You were the white kid?
As a child, I spent four years learning Mandarin Chinese. I was the only white child in the school. I was also probably the only one who had ASKED to attend.
When I asked to learn Chinese, my mother had no idea where I might possibly be able to do that. She found a group of Chinese-American parents who had organized a few dozen children into classes that met for a few hours every Saturday morning. I’m sure they were a bit surprised by her request to enroll me, but they accepted me as a student without question.
For a couple years, Chinese School was held in the basement of the church where my parents were married. Then it was held at a local day care center. We also had Chinese Camp at a local nature center for a week or so each summer – all day full immersion.
I learned to speak, read, and write. I learned songs. I learned about cultural traditions. I did “homework” each week – practicing new characters in the equivalent of a composition book. I memorized lessons and repeated them aloud in class.
I also performed at the annual World Affair held at the Convention Center. (My grandmother had taken me each year since I was able to walk, and I called it “the dancing sale”.) Several girls from our school dressed in traditional costumes and danced on stage, and in spite of my obvious lack of Chinese heritage, they allowed me to participate.
I didn’t go to elementary school with any of the other students from Chinese School. I first encountered one of my former classmates when I went to middle school, and then I met up with several of them when I got to high school. When they finally made the connection that I was one of their former Saturday morning classmates, they asked incredulously, “You were the white kid?”
Not only did I learn a foreign language, but I learned – at a much younger age than most people – how it feels to be different from those around you. There were mornings that I dreaded going to Chinese School. I didn’t feel as if I had any friends there, merely acquaintances. I was never particularly confident in my knowledge of the language, and I sometimes wondered if everyone – even the teachers – were laughing at me behind my back (in spite of all evidence to the contrary).
So yes, I was the white kid. I wasn’t special; I was alone. It’s not an easy place to be, especially as a child, but it’s a place you never forget.
September 25th, 2006 at 7:42 am
You speak Chinese?! How cool is that. I’m impressed that you stuck with it inspite of your insecurities.
September 25th, 2006 at 7:44 am
Clarification: I remember very little. I started Chinese School when I was six, and I was ten when I stopped attending. And I’ve had very little practice over the years.
September 25th, 2006 at 8:16 am
That is so impressive; all of it! The initiative to take another language and sticking with it against the odds at such a young age! Wow! When I was in eigth grade, I went to an “alternative” school and the entire school had to do Chinese ribbon dances every morning before class as a group exercise. It was amazing! I still think about that from time to time.
September 25th, 2006 at 8:51 am
I’m impressed too!
I went to an all black vacation bible school one summer when I was 8 or 9. I was thinking about that the other day, I don’t think I felt out of place at all.
September 25th, 2006 at 9:05 am
THere is just so much about you to admire. What a great story.
September 25th, 2006 at 9:16 am
“Mom, can I take Chinese?” Yeah…I can hear me asking that question. I can also hear the answer: “no”. Your parents must have been incredibly progressive thinkers. Do you practice speaking Chinese…just to keep yourself mentally “limber”?
September 25th, 2006 at 10:21 am
WOW! I’m utterly impress at your persistence to learn a foreign language, and being in a totally different environment of your own. You lived those Saturdays like we’ve lived in the all Irish neighborhood every single day growing up. And that’s exactly how we felt. We were the Oriental (not a PC word now I guess) people, we were also alone and were poked fun of.
What a coincident that I just wrote a post about my son’s first encounter with name calling.
September 25th, 2006 at 10:21 am
You may not remember much Chinese, but remembering what it’s like to be in the minority is probably a much more important lesson.
September 25th, 2006 at 10:52 am
My brother speaks Mandarine (and he’s as white as you can get) and is sending his child to a class to learn it too. It’s great to catch them when they’re young, it seems to go farther than taking a language in high school. My daughter started German this year in middle school and she goes around the house reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in German. It cracked me up that that’s the first thing they taught her, the irony and all. But it’s great.
September 25th, 2006 at 11:29 am
That is so cool. Are your kids interested in learning Chinese? Wouldn’t that be neat, if you could speak in Chinese to one another.
What a great expereince to have as a white child though, to know what it is like to be the minority. Probably helped you to be a more empathic person.
September 25th, 2006 at 12:12 pm
See. I knew you were Asian.
At least by proxy
September 25th, 2006 at 12:14 pm
You know what I love about you? You seem like you were always you. Always inquisitive, always wanting to learn, not really caring much about what other people thought. You seem like such a cool fun amazing person. Someone who would be lots of fun to be friends with.
