Tuesday, April 08, 2008

家事国事天下事 事事关心

古人云:

风声雨声读书声 声声入耳
家事国事天下事 事事关心

I started to realize that my parents have done something extraordinary. My parents had eight years long distance relationship and they are still together. They just had their 30th anniversary last year. My mother took care of me by herself until when I was 3 year old. Then it was my father's turn. He had taken care of me by himself for 3 years (between I was 3 to 6). I have always known these things. However, I took them for granted. I expected that under the same circumstance, every parent would do the same thing. It was until recently that I realized that what they have done were something extraordinary.

I'm taking a course on Foreign Policy of Modern China from the Department of Political Science. I think I will have a better idea of foreign policy of China from a western perspective.

Last week, I went to a lecture on the latest Taiwan presidential election. I found it very helpful to understand political and social situations in Taiwan.

Lately, news on Tibet and Beijing Olympics has overwhelmed every major newspaper in the US and Europe. I think boycotting Beijing Olympics is a very naive approach to address human rights issues, or Tibet issues for that matter.

When I was in China, I wanted to read western literature, watch Hollywood movies, and speak English. After I came to the US, I would read books on China, go to see Chinese movies in the theater, and teach people speak Chinese. I realized I was a Chinese after I came to the US. I got to understand more about China and Chinese after I came to the US. The comparison between China and the US, Chinese and Americans help me identify the difference. I guess the differences define who we are.

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