This morning, I happened upon this Buzzfeed article. Whilst many of the points were superfluous to me, there were a few that stuck out like sore thumbs:
11. To question the culture that you were brought up in.
12. To respect the culture that you were brought up in.
Having been born into western society, but brought up with eastern values, I have always felt at war with myself. Traditional Chinese culture dictates that we follow our traditional gender roles; women are to be elegant, poised and submissive to their husbands whilst men are to provide for their families with no exception. Purity, respect for authority, filial piety and loyalty to the family are also held to utmost regard. If any of these were broken, it would bring immeasurable shame not only to yourself, but also to your family name.
But I hate the rigidity of these values. I hate how they 'dictate' how a proper woman/man or being should be or how they should act. I hate how these values serve to segregate people rather than unite them.
Nevertheless, these are the values that have brought my family so much closer together. No matter how dire my situation or how desolate I feel, I know that my family will always be there to catch me when I fall.
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And so I began to feel homesick. So much so that I began to cry.
15. To realise just how much you value your family.
16. And just how much you need your friends.
I began to realise just how much I missed everyone back home. I miss their embraces and their constant chatting and bickering. I miss sitting at Observatory Hill Park and just watching the sunset. I miss laughing at the most mundane things over frozen yoghurt and coffee. I miss brunch. I miss watching dramas silently with my mum. I miss my dad's awful cooking and my brother's constant phone calls and stupid racist text messages.
It has definitely been an emotional roller coaster thus far. But alas, this was my decision and I will make the most of it.
17. To learn how to make new friends.
18. To wonder how you didn’t know these new friends all your life.
20. So you can say you did.
23. To know where you’ve come from.
24. To know where you’re going.
36. To fill your journal with memories.
37. To take pride in the moment, and not worry about documenting it.
42. To meet fascinating new people.
43. To realise that people might find you fascinating too.
Though, one thing I have learnt, is that no matter how much you have settled into your new environment, there is no place like home.
But for now, I will definitely soldier on without turning back.
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