lindy.

Meet Lindy, a student and volunteer at the Haitan church. Lindy’s family wanted her to go into finance, so she attended school at the local university and engaged in the rigorous schedule common for most University students who want to get ahead and distinguish themselves from the pack. All students I talked with who are currently enrolled in Universities have no concept of free time during the week. Hours not spent in school are spent in the library. Lindy’s dream right now is to go to Bible school. Against her parent’s wishes, she pulled out of the finance program to pursue what she feels called to do. The lack of employment opportunities, however, is a reality, and many who graduate with degrees have difficulty securing a job.

Lindy describes the competition here- and its pretty hard for me to grasp. The students experience a lot of pressure to perform well and at the top of their class, because you have to stand out if you want to get anywhere. Part of the enthusiasm toward westerners is the hope that these connections will open doors and I think it’s a good representation of China’s interest in networking and strengthening its global presence. The fixation on academic performance partly accounts for China's high suicide rate in young adults. Lindy, however, has a strong support system in her church, and although she is challenged in finding a job right now, she's secure in what she is doing.