Angeli Zhao, 15: “Don’t Treat Us Like Children”

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Our expat community thrives on connection, and here at Jingkids, we’re all about our readers, what they need and want in order to maximize their time here in Beijing. Every Monday, we’re going to feature a prominent member of our expat community and get to know them a little bit better.

Angeli Zhao is a 15-year-old who’s been living in Beijing for the past five years and attends the British School of Beijing, Shunyi (BSB Shunyi). She’s lived in Paris, Macau, Shenzhen, and Abu Dhabi. Initially taken aback by the offer to be featured in Jingkids, she is still a wanderer in search of life’s most daunting questions. Confused? Maybe. But up for a challenge? Hell yeah.

What’s on your mind?

Lately, it’s been the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. Witnessing the upheaval that has ensued in the country has led to a myriad of concerns globally and personally. However, along with this fiasco of a withdrawal, it’s been awe-inspiring seeing the actions coming from ordinary people and leaders alike. This has also led me and a friend who shares a passion for global politics to form our own bi-weekly publication where we voice concerns of our current socio-political climate which will, fingers crossed, be up and running in a month.

On a smaller scale, I’ve been plagued by the idea of school opening up again and (insert foreseeable complaints) the tiring routine, the dependence on caffeine, and the pressures that come with being a student belonging to a world driven by the myth of meritocracy and “hustle culture.” However, it’s also incredibly exciting. Disregarding the subjects that make me want to shrivel up into a raisin, some (namely economics and history) make school all but worth it.

What's your motivation to get moving?

It’s different every day. Sometimes it lies in the small things – a new ink pen that flows just right, a real fire song, a TED talkz or even a smile from a stranger. Other times, it’s the pressure of a nearing exam, friends, or the need to educate myself and become at the very least, a middle-class tax-paying citizen. However, drawing inspiration from those around me always works: no matter if it’s the friend I met at an internship who wakes up at 5am every morning to exercise before school, or witnessing others who despite their personal traumas, wake up knowing they will have to face the demons who haunt them, or seeing the auntie who works the snack cart pull up at 4am every day to sell cheap and delicious food for laborers who too, work tirelessly to build the literal grounds of our city. There’s something to admire in everyone, especially in today’s metropolitan world. I feel that’s most powerful.

How do you stay sane in all the madness?

Going out with friends always helps, being able to spill random thoughts to them and do dumb (sometimes regrettable) things together sounds like the typical, romanticized teenage experience, but it’s what’s most unforgettable nonetheless.

Moreover, as someone reminded me recently: There are people still worrying about their next sip of water, their next meal (almost 700 million). It’s an important point that moves me, along with the realization that my problems are comparatively minuscule. A 15-year-old born into a family who provides her with access to a, dare I say it, prestigious education, a stable life in a safe country and who need not worry about survival has it, put plainly, pretty easy.

I stand as a singular member of a renewed, emancipated, progressive and well-educated generation, and it is not often where I receive opportunities to voice my own concerns. So I implore you, don’t treat us like children whilst simultaneously expecting us to act like adults. Instead, listen to us, and you may be surprised by what we have to say.

What’s your favorite thing about Beijing?

I love its people. I feel that out of the four countries I have lived in, I can only truly resonate with my roots here, and I feel the people here truly reflect this spirit of being linked with their identity. I like the blatancy with which local aunties and uncles converse, I like the ease of which you can conduct rapport with them, and I love the remnants of old Beijing weaved in the now bustling, cosmopolitan city.

Have someone you believe deserves some recognition for their outstanding contributions to our community? Nominate them for our weekly spotlight by writing their name in the comments below!

Images: Courtesy of Angeli Zhao

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