Christine, Rebekah, and Lillian

What did you learn from your mother about being Taiwanese? (妳從妳母親那兒學到甚麼是一個台灣人?)

When I was growing up, my mother raised me to be proud of who I was and be proud of my heritage. She was very supportive and understanding whenever I had questions about my background and was always eager to share recipes, stories, music, etc. from her life in Taiwan. She was very proud of the unique aspects of Taiwanese culture and wanted me to appreciate it as well. She also stressed the importance of staying connected with the Taiwanese & Taiwanese American community. We often attended or hosted potluck dinners with other local Taiwanese American families and I was sent to various Taiwanese American camps and social gatherings. I think she did this so that I would meet others who shared my background and learn about how important being part of COMMUNITY is.

I hope to do the same for my daughter. I want her to be proud of who she is and what her background is. I want her to learn about and appreciate Taiwanese history and culture. I also want her to understand the value of being a part of a community and plan to connect her with other Taiwanese Americans so that she can meet others who share her heritage.

Tell us about the ways that your mother makes you proud. (妳母親／女兒讓你感到驕傲的是甚麼?)

I am proud of my mother because of her strength and because of her generosity. My mother has had to face some difficult times during her lifetime, and despite various obstacles, she has always managed to overcome whatever was in her path. She has a strong will, is disciplined, determined, and very resourceful. I wish I had her physical/emotional/mental strength!

My mother is also a very caring person, and can be very giving. She loves helping others and is always willing to assist those who are less fortunate. Her generosity goes beyond financial assistance, she is also very generous with her time, energy, and wisdom.

Tell us about how your daughter inspires you. (妳的母親／女兒如何激勵妳?)

My daughter is only two years old, but she inspires/motivates me every day. Since finding out I was pregnant almost 3 years ago, I became increasingly motivated to become a better person. I wanted to be a better mom, but in order to do so, needed to be a better person as a whole. I want to set an example for her, which is what drives me to live the best life I can.

My daughter also inspires/motivates me to want to make the world a better place for her. Knowing that her generation will inherit the world that my generation leaves behind, I have been more driven to work towards improving the environment, improving the community, and improving the world as a whole. I want my daughter to grow up in an ethical, safe, and healthy world, which means that I need to advocate for those issues whenever possible.

As time has gone on, how has your relationship with your mother changed? (隨著年歲的增長，妳們母女關係有怎麼樣的變化?)

My relationship with my mother has changed a great deal since I became a mother as well. As the years have passed, and especially since my daughter was born, my respect and admiration for my mother has grown. Being a mom isn’t easy, and I now have a better understand of what my mother went through and why my mother made the choices that she did.

What is one thing that you would like your mother or daughter to know? (有那件事是妳希望讓妳的母親／女兒知道的?)

I want my mother to know how much I appreciate her and how much I will forever be in her debt. I want her to know how much I love her, respect her, and hope that I have made her proud. I want her to know that there is much that I admire in her and that I wish I was more like her.

I want my daughter to know how much I love her and how thankful I am that she has entered my life. I want her to know that I may not be the perfect mom, but that I am trying my very best. I want her to know that even though she is only 2, she has taught me SO MUCH more than I have taught her!