The Promotion of Social Awareness: Powerful Lessons from the Partnership of Developmental Theory and Classroom Practice

there will always be more or less a feeling of marginality for overseas Chinese. I enjoyed one narrator’s metaphor of being Chinese. He used pomelo to describe his feeling of being Chinese. He described it as “It is big with white pith inside, with a yellow exterior and a core that is still yellow.” Many Chinese overseas who were born and grew up among White Europeans may relate to this metaphor better than being described as banana (yellow outside and white inside). Wei Djao discussed the negative dramatization of China from American media. I agree with Wei Djao about how Walt Disney forces the elements of the story of Mulan into Hollywood and did not portray real Chinese values; Wei Djao attributed those narrators’ negative opinions toward China due to this reason. I felt these narrators feel Chinese in some way, but they did not identify themselves with any specific Chinese political entity or dynasty. If they have visited PRC, they felt disappointed because of experiences with impolite and dishonest salespeople, and inconvenient facilities. One may conclude that these narrators feel Chinese in their blood and they feel connected to China. On the other hand they have planted their seeds in their residing country. The readers can sense that there is no turning back for these people to return to PRC as citizens. I understand the need for her to defend the country she is from, but on the other hand readers may feel it is just an overreaction on her part. Wei Djao has produced a wonderful and interesting book which should be of interest of many people from a variety of disciplines and fields. Upon reading one story after another, readers will be fascinated by the vast and broad life experiences each narrator shared in this book. In conclusion, I think it is an easily read book and it provides an important message for Chinese overseas to appreciate their roots and cultural values. An appendix of chronological periods also offered an overview of Chinese history to build an understanding of the long history of China. I think it will be very much appreciated by many Chinese overseas and people who are interested in Chinese history.