and taking an initiative about learning more and more about the culture. May Feng seems like a very helpful and nice person! Have fun in China this summer!
This article was very well-written. I learned about the process of getting a visa to go to China, which seems to be extensive. I learned about the history of Guangzhou and how it was founded. I also learned about some of the foods that you can find in Flushing. This includes 小笼包, which has a special way to eat it.
这篇文章整得很触动我，讲了许多许多在海外华人的心声。法拉盛真的是聚集了大量的中国人。在国外有这样一个地方可以感受到国内的感觉我觉得已经非常棒了。我也经常去法拉盛吃中国食物，希望法拉盛以后可以变得更大更好。有更多的好吃的
不仅在纽约， 其他城市也有一片唐人街，这些地方可以让海外华人们感觉到家的温暖， 法拉盛的美食就很多， 而且有一些都特别好吃特别正宗。
This was a very well written and interesting article. I hope your trip to Asia was fun. When I went to Asia this summer my Chinese improved a lot and I came back with more knowledge of Chinese culture. I also really enjoyed the pictures you included with the article. The soup dumplings look delicious.
在美国有中国人的地方都很棒，都能让华人感觉很好，美食也很多也很地道
Nice story. I think that it is awesome that you will be traveling to China this summer and it’s nice to see that you have a strong passion for becoming fluent in Chinese and taking an initiative about learning more and more about the culture. I really liked how you were able to have a conversation and discuss with 冯缝缝 about how she enjoyed traveling and how you were fascinated by Chinese culture.
Wow, I love the detailed experiences of your journey to… not China, but instead, the travel agency who will be planning your trip to China. Usually, a trip to a travel agency is a mundane, boring story without much to say: someone went to the travel agency, got paperwork ready, and that was the end of that. However, the story of 冯缝缝 is so interesting, and the fact that you asked her about her life and her experiences and became good friends with her made this story an interesting one! You even give detail on how the Flushing Chinatown came to be, and describe your experience going to a soup dumpling store, 南翔小笼包. Who knew going to a travel agency could be such a fun trip!