Guest Blogger

Here in Yuba County Jail, we are known as detainees as opposed to inmates, but in reality, it's all the same.

A fortnight ago, I met Eddy Zheng here. We are from a different world, from a different past. We are both Chinese in appearance but that is all. So, how have we become friends?

It is also where our similarities start. This is courtesy of the D.H.S. (Department of Homeland Security). We are in the same position, fighting or dreaming to stay here in the U.S. Eddy for his parents and friends, me for my son. Either way, it is for our family.

I have met maybe 100 "detainees" but there is a big difference between ones like us and the others. Let's face it, we are in jail, hardly the most ideal place to spend our Lunar New Year, but that is not an excuse to be negative. By and large, we (Eddy & I) are pretty upbeat and positive about life despite the position and "process" we are stuck in.

That is the moral of the story. It does not matter where we come from or how we came to be there, we have to thankful for everything.

It never ceases to amaze me how people with so much more are so much less happy or satisfied.