Rediscovering My Heritage
By Anita Yuan
By Anita Yuan
Almost seventeen years of learning my first language, you’d think I’d be fluent but in this world of constant change, language and the lust to learn them changes as well. Three years and four summers ago, my Chinese school Southern Connecticut Chinese School, organized a group to go back to China to learn our culture and further appreciate our heritage.
Before this camp, I didn’t like being Chinese with our characteristic (or some might say stereotypical) black hair, mine is brown, dark brown eyes that are usually smaller and seem like they’re constantly squinting like we’re scrutinizing other because they don’t have straight As like the rest of our people. And of course, we’d all get into Ivy League schools and become doctors. I didn’t like the race jokes or having to go to Chinese school but I could clearly see why my father signed me up for the Root-Seeking Camp that year. I’m grateful and fortunate that my Chinese school was able to participate in it because now I love who I am, I understand my family’s background, I want to learn Chinese more and I appreciate the rich history. I’ve met so many wonderful people most of whom I still talk to at least once a week during the camp and the experience has opened my eyes to the world outside of my little town of Guilford and has helped me become more independent and self-reliable. I have learned to take responsibility of washing my clothes, hand washing as well as the machine, feeding myself and my brother, cleaning my room and the house, and taking care of others around me as well. Although my father was my group’s chaperone, it was obvious that the students were really learning to become their own self and to start to become an adult.
As the world becomes more receptive and definitely more open to international trade and foreign currencies thanks to the mass media and travelling, we realize that not only is learning Chinese good for business opportunities but for our families as well. For second generation Chinese like me who are born outside of the guo jia or home nation as we call it in Chinese, we are still able to communicate with our parents when they start to forget English words (my father’s words not mine) because we have studied our language. When my father takes my brother and me to visit our grandparents, it’s wonderful to feel the praise and love from your family when they see that you learning Chinese and growing up. I’m proud of myself for continuing to learn Chinese and not getting too frustrated with it because now I can hold conversations at the dinner table with my entire family in China, walk around Beijing or Shanghai and understand almost 95% of the signs and the conversations around me, and I know that my parents’ friends are proud of me too.
Learning at Southern Connecticut Chinese School has helped me become who I am now, a more diverse and cosmopolitan woman who is comfortable and proud of who she is and who loves her background. SCCS not only has Chinese class from grades 1-10, but also teaches its students Chinese folk dance, music and other extracurricular activities. I have taken SAT math classes after my Chinese courses as well as dance. I have been performing at every Chinese New Year’s festival or Spring Festival since I was about nine years old and have been the host for almost half of them. If I hadn’t followed my parents’ advice and continued my Chinese education, I would not have had these experiences. So as much as I, a sixteen year old almost going off to college, dislike admitting that my parents are correct and most of the do know what is best for me, they have really raised me well and have shown me that learning the Chinese language is important not only for them, but also for myself.
To those who still think Chinese school is a drag to go to because it takes time out of your weekend when you could be hanging out with friends, that’s true. I have days when I really wish I were elsewhere but when I remember my motivation and all the positives of learning Chinese, I study harder and push myself. Life is full of open doors, sometimes there may be an obstacle blocking it but nothing comes easy we all have to work for our good luck. Remember PERSEVERANCE IS ANOTHER NAME FOR SUCCESS.
(Posted by Lunamia 4/21/2010)
