Olivia Hom,
Amanda Cui,
Madison Macalintal
Reflections:
Olivia Hom
We all talked about our families and backgrounds, and how they influenced us. I could see my family’s story reflected in theirs because we’ve all had similar experiences being Asian American. I can relate to Amanda’s experience with languages because I also don’t speak Chinese, despite my parents being able to. Similar to Madison, I also have one parent who was born in the U.S., and another who immigrated to the United Sates when they were a young child. The fact that there are so many similarities between all three of us is surprising, but at the same time, it isn’t, because that’s what the Asian American experience is. Being descended from immigrants means cherishing what you have now, but also not forgetting where you came from.
Amanda Cui
I really enjoyed talking to them about my culture and found it intriguing how much we all have in common, even though our families all arrived in America at different times. When Olivia spoke about the loss of her family’s name when coming to America, it greatly resonated with my family’s history as well. These commonalities between us show how the voyage to America plays hand in hand with sacrifice and grief. Madison’s parents and my parents also shared the same reasons for coming to America. This similarity serves to symbolize how the term Asian American encompasses so may races and cultures. The diversity present among all of us emphasizes how storytelling is a vital part of coming together to form a common identity.
Madison Macalintal
It was very intriguing learning about their stories and their cultures that are weaved into their everyday life. Hearing about their history was very interesting because I got to see the similarities that our cultures hold and also the differences. We all have similar traditions, beliefs, and experiences because we are Asian American, so it was cool getting a first hand answer. I also thought that when I was being interviewed, I learned a little more about myself. I never thought that much nor sought answers from my parents’ immigration story. So when Amanda and Olivia were asking questions about it, it was a great way for me to realize how much I know and how much I still have to learn.
interview excerpts
Olivia’s interview
AMANDA:
What do you know about your family name? Are there stories about its history or origins?
OLIVIA:
When my dad came here with his family, their last name was Tam, spelled T-A-M. They’re Cantonese so there are various ways to spell Cantonese last names and Chinese last names in general. But when they came here and told the immigration officers their names, they wrote it down as Hom, which is H-O-M, when it should’ve been Tam. They’re written the same way in Chinese. So it’s interesting how last names get kind of lost in translation, even though in Chinese, they’re the same thing. And in America, a lot of parts of the Chinese identity is changed.
MADISON:
Did you experience any discrimination based on your race or gender?
OLIVIA:
I don’t think I’ve really experienced discrimination because I’ve lived in NYC, and it’s pretty diverse. And the schools I’ve been to, there’s always been a mix of people. But there’s this one time that I remember when I was with my family, and we were driving down to Florida. I don’t remember what state it was, but I think we were in Georgia or one of the Carolinas. We went into this restaurant, and it was really awkward because everyone was looking at us because we were the only Chinese family there. Also, my uncle is white, so it was like they’ve never seen a type of family like us before. I don’t think it was discrