Free Essay

Chinese American

In: Miscellaneous

Submitted By briandixon
Words 887
Pages 4
July 3, 2010
Dear Diary,
My life as a Chinese American
Many of my ancestors paved the way for me to become a Chinese American. In the late 1850’s is when the first wave of Chinese immigration entered into the United States. The Chinese who entered the United States were called the Gold Mountain Guest. The Chinese called the United States, Gold Mountain, in the event that they may become rich. This gold rush started in Sutter’s Mill, Sacramento, CA. As the gold diminished, they just came to simply work. They were discriminated against in their wages, they were paid less than everybody else and was treated with violence. My name is Kim Lee, and I was born to Su Lee and Chang Lee on December 24, 1985 in China. When I first came to the United States, I did not know what to expect. My parents told me of the many struggles that the Chinese had to overcome to become Chinese Americans and I felt very afraid. My parents still live in China, while I came to the United States to attend College. I was accepted into the University of San Francisco, where I am currently attending school. I live in a small part of town called China Town. China Town is a segregated part of San Francisco where the Chinese Americans such as myself live. Most Chinese who come to the United States settle here on the West Coast, California being one of the biggest states to house Chinese Americans.
Some of the same prejudice that my parents warned me about, still exist in the United States today. The first thing I remember when I stepped off the plane, was my fear. I was very afraid as many people just kind of walked passed me as if I was an alien. I had this feeling that I did not belong here. Just as I wanted to turn back around and go home, there was this nice woman who came up to me and asked “are you lost”? My English is not very good, so I was afraid to answer her, but she was very patient with me and waited for my reply. “Yes” I replied and she began to help me find everything that I needed to get where I needed to go. At that moment, that’s when I knew that some things had changed here in the United States.
However, there is still some prejudice against Chinese Americans today here in the United States. I have experienced a lot of name calling, such as Chink and Chinaman. These are all words referred to Chinese who are known to the ignorant for having slanted eyes. People often try to make fun of our language by trying to duplicate the way we talk. I can speak English, but it’s not the best. It is very hard to deal with all the prejudice here in the United States, but there are still some very nice people here.
My Chinese cultural background is very different in many ways compared to the United States. In China you had to obey rulers, sons had to obey fathers and wives had to obey husbands. This was a cultural tone set for political and social order of the Chinese society and the Chinese family. If for any reason you were rebellious or disobedient, you were punished by both family and the state. Here in the United States some of these tones may be set, but or not followed. In the United States you really have a lot more freedom than you have in China. I also notice that our table manners are a lot different. In my country you are not allowed to start eating until the hostess/host has given you permission to start eating. The way that they would give you permission to eat would be by telling you to enjoy your meal. Here in the United States you can just eat whenever you want to. To announce a baby’s birth in my country is by the father sending out red boiled eggs and here in the United States most people hand out cigars, birth announcement cards, candy bars, etc…
My life as a Chinese American is not at all bad. I must say it is not always easy, but I am enjoying living here in the United States. I have some friends who live in Washington Dc, who also seems to be loving the United States, but also face many of the same challenges that I face. San Francisco is a great State that offers a town to live in that has my American Chinese culture and my Chinese culture. I love living here in China Town, it has as an atmosphere of Chinese American homes with an element of traditional Chinese culture. I look forward to my stay here in the United States and continuing my education here in Psychology at the University of San Francisco. I will always remember the struggles for the Chinese to become Americans and I will always respect my culture, but the United States is now my home.

Yours Truly,

Kim Lee

Resources:
Immigrants. Harpweek.com/Chinese Americans-The Chinese American experience, by William Wei
Being Chinese, becoming Chinese American, by Shehong Gen gyral.blackshell.com travelchinaguide.com

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