Bridging two sides

Throughout her life, Limya has come across cultural differences and things she doesn't always understand.

While still in primary school, she began wearing short skirts. In Muslim culture, women are not allowed to wear revealing clothing, and one day her father took her aside. "Next year you will go to middle school, so we need to make things longer," he said. Her mother opposed this and advocated for Limya. "It's okay – no problem. It's summer time. You cannot always ask her to wear long pants," she would say.

"They have problems like this," Limya explained. "I was raised here, not in Sudan. So, sometimes I don't understand the difference. [I suppose] if I was there, I [would know] what to do."

Limya has only been to Sudan once, when she was four years old. "It was very hot," she recalled. "I have around 200 relatives in Sudan. It's a huge family. The people there [were] nice and the food [was] good, too."

Her family's current dynamic is a bit different. "My father will sometimes call them, so we talk on the phone, but it's a bit distanced," she said.

"You know, it's the language, the culture – everything. Since I was raised here, I feel more Chinese. But if I am there, I may feel more Sudanese," she said, adding that she hopes to travel there this summer.

Limya believes that mixed people can bring countries together. "There should be more mixed people... We are like the little bridge, and we can communicate with both sides."

Future plans

Two years ago, when her father first suggested she pursue a master's degree, Limya refused. But earlier this year she changed her mind, telling her father she wanted to enhance her career competitiveness. "There always comes a point [when] I realized that I am wrong and they are right," she commented about her parents' influence.

She applied for a two-year graduate program in management at Tsinghua University. In June, after a five-month wait, she learned she had been admitted. Her father was especially happy since the university is his alma mater.

Compared to other Muslim families for whom a lot of things may be forbidden, Limya feels lucky to have been raised by open-minded parents in Beijing. "If I was in Sudan, I [would have] to be married by now. I would not have [had] the chance to do my bachelor and master degrees. My parents are very open-minded, especially [about] my education. They want me to do more studies and to be independent. They would never say, 'You are old enough to marry some guy'," she said.

Limya doesn't think a lot about marriage, but she believes it will happen for her one day – with the right person. "Most Muslims have arranged marriages, but my parents will never allow that to happen," she said, adding with a laugh, "When I find somebody that I really, really love and don't hate [having] to see him everyday, I will marry that person."