Mirror in the Sand
Fawzia Mai Tung’s “Mirror in the Sand—Coming of age of a Chinese girl in 1970s Jordan” is a captivating and thought-provoking memoir.
Fawzia, a diplomat’s daughter, was the “first Chinese girl to graduate from Middle Eastern Medical School” in 1980. She stayed behind in Jordan as her family returned to the homeland after Taiwan had lost its diplomatic status. Fawzia single-handedly put herself through the rigors of medical school (Psychiatry) at the University of Jordan (Amman) while also guiding her younger brother to higher education.
Idealistic Fawzia brazenly takes on challenges in raising the standard of medical care. She goes sleepless days at a time because of hospital rounds and newspaper assignments. Despite generous Bedouin hospitality (“bring the whole family”) she craves Chinese home-cooking.
During her medical training, she makes improvements in the psychiatric ward. She tells stories about the stark reality of honor killings in the patriarchal society. With unbreakable humor, Fawzia defends herself against cockroaches, pinching hecklers on the road, and some awful standards of care. She is a restless innovator, youthful idealist who takes life’s lessons with a touch of grit and salt.
The most important lesson learned: you can’t write the truth about the powers at work. Fawzia runs danger of getting herself deported. In the end, Jordan isn’t her forever home after all.
What a gripping coming-of-age report!
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