By Simone Kssatz
I'm German. Not that this means a lot to other people, but it means a lot to me. Because being German has always made me feel humble about my identity. In a broader sense, it means I'm from that country with the dark history, where a group of bad guys blindly followed a megalomaniac who played a main role in the feature "World History."
Being German requires that one be particularly careful and sensitive when one voices an opinion about the cultures and races of others. Carrying this historical burden on my shoulders makes me sometimes weary. Often, I feel inferior to people from other cultures. Because, honestly, who wants to belong to a country that's known for its creation of concentration camps, instead of architectural sights like the Villa Borghese or the Chateaux de Versailles?
Being born and raised in a country where there was the possibility that your teachers, your neighbors or schoolmates could have been raised by Nazis made me want to escape from it. Therefore, I lived in America for many years, before I came to China to teach.
And here I'm in my eighth month in Xiamen, south China's Fujian Province. I first taught German, and now oral English. Looking back at these eight months, I'd say, I'm grateful for the opportunity China has given me, but I've also had some bad luck since getting here. I faced the difficulties of a contract that was changed after my arrival, two stolen wallets, containing my credit and bankcards, my California driver's license and Social Security Card, plus two stolen cellphones. And now because of the Olympics, I have had difficulties in getting a new visa until my contract ends in July. Also, being used to a vegetarian diet makes my stay in China anything but easy. However, being on this side of the world, I was finally able to see the Great Wall and to walk through old Shanghai and the Forbidden City. And during these trips, I made two great discoveries--the Muslim Market in Xi'an and an art district called "798" in Beijing.
On top of it, I finally received my first dental crown made in China. There was an ad on the Internet, saying best dental care in Xiamen by a dentist who speaks English and who had studied in Maryland. This seemed like the perfect place for me. There was this feeling of familiarity due to his years where he lived in America, and the possibility to communicate in English.