I divorced my husband several years ago. I do not need a man in my life to take care of me, I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. In Islam, you’re not supposed to get divorced, but some people, like me, still do it. I am looked down upon in the community and am seen as a bad person. I don’t care though. I like the freedom I have given myself by divorcing my husband. I work hard and am proud of the way that I am able to take care of myself.
I grew up in the city. As a result, I am very accustomed to Han people and their ways. In fact, many of my friends are Han. Although my husband is Hui, his mother is Han. I do not wear a headcovering and I honestly do not think much about my religion. Of course, I do not eat pork, and I enjoy celebrating our Muslim holidays. I have heard about Jesus and about what Christians belief. If I were to believe this, even though my family is not very devout, they would disown me. I was born a Muslim, and therefore I must stay a Muslim.
I am a young Hui girl attending a university in the south of China. There are not many Muslims where I am studying. It is hard for me to find places to eat that are Halal. Honestly, at this stage in my life, I am questioning the beliefs I have grown up with. I know all about Islam, but it seems to me that it is just a bunch of rules to follow.
I live in America. My husband works for a US company. I have been in the States for almost 2 years now, but I haven’t made many friends. It is harder than I thought it would be. My husband and I go to the mosque often. We are the only ones from China who attend our mosque.
I am a young Hui woman living in the city, and this is my son. I grew up in the village, but my husband and I have moved to the city to work and give our son better opportunities. When we moved, we borrowed money from our friends and family to open up a noodle shop. Most days business is just so so. We work from early in the morning until late at night, trying to earn enough money to pay our rent and meet our needs. We are not only responsible for meeting the needs of our immediate family, but we also financially care for my parents and my husbands parents, who are in poor health and remain in the village we grew up in.
Growing up in a small village, my life could be pretty predictable. From dawn to dusk, my family would tend the sheep and grow crops in our village. When I turned school-age, I would go to school. After school and after homework, I would be expected to help as well. I’m learning that there is comfort in routine and familiarity, but there is also a desire to break out of the mundane. But, is that possible for me?
