Author Archives: Melissa Wang

The Farmer

Nationality: Singapore
Age: 22
Occupation: Student
Residence: USA
Performance Date: April 17th, 2017
Primary Language: English
Language: Singaporean, Chinese

Interviewee: Once upon a time there was an elderly farmer. One day, his only horse ran away, That evening, all the neighbors came around and said, “Oh, we are so sorry to hear about your horse. That’s too bad.”

The farmer said, “Maybe.”

The next day, the horse came back, brining seven wild horses with it. That evening, the neighbors came and said, “What a great turn of events. You have eight horses now. You’re so lucky!

The farmer said, “Maybe.”

The day after that, the farmer’s son tried to break one of these wild horses. He was thrown off and broke his leg. That night, the neighbor’s said, “Oh, that’s too bad.”

The farmer said, “maybe.”

The following day, the recruiting officers came to the farm to draft people into the army. They rejected the father’s son, due to his condition. That night, the neighbors returned and said, “Your son doesn’t have to go to war. Isn’t that great?”

And the farmer said, “maybe.”

Interviewer: What does it mean to you?

Interviewee: My friend gave it to me at a retreat, it’s important because I know I don’t have to worry about the bad things that come my way because God will always bring good fortune.

After thoughts: Christians believe that God has a plan for his people. They believe that humans are rewarded with eternal life if they believe in his grace. They pray to thank God for everything He has given and believe that He will take care of his people.

No one owes you anything

Nationality: USA
Age: 21
Occupation: Student
Residence: USA
Performance Date: April 21st, 2017
Primary Language: English

Interviewee: “The idea that no one owes you anything and there isn’t an overarching power or system that prevents you from getting what you want to achieve”

Interviewee: “and it’s always your fault”

Interviewer: Where did you hear this and what is its’ significance?

Interviewee: “everytime I tell my mom something didn’t go my way…she says its your fucking fault, and don’t blame anyone else for something that didn’t go your way”

Interviewee: “…and its significant because now we live in a time where victim blaming is not allowed and when something doesn’t go someone’s way it’s always someone else’s fault.

Interviewee: “people lack accountability and responsibility for their own decisions and how they approach solving their problems and I think this is why Asians fare well in America’s capitalism structure. if you work hard, if you try, if you don’t blame other people for putting you down, then you’ll naturally come out on top because Capitalism has no color but green…but when you persist on saying that there are people holding you down…and focus on why people, not you, don’t let you achieve what you want then you naturally prevent yourself from doing what you want to do and it’s significant because it instills resilience, perseverance and that you control your life.”

The Boy Who Cried Wolf

Nationality: USA
Age: 22
Occupation: Student
Residence: USA
Performance Date: April 5th, 2017
Primary Language: English
Language: Chinese

Interviewee: It starts with a boy who tricks nearby villagers into thinking wolves are attacking his flock. When the wolf actually appears, the boy calls for help but the villagers believe that this is another false alarm…and in the end, the sheep gets eaten by the wolf.

Interviewer: What does this mean to you?

Interviewee: okay, so when I was little I had a really rebellious attitude and was always looking for trouble. So that really made me stop and think twice before I did anything so I would make sure I didn’t regret it. it’s significance is that that story always stuck with me and it shaped how I go about approaching things

 

For another version of this fable, see: Adams, Elizabeth, Daniel Howarth, and Aesop. The boy who cried wolf. London: Franklin Watts, 2015. Print.

God of Fortune

Nationality: USA
Age: 50
Occupation: Business
Residence: China
Performance Date: March 25th, 2017
Primary Language: English
Language: Chinese

During chinese new year, the god of fortune, there’s a chinese belief that either the third or fourth day of new year, people will put long fireworks outside their home and companies do it too. They choose that day because of that day is…basically you’re inviting the god of fortune into your home. You do the fireworks to get his attention, so he’ll hear the fireworks and come into your home. This is something that is passed on generations and everyone knows about.

After thoughts: The 5th lunar day of Chinese New Year is the Welcome Day for the God of Wealth. Families worship the God and have ceremonies to invite the God of Wealth to enter the house. There are more than one Gods of Wealth in the Chinese society and characters are the historical figures mixing with religious gods, devils, spirits and immortals from Chinese mythology.

Nothing is Free

Nationality: USA
Age: 50
Occupation: Business
Residence: China
Performance Date: March 25th, 2017
Primary Language: English
Language: Chinese

“I have something a teacher told me that I have always said to you…and that is, if you want to dance you have to pay the band.”

Interviewer: What does this mean to you?

Interviewee: That means whatever you want in life, you have to put in to get out. Nothing is going to come free to you. nothing is free. if you want to do something, you have to do it. It’s not free. That wis something that I always live by.