40th year of independence … doing nothing
We’re days away from the celebration of the 40th year of independence and I’m not at all excited. Is it because I’m far away from Mauritius? No, I don’t think so. I’m feeling more and more like it’s no big deal and I don’t belong there.
Don’t get me wrong. Although I am not celebrating, it doesn’t mean I think the independence thing is crap or that we would have been better being a British colony. It’s just that the annual show we have back home for independence day is so bad and boring. And oftentimes politicized.
Here in China, the Mauritian embassy is inviting the Mauritians to a reception in Beijing that evening. Nothing much, but then it’s always been like that. At least they’re holding a little something. Under the previous Embassador, we sometimes didn’t have any celebration, and the explanation I obtained from unofficial sources was that the government at the time didn’t allocate any fund to that respect, and that our dear Embassador was losing face towards other Embassadors on that account.
Well, I’m glad to have received an invitation to the reception, but I will have to decline, as it’s on a workday, and (more importantly) I am in Shanghai, and not Beijing.
Posted: March 7th, 2008 under Mauritius.
Comments
Comment from aline
Time March 10, 2008 at 1:47 am
You got an invitation? I thought that only those in BJ get one. How come the Mauritians in other parts of China don’t get invitations? :(
Comment from c
Time March 11, 2008 at 1:21 am
this is because it is raymond.. :p
Comment from Raymond
Time March 12, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Clive you meant Chong Leung?
Aline, I sent them a mail asking if they were planning anything for independence day. I didn’t mention I was in Shanghai, so they sent me an invitation 
Comment from c
Time March 14, 2008 at 1:28 am
avocat la sa???
Comment from clive
Time March 8, 2008 at 8:08 pm
Did not know that Paul Chong Leong is the ambassador of Mauritius in China….