September 25th, 2006 at 12:39 pm
The more I read, the cooler you get.
September 25th, 2006 at 2:06 pm
I’m impressed you wanted to do that at six!
September 25th, 2006 at 2:51 pm
Wow… You know Mandarin???
Very cool…
Always in awe of you…
September 25th, 2006 at 4:06 pm
There is nothing more weird than watching a white person speak perfect Chinese. My brother does it and it totally freaks me out.
September 25th, 2006 at 5:51 pm
What an incredible experience, in so many ways. You never cease to amaze me, Julie.
I asked to go to Hebrew School but I suppose that’s not really the same thing. We were all white. Strange, huh?
September 25th, 2006 at 10:59 pm
I echo the others. You are amazing for seeking out Chinese School at such a young age. Though you don’t remember much of the language, I’m sure the experience was worthwhile – even if it was just to feel what it feels like to be a minority. Not many “white” people – myself included – really knows what that feels like.
September 25th, 2006 at 11:10 pm
So cool, I love learning this about your childhood. I grew up in a mostly Caucasian neighborhood and school, so I went to college and met up with a 35% Asian-American student population, I was stunned. It was really strange (and wonderful) to meet so many other people with shared background.
September 26th, 2006 at 6:14 am
I just read this to my daughter – the one who told me she wanted to take Chinese. Thanks for the encouragement!
September 26th, 2006 at 10:21 am
Well, I went to a year of Hebrew school, but since we were all Jews, that probably isn’t quite the same thing. I probably only remember about 3 words of Hebrew.
Stacey
September 26th, 2006 at 11:28 am
Come over and help me!! I can’t progress past vocabulary to actual dialogue.. well, except for, “Excuse me, may I interrupt?” and “Yes, I am an American and no, I do not speak Chinese.”
I am jealous of your early ambition.
September 26th, 2006 at 7:56 pm
Wow. Impressive. What a great post. And what a fantastic experience for you.
September 26th, 2006 at 10:16 pm
It is incredibly cool that you wanted to learn Chinese and that you stuck with it, feeling like an outsider. Being able to think in more than one language is a great gift and having that kind of learning experience at such a young age is remarkable. I really don’t think I could imagine how that felt especially as a child.
September 26th, 2006 at 10:25 pm
Wow, I’m so amazed that you requested to do that (at such a young age) and stuck it through! What a testament to your character! And now you can tell your children that great story – in Chinese (if you still remember)! Do you?
September 27th, 2006 at 12:13 pm
That is so wonderful!
I remember some of my classmates bemoaning their parents’ requirement to go to Chinese school on Saturdays; how great that you asked to go!
I second those who have expressed admiration of you. Indeed, the more I learn about you, the more I love you.
September 27th, 2006 at 2:16 pm
What a great story. That you would have the presence of mind, at such a young age. to want to learn a foreign language.
And hooray for your mom for honoring your request.
September 28th, 2006 at 6:19 am
That is so cool! And having been the only white kid in my Black History class in high school, I know how you feel. The other students thought it was awesome that I wanted to learn about Black History though and they were very accepting. I made alot of friends that year.
September 28th, 2006 at 9:04 am
Always blown over with your stories of ambition and discipline and fortitude and open-mindedness. How lucky are your children for having such a wonderful role model for a mother!
September 28th, 2006 at 9:58 am
This is the kind of experience that more kids should have. Not going to Chinese school necessarily, but living outside of their comfort zones. What a great experience you had as a child. Besides learning about another culture, you were many times in an uncomfortable situation and you persevered and therefore, came out a winner. Good for you!
It’s wonderful to see how those we admire (I admire you!) were raised. It becomes less of a secret how people are who they are.
September 28th, 2006 at 10:49 am
While I applaud that you never forgot what it’s like to be alone, especially as a child, I am also hopeful (and certain) that there are children who experience this – being in the minority- everyday without a choice. But I guess for them – well me actually – it’s not such an unusual thing to be in the minority. You just do it. Every single day for the rest of your life.
Though like I said, it’s still something good to have experienced, even if it was for only a fleeting moment.
September 28th, 2006 at 10:54 am
Heather, there are certainly children – and adults – who are almost always in the minority, every day of their lives. I don’t mean to equate my experience with theirs.
September 30th, 2006 at 9:56 pm
Similar experiences as a kid in Detroit being the white girl. It was ALL good. I am who I am today because of it.
October 2nd, 2006 at 5:01 am
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