Changing Focuses

Change is part of life, and living overseas tends to accelerate some changes.

I was thinking a while ago about some ways my personal philosophies, politics, and beliefs have changes since living overseas. While living overseas definitely broadens your horizons and can in many ways expand your worldview, it's not just that you accept more positive things about the foreign culture you are immersed in, you also notice the negatives, of course, and appreciate things that are right in other parts of the world.

For example, two ways I have found myself morphing are in the areas of feminism and environmentalism. In the U.S., I wouldn't consider myself rabidly feminist, nor would I consider myself a person consumed with issues of the environment....but living in China, I've found myself focusing more on precisely those issues.

I've always been a feminist, of course, in that I definitely believe in the equal rights of women (not raising ourselves up in a "better than men" way, or a way that puts men down). In China though, perhaps I've found myself more on the receiving end of some traditional ways of thinking that still hold men up as more important than women (aka serve the men first, you have to do this it's a "woman's job", etc.) Granted, China is pretty progressive with women's rights when compared to many other countries and cultures, but there are still remnants of extremely traditional/detrimental ways of thinking.

And environmental issues? Animal rights? I've become extremely vocal about these issues here, because there is a total lack of respect for the environment and the beauty of nature here (Note: some cities are better than others, and some people are concerned with these things, but, in general, I've found China very much behind in these areas).
Part of this really comes from genuine love for China...they have/HAD so many beautiful gifts of nature, and it is a shame to see them disrespected, neglected, and destroyed.

What do you think? Expats, what are some areas you've found yourself becoming more of an advocate for since moving overseas?