So many instances where I was giving campus tours or where I was
walking around somewhere and someone who looked Chinesewould
walk up to me and look so happy and relieved and startspeaking to
me, hoping I could help and translate, but I wouldn’tbe able to, and I’d
just see their faces kind of fall, and then apologise.I kind of want to be
able to be that comforting beacon to someone, whosomeone can feel
that kinship/belonging? Like nobody is gonna comeup to me for help
and assume I speak Spanish.
I guess it’s one of those things though where there’snot much stopping
me from learning my language (other than time andmoney).
One of my regrets is at my high school, they DID offerChinese lessons
as part of the course? But I ended up choosing Spanishlessons because
Spanish would be easier for me to do and my gradeand university
placement depended on me doing well.
But I guess it’s one of those things where we as humansare complex.
We always are learning and developing and there’salways time to
better ourselves, expand our horizons and learn howit be a rounded
and tolerant person. (I find “tolerance” a weird word,I feel like there
should be a better one).
(Last year in the UAE it was The Year Of Toleranceand it just sounded
funny even though the message was good)
Correct.
I can’t think of too many at the top of my head butI guess (and this is a
common one) just telling people that Asia is a wholecontinent and we
are so much more than one type of person or nationality!There’s that
outdated stereotype where people would say “I can’ttell Asian people
apart” where it’s like ???? There’s so many differentversions of us, it’s
so hard to find people that are alike and/or havethe same experiences?
To someone.
I can’t think of anything too profound unfortunately!The best I think I
can say to someone is that you gotta own yourselfand be yourself. Life
isn’t about fitting in a box and fitting someone’sperception of you. Life
also can’t be about trying to fight or break every“stereotype” or
perception of you as well. You just gotta be as trueto yourself as you
can be, as cheesy as it sounds, because you’re a personand more than
just your identity. But also you’re valid in whatyou choose to identify as
and the extent to which you want to. This goes forpeople who are
Asian and who aren’t. Be kind and accepting of others,and when they
may correct you, or assume things, be willing to listenand learn.
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