Annie Wu Pursues Overseas Study Dream, Fulfilling Aspiration Delayed by Family Expectations

Annie Wu, a beloved Taiwanese author, is finally embarking on her long-cherished dream of studying abroad, a journey delayed by family circumstances and societal expectations from years past. While many might see this as a simple pursuit of further education, for Wu, it represents a poignant fulfillment of a youthful aspiration, a chance to revisit a path once seemingly closed off.

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Girls who study too much are useless, our family's money will not be used to cultivate a girl's education.

Reflecting on her university days at National Taiwan University's law department, Wu shared a candid anecdote that highlights the deeply ingrained patriarchal attitudes that once prevailed. Her elders, she recalled, deemed extensive education for women as unnecessary, stating that family resources would not be allocated to a daughter's studies. This perspective, coupled with her own lukewarm interest in law and the German-Germanic legal system, meant that the idea of studying abroad, particularly in the US, seemed distant.

Interestingly, Wu's mother had a rather unconventional suggestion for her potential overseas studies: finding a foreign student to marry. This anecdote, while perhaps amusing in retrospect, underscores the limited options perceived for women at the time. Wu, however, now views these past events with a sense of profound gratitude, believing that the path she took was ultimately for the best. She humorously muses that if she had indeed ventured abroad, she might have ended up running a restaurant, a venture she doubts her 'domestic skills' would have made successful, likely leading to much unhappiness.

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Taiwanese law belongs to the German-Germanic legal system, and I don't really like Anglo-American law, nor do I really like studying law. Even if I went to study abroad in the United States, I wouldn't know what to study.

Wu's decision to pursue studies abroad now, years after her initial graduation, is more than just an academic pursuit. It's a personal triumph over past limitations and a testament to the evolving opportunities for women. Her story resonates deeply in Taiwan, where discussions about gender roles, education, and personal fulfillment continue to be relevant. It’s a reminder that dreams, no matter how long deferred, can still find their moment.

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If I had really gone to the other side of the ocean back then, I might be running a restaurant now. With my domestic skills, running a restaurant probably wouldn't go too well, and I might be full of complaints.