I've always thought it was crazy how my parents met in this big, wide world.
My mom comes from a Hong Kong family of eight children and each of them were delegated responsibilities in the family shop that sold everything including suitcases that some people actually tried to steal, but that's another story. The older children's responsibilities also included taking care of the younger children. My grandmother was too busy with the shop and cooking for everyone that she had no time to take care of the younger children.
My mom would tell me stories about how the children were always served last, behind the adults,guests and workers and sometimes there wasn't enough to go around. During the occasional times when the children could buy ice cream, the eight of them would crowd around a small, flat cup of vanilla ice cream the diameter of a palm and pass it around after taking one tiny spoonful until it was completely devoured.
My grandfather was a very intelligent businessman and shop owner, but he was also an addicted gambler. Once, he even missed the birth of one of his children because he was too busy gambling. The men he played with cheated him out of basically everything he had. Instead of providing his family with a more comfortable life, he gambled his earnings away.
My mom came to the U.S for college. She earned her master's degree in psychology and met my dad at the Chinese Christian Church in Tennessee.
My mom told me how when she was young, she would look up into the sky and watch big, white airplanes fly by. She never imagined in her wildest dreams that she would fly in one of them, let alone to the United States.
Both of my parents say they are very blessed by God to be where they are today.
I have an incredible family history. It has brought me to where I am today. Like a mosaic, it has put me piece by piece into what I am today.
South China Morning Post: Latest Hong Kong, China News http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/
Jackie Chan: Hong Kong and Taiwan Too Free http://blog.taragana.com/index.php/archive/jackie-chans-china-comments-taken-out-of-context-spokesman-says-backlash-grows/
Monday, April 20, 2009
My Dad's Side of the Family...
I cannot take for granted the "American" part of "American born Chinese."
It came with a lot of sacrifice, hardships, and hard work.
My dad's dad was a landowner in mainland China who the Communists sought to annihilate in the 1940's. He dodged Communist bullets on his bicycle through streets covered with dead, bloodstained bodies and was one of the few lucky ones who made it on a ship to Taiwan. There, he rebuilt his life.
My grandfather in his 60s decided that he wanted to provide his wife and four children a better and more promising future by moving from Taiwan to the U.S. In Queens, N.Y., my grandparents bought a vacant spot in Chinatown and started the Kuansing Dumpling House. People would wait in long lines just to order some of his famous, tasty dumplings.
Because the eatery was located in Chinatown, the Triads gave my grandfather a hard time. They wouldn't pay for meals and some of the people my grandfather knew were shot to death. But because my grandfather was big-hearted and upright, the Triads began to respect him and even called him "Chi-lao" or Elder Chi.
My grandparent's shop helped put his four children through professional degrees.
My grandfather is definitely one of my heroes. What I distinctly remember about him is his wide, cheerful grin that would brighten his entire face. He would also sketch the most beautiful rabbits I have ever seen.
I owe so much to my grandfather. I am so thankful that he chose a more promising future for his family in America. In everything I do, I hope to make him proud.
Chinese Triads http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triad_(underground_societies)
Communist China - Tiananmen Square 20 years later: A Survivor's Story http://www.realcourage.org/2009/04/tiananmen-survivors-story/
It came with a lot of sacrifice, hardships, and hard work.
My dad's dad was a landowner in mainland China who the Communists sought to annihilate in the 1940's. He dodged Communist bullets on his bicycle through streets covered with dead, bloodstained bodies and was one of the few lucky ones who made it on a ship to Taiwan. There, he rebuilt his life.
My grandfather in his 60s decided that he wanted to provide his wife and four children a better and more promising future by moving from Taiwan to the U.S. In Queens, N.Y., my grandparents bought a vacant spot in Chinatown and started the Kuansing Dumpling House. People would wait in long lines just to order some of his famous, tasty dumplings.
Because the eatery was located in Chinatown, the Triads gave my grandfather a hard time. They wouldn't pay for meals and some of the people my grandfather knew were shot to death. But because my grandfather was big-hearted and upright, the Triads began to respect him and even called him "Chi-lao" or Elder Chi.
My grandparent's shop helped put his four children through professional degrees.
My grandfather is definitely one of my heroes. What I distinctly remember about him is his wide, cheerful grin that would brighten his entire face. He would also sketch the most beautiful rabbits I have ever seen.
I owe so much to my grandfather. I am so thankful that he chose a more promising future for his family in America. In everything I do, I hope to make him proud.
Chinese Triads http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triad_(underground_societies)
Communist China - Tiananmen Square 20 years later: A Survivor's Story http://www.realcourage.org/2009/04/tiananmen-survivors-story/
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
What's American Born Chinese(ABC)???
I first heard my mom use the term "ABC" as a young girl (I don't remember exactly when), but it has stuck with me ever since.
Simply, what "American Born Chinese" means to me is that I treasure my Chinese heritage, but who I am is American. I was born in Knoxville, Tenn. I am used to American lifestyle and culture so how I act is American, but I do not hide the fact that I take pride in the Chinese inside of me.
Sure, sometimes I feel different, especially growing up in primarily Caucasian American communities, but it also makes me unique. I mean, it's great having teachers and fellow students remember my name and face right away because I'm one of the only Asians in the school. At those times, I'm not easily forgotten, which is nice. But in all seriousnes, not many Americans have Chinese middle names or have three languages spoken in their house daily. (My mom is a native Cantonese speak and my dad speaks Mandarin). My mom cooks the best authentic Chinese food in the world. She even makes "Chinese fries," which are delicious.
No matter how many squinty-eyes jokes or "ching chung chang" catcalls I get, I will always love being American born Chinese. I love being immersed in two rich cultures and learning the deep heritages of both, including food, clothing, languages, jokes, lifestyles, and economies. It's interesting because I have been able to contribute in class about Chinese culture. For example, in Macroeconomics, my professor asked me to ask my parents for the reasons why Hong Kong and Taiwan are so successful economically. It was exciting to have the opportunity to share my culture and I hope people are able to expand their global knowledge because of it.
There is so much out there to learn. Globalization isn't about to slow down anytime soon. Intercultural knowledge is valuable. That's why I feel so blessed to be a part of two cultures who are so influential in the world today. I hope to be a bridge between these two cultures and promote communication and goodwill between China and the U.S. And maybe share my love for my culture to as many people as I can along the way.
Thanks for reading!
Are Chinese Real Americans? http://contexts.org/socimages/2009/04/13/are-chinese-americans-real-americans-or-why-cant-you-all-go-by-kathy/
Chinese Culture Center http://www.c-c-c.org/
No matter how many squinty-eyes jokes or "ching chung chang" catcalls I get, I will always love being American born Chinese. I love being immersed in two rich cultures and learning the deep heritages of both, including food, clothing, languages, jokes, lifestyles, and economies. It's interesting because I have been able to contribute in class about Chinese culture. For example, in Macroeconomics, my professor asked me to ask my parents for the reasons why Hong Kong and Taiwan are so successful economically. It was exciting to have the opportunity to share my culture and I hope people are able to expand their global knowledge because of it.
There is so much out there to learn. Globalization isn't about to slow down anytime soon. Intercultural knowledge is valuable. That's why I feel so blessed to be a part of two cultures who are so influential in the world today. I hope to be a bridge between these two cultures and promote communication and goodwill between China and the U.S. And maybe share my love for my culture to as many people as I can along the way.
Thanks for reading!
Are Chinese Real Americans? http://contexts.org/socimages/2009/04/13/are-chinese-americans-real-americans-or-why-cant-you-all-go-by-kathy/
Chinese Culture Center http://www.c-c-c.org/
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