The college had arranged the trip: a day’s excursion to Zhuhai, the seaside city pressed gently against the border of Macau. It was offered as a gesture of goodwill, a kind of soft diplomacy from the Foreign Affairs Office, whose job was, at times, to remind us of our status.
Such a common story, while each being unique. So few people who sacrifice actually "make it" in any society, China's no differently. What a time the 90s were. One of the few instances in history when such sacrifice and going for it had a reasonably high chance of paying off. 🙏 I hope Martin did make it.
Thanks, Paul. You’ve captured something so true - that silent wager made by families the world over, hoping the sacrifice might be enough.
There’s more to Martin’s story, and I’ll be sharing it in later chapters. Let’s just say his journey stayed with me - in ways I didn’t expect, and for much longer than I imagined. 😊
Did you and Martin become partners? Couldn't his brother have studied online in the evening while working days? That's what many of us do here in the USA: work all day and study part of the night. Great story that you weave! 🙏🏽
Haha, no romantic storyline here! Martin was a student of mine who became a good friend, and an important part of my time in China. As for his brother -it's a fair question. But what works in one country doesn't always translate neatly to another. In China, decisions like that often reflect the needs of the whole family, not just the individual. Thanks so much for reading! 🙏
It's so sad to not be allowed to study if wanted. This was (and still is) common for women, for a variety of reasons. I'm old, and had traditional parents in a frugal family, so I was fortunate that my mother recognized the importance of educating the girls too. She said, "You will ultimately be responsible for your children, so an education is doubly necessary." I guess many Chinese girls are left behind as their brothers are chosen to be the fortunate one to study.
Such a common story, while each being unique. So few people who sacrifice actually "make it" in any society, China's no differently. What a time the 90s were. One of the few instances in history when such sacrifice and going for it had a reasonably high chance of paying off. 🙏 I hope Martin did make it.
Thanks, Paul. You’ve captured something so true - that silent wager made by families the world over, hoping the sacrifice might be enough.
There’s more to Martin’s story, and I’ll be sharing it in later chapters. Let’s just say his journey stayed with me - in ways I didn’t expect, and for much longer than I imagined. 😊
Did you and Martin become partners? Couldn't his brother have studied online in the evening while working days? That's what many of us do here in the USA: work all day and study part of the night. Great story that you weave! 🙏🏽
Haha, no romantic storyline here! Martin was a student of mine who became a good friend, and an important part of my time in China. As for his brother -it's a fair question. But what works in one country doesn't always translate neatly to another. In China, decisions like that often reflect the needs of the whole family, not just the individual. Thanks so much for reading! 🙏
It's so sad to not be allowed to study if wanted. This was (and still is) common for women, for a variety of reasons. I'm old, and had traditional parents in a frugal family, so I was fortunate that my mother recognized the importance of educating the girls too. She said, "You will ultimately be responsible for your children, so an education is doubly necessary." I guess many Chinese girls are left behind as their brothers are chosen to be the fortunate one to study.