I read this article: An Open Letter to the International School Community: Our Role in the Black Lives Matter Movement and Anti-Racism Work  It is very insightful.

New words：

exempt = 豁免                                                     contingent on = 取决于

expatriates = 外派人员                                      exacerbates = 使恶化; 使加剧

bourgeoisie = 资产阶级                                     proletariat = 无产阶级

staunch = 忠实的; 坚定的                                 delineate = (详细地)描述，描画，解释

complicit = 有同谋关系的                                 grapple = 扭打; 搏斗; 努力设法解决

This article is quite informative and reflective of what does it mean to be part of an international school community. I am very aware and grateful for the shelter that’s provided by the school. I will be aware to be prepared. I am starting to reflect on my identity and my position on these things. I am starting to adopt the idea of global citizenship. Thanks to the friendly international school environment, I can personally feel that any place is someone’s home, instead of a distant country. People who only lived in their own social bubble are quite cold towards things that happen on the outside. I’m not saying people with different nationalities, because people in the same nation might lack understand and people from different nations might share similar values. It’s quite amazing to realize that. It’s more “amazing” to realize that so many people did not realize it. Hongkong protest, Covid-19 outbreak, Covid-19 spread to the west, black life matters movement. People’s reactions …… make me think a lot. When I first heard the news that some people listened to Donald Trump and drank detergent, my first reaction is to laugh and think that’s funny. I still feel very sorry and regret that. I have to do better. I really have to.

More often it’s not really a question of right or wrong, it’s more of a question of which side I am on. As recognized by the article. In an international school, everyone’s position would be different. Every perspective has its own valid arguments. Especially when the majority of Chinese and my school always hold very different opinions EVERY TIME. I’m not even sure if I have my own thinking or my own judgment. I’m just floating and conflicting. But being a Chinese and being a global citizen shouldn’t be conflicting. It really shouldn’t. I’m also thinking, are international schools having the same problem but we just don’t realize? Are we giving room for different perspectives? You might think there’s an absolute right or wrong on things. That’s before you know anything about the other person’s life. This time I do lean towards “stand by is wrong”, but I still feel like I might just end up not doing anything. I am busy, my EE is dying, it just doesn’t motivate me that much. Maybe I’m just selfish. I’m not sure if it’s valid for me to say that I don’t have the power to help others because I can’t even help myself. (now I feel like I need to delete this post before I apply to universities …) I don’t think I can ever be so firm and passionate like the author of this article or like some of my classmates and teachers. I’m finding my way. Please wait for me, world.