We went to lunch at P.F. Chang's to celebrate Aunt Betty's birthday (80th!) with other relatives. Of course we stuffed ourselves. Aunt Betty is pretty good with chopsticks - I have a ways to go but I did get some good practice in. Mark lived in Japan for a year and Taiwan for several years. He is very gifted with languages and he is an excellent teacher! I thought maybe the young guy who served us was Chinese but when asked if he had studied Mandarin, he replied, 'No, I am studying Japanese'. He has been studying Japanese for 6 months and Mark spoke some Japanese with him.
I don't know if this is going to sound too weird but as we have been in the process to adopt a daughter from China, I am increasingly aware of East Asian people; and I want to know them (not to offend anyone that is East Asian - I don't think this is any kind of Asian envy or fetish?). I realize that many of them may have never been to East Asia. When I dream of our child, she is Chinese. I never anticipated this happening - but it has! In fact, it started quite awhile back in our adoption process. I wonder if it will always be like this or if this will ease up when we meet our daughter? My friend, who is from Malaysia (but is East Indian) says that when she goes to pick up her daughter from school, her eyes immediately search for 'a little brown girl'. My eyes already search for a Chinese girl. Is that strange?
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. ~Robert Frost
1 comment:
I seek out Asian children as well, whether they are "conspicuously adopted" or not. It's a way of connecting with the child that I cannot feel kicking in my belly, but rather tugging at my heart.
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