9781422278819

The Reader

My Family

• I must say that being underage in China, I’m pretty happy. There are two reasons. One is that the economy in China developed really fast for decades. My parents went through this period and they could feel that life was getting better every day. So for our generation, we don’t need to worry about money or help our parents to make money. The other reason is that Chinese people see their children as the most important thing in their lives. In Chinese traditional culture, having no children is unkind to our parents and the elder generations. So children get the highest position in a family, especially when there is only one child [see page 26]. Our parents try their best to provide a better life for us and make sure that we get the best education. The parents in the cities are well educated and they know the importance of education. So as a Chinese child, I get a lot of attention and also a lot of preaching. Although while I’m growing up, parents seem pretty annoying and old- fashioned, yet I will never feel that I don’t get enough love or feel snubbed. I have lived in Beijing since I was born. My parents are from other provinces of China. They went to the university in Beijing and chose to live here for a better life. Now my family are all living in Beijing. Most of the time I stay in the city proper for school, but on vacations I usually travel to other places with my family. I have been to America once and I really appreciate the education there. I really want to study there, but not until after I finish high school. I think family is also very important for a growing child so I want to stay around them.

Beijing

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C H I N A

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