I was born into an upper-middle-class Asian, Chinese family. I am a female. I am multilingual. I am fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese, and English, and am also studying French. I am an Atheist with Buddhist parents. I am non-disabled and in my early adulthood. I grew up in urban areas.
Born in an upper-middle-class Chinese family, my parents valued my education and tried their best to provide me with the best education. I went to a private international kindergarten and primary school growing up in Shanghai. I was not the brightest at school, but my parents enrolled me in math and English tutoring to help me catch up. I was also involved in various extracurriculars, such as swimming, piano and horseback riding. Because of the privilege that my parents provided me with, I became bilingual[JW1] at a young age and had the opportunity to develop different hobbies. My parents were also able to send me to Hong Kong, Canada and the U.S. The class that I belong to has made it possible for my parents to choose the education they want for me and allowed me to have a more worldly perspective.
My Chinese mainland identity subjected me to[JW2] discrimination when I moved to Hong Kong. Not knowing Cantonese made me stand out at a local English school, where the students mainly spoke Cantonese instead of English. I blended in after I successfully learnt how to speak Cantonese. I was also subjected to racism when I moved to Quebec. I was asked if I eat dogs, and someone said ching chong in my face. My mainland Chinese background and my race and ethnicity made me vulnerable to discrimination in settings where I was the minority.[JW3]
Being multilingual has welcomed me to different worlds. Though I have not lived in China for many years, knowing Mandarin has made it easy for me to access Chinese social media and navigation apps. Through social media, I learn about popular culture in China. I can also get around easily with the navigation apps. Being a Chinese who speaks fluent Mandarin also helps me to be perceived as an insider.
Knowing how to speak Cantonese has opened a door for me to Hong Kong society. I can better communicate with locals who understand limited Mandarin and English. I communicate with taxi drivers and learn about their lives and their perspectives on Hong Kong[JW4] . They are wise and give me lots of insights because they have been living in Hong Kong since before I was born.
Speaking English has made it easy for me to travel in most countries. It also made it easier for me to adapt to school after moving to Canada. Though it always takes time to adjust to a new environment, my move to Canada was way smoother than when I moved to Hong Kong. There was no longer the pressure to catch up on a new language as soon as possible. However, I regret not becoming fluent in French[JW5] . While I was living in Montreal, I always felt disconnected because of the language barrier. [JW6]
[JW1]The connection you tied between language and privilege is poignant. I couldn’t agree more.
[JW2]perhaps “made me subject to..” ?
[JW3]Really important how you tied this felt experience in different regions together.
[JW4]Very cool, my brother had similar experiences when he traveled to Hong Kong!
[JW5]Already speaking three languages is incredible!
[JW6]Overall, I really enjoyed this piece. I liked how you tied language, class, and discrimination together. I was sad to hear about your experiences of discrimination, I can’t imagine how difficult that must’ve been. I’m glad you persevered! I thought this was a really well done.
