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DOMINIC'S NOTE |
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Hi all,
I, Dominic Golding, has worked with the Vietnamese Community in Australia (Victorian Chapter) on a project initiated by myself, which was a Vietnamese community theatre art project for young adults with disabilities. I have mild cerebral palsy and and hearing impairment and I thought it is important that the community organisation takes some form of leadership or acknowledge the issues behind cultural isolation within and in the general mainstream. I was initially fearful being adopted and not knowing the language and customs, I too feared rejection. But one has to put on a faith and persistence in your goals and be truthful to your project and most of all to yourself ... and believe me you can help share the good will and experiences. The people I worked with were challenging and welcoming and wanted to learn new things, sure some were resistant and fearful of my and the organisation's motives (am I exploiting their issues etc.) But after a while they got to know me as me and in the end, didn't see me being an adoptee as a barrier but an extension of the community. I learnt lots about being Vietnamese and being Australian and the two halves make a whole. Even more enlightening for myself is that I noticed some characteristics of my personality are genetic and others assimilated (try not to see the negative idea behind this word) and others of my own being. I say to all adoptees, if you want to work with the Vietnamese community it is rewarding and a darn good challenge. As some of yours and their ideas, ideaologies, and beliefs vary and the same can make you realise that culture shouldn't be a barrier but a life long education of the soul for both sides. If you want to publish this short note please do, email me the publication or site. Dominic Hong Duc Golding
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