In March 2008, just a few months before the start of the Summer Olympics in Beijing and right after protests took place that would later lead to deadly riots in Lhasa, Q, a friend from Northwestern Yunnan gets a call from her mother. Her mother is an ethnic Tibetan while her father is Han-Chinese. Their hometown – Weixi – is located in a fertile mountainous region, not far from both Myanmar and the Tibetan plateau. At the time of the call, Q is 20 and studying in Beijing. Her mother, who has been living in Northwestern Yunnan all her life, says:
“Don’t join them and go on the streets to do something stupid.”
She: “Mum, have you forgotten that I don’t speak Tibetan? I wouldn’t even be able to communicate with them.”
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Many people of Chinese (and others) origin will be able to relate to this. Their parents were immigrants, they were natives, but look nothing like them. So at times there are events that tear their identity apart.
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Parents always worry about their children, but they don’t always worry about the right things.
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I agree. After my friend told me this little story, she was laughing. She’s neither a political person nor does she identify with the events, but I guess parents are easily worried especially if their kids live far away.
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