I thought I would be depressed or sad, or sympathize with someone - the Chinese mother, the adopted children, the American parents, the whole situation. But I wasn't, and I didn't.
In fact, I watched with cold interest, to the the progression of events, and how the various players would act (or act out).
The filmmaker, Linda Goldstein, followed four girls from China, to America and back to China, while making her documentary.
It was fascinating.
I will condense this into an essay form later on, possibly for one of my book chapters of Reclaiming Beauty, but until then, here is the chronological order of my notes as I watched the film, which I've edited for better reading.
The link to the video, about 1 hour 1/2 long is here.
I used the quote "I love China. China is my homeland." by Fung (Jenni-Lee) as the title to my post, because these adopted CHinese girls are consumed by China. They cannot get China out of their mind. If they had a chance, they would be in China, and not in America.
As I did in my previous post on an Indian-American woman who served in the Marines, I have to ask the question:
"Are they who who represents America?"
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Linda Goldstein shooting Somewhere Between in China
Fang (Jenni Lee): 15 years old
Berkeley California
Fang as a five-year-old in a Chinese orphanage. Singing a Chinese song:
[Around the 6:18 point]
Be good little rabbit
and open the door.
Hurry and open it
I want to come in.
No I'm not opening it
Mom is not home yet.
Be good little rabbit,
Open the door.
Hurry and open it
I want to come in.
OK I'm opening it now.
I'm going to open the door
that mom is home now.
Fang's "American" father is Chinese. "I don't speak Chinese," he says.
[7:54 point]
"It's a blessing to know your roots," says Fung. "And be able to know the people that you came from. But in a country of billions, you can't find, the chances are slim."
[8:15 point]
"I love China. China is my homeland." - Fung
[21:56]
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Jenna Cook, 15 years old
Newburyport, Massachusetts
"You never think about why you were born into a certain family if you're just born there, because physically, like in science, it makes sense. But if you're put there, it's different. It's like a different thought.
[8:40 point]
Peggy, Jenna's mother, says:
"Jenna has always approached school, of sport, with great thought, and almost like a job to be done. Well"
[11:15 point]
Early on she became very aware that she was the only Chinese child living in a white town. If you're always being seen, and you're never just blending in, of course you want to appear like you've got everything under control and you're doing everything perfectly. Sometimes I've had to encourage her to just kind of relax with things. But, it's a big part of who she is."
[11:00 point]
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Ann Boccuti, 14 years old
Landsdale, Pennyslvania
"I started caller guard in about 7th grade. It's kind of like a reject sport. But you don't want to say that because people won't join. But it's kind of people who don't necessarily always fit in."
When you get older then it starts becomes all of a sudden that you don't look like your parents, and all of a sudden that is some kind of an issue. "
[12:19 point]
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Haley Butler, 13 years old
Nashville, Tennessee
"I want to be the first Chinese person to play in the Grand Opry. That is like my life goal."
"I'm a banana. I'm yellow on the outside and white on the inside."
"People are like: 'Oh you're such a lucky girl get to live in America,' I'm like, 'I am really lucky. But there's something bigger than that has to do with that.'"
"God has everything for a reason. So there must be a reason why I'm here.
[14:54 point]
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Jenna Cook, 15 years old
Newburyport Massachusetts
"Everyone else's beginnings seem, like sure. You never think about why you were born into a certain family if you're just born there because physically like, in science in makes sense. But if you're put there, it's different. It's like a different thought."
[8:30 point]
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Posted By: Kidist P. Asrat
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