Vita's Story

Vita's Story

SIAS University

Henan Province, China

Spring 2012

I taught leadership skills to college women at a university in China.  Most of the women were from rural China and frequently were the only people in their village to go to college.  I asked them to write their stories and this is what Vita told me.

 I was born in a not small village. My village has gorgeous scenery. There are many pear and apple trees. In my memory, there are many clear rivers. In summer, we even swam, catched fish in the water.

     I have a big family, my parents,3 elder sisters and I. In fact,I have 4 elder sisters, my parents can't afford 5 children, so they agreed to let others to bring the 4th child. I even know nothing about that sister. My mother always cry when she talked about it. In many villages, elders think that son is a treasure, daughters will leave home to marry to others sooner or later. I am the first college student in my family. My sisters all graduated from junior high school, not goinging on their study. Then they worked outside to earn money to help to support the fanily. And two of them are married.

    I have a happy childhood for I have so much play mates. But as time goes by, most of them droped out, they think that shudying is boring. I am so sad ,many of them are  married and live a hard life. It is normal in village that they work outside ,after they earn enough money, then get married.