Growing up, other than the usual study hard get good grades mantra that all Asian kids hear... there was the age old question.. what do I want to be when I grow up. Mom and Dad's concept of success was measured by the recognizable professions they were exposed to.. doctors, lawyers, teachers - if not that - the ultimate measuring stick was.. air conditioning. Yup air conditioning. Doesn't matter what else you did.. as long as you had air conditioning you were golden. I completely understand this standard after all they worked 13 hour days in a hot laundromat (oh yeah me too) , garment factory and kitchen.
I've worked since I was a little girl along side my mother doing piece work.. i can sew a mean straight line... folding clothes at the laundry.. yup i can fold clothes faster than you can blink.. and have held a series of interesting jobs once I was old enough to work and have supported myself since. I can tell you I appreciate that air conditioning as well.
So here I am now.. in my late 30's: an non-profit executive with a corner office and my parents have no clue.. absolutely no clue what I do for a living. I've tried to explain.. but how does one explain the concept of philanthropy and charity to Chinese parents? GIVE your money away?? Ayiah!!! But thats ok... they are happy I have air conditioning. Now they watch me drag myself home from my air conditioned office and wonder why i'm so tired.
