I came to New Zealand, and I was already working. I walked to work and back. One day, amongst a group of Pakeha/white children, was a girl about 8. She came near me, and saying that obnoxious ching ching chong chong and made her slitty eyes. I pretended to give chase and all the kids ran. I wasn't going to retaliate. I wanted to give them a fright and if her mum came out, I would ask her how to bring up her child. I stop and decided she was thought she was just a kid.
I was teaching ESOL in a school. We have 1 set of Somalia brothers. The big boy adjusted well. But the poor brother was bullied, he had a small stature and often, came to my teaching space to talk to me . He was very happy to have a teacher who knew Islam. One of the bullies was big and had a naughty mouth. He bullied him, by pointing "You are black". I sat them down and gave a lecture about respect. I asked him how he liked it to be called Coconut and fat. I Iined all three of our hands. and showed them we are all brown, 3 shades of brown.
This week of horror has passed. At the Mosque at Vermont, a young woman came and gave me a hug and say thanks.
Not to sound petty, it really used to irk me when people ask, "Are your books in English? I mean did you write your books in Chinese and then get someone to translate them into English."
Writer of thirteen books, all circulated in Auckland Libraries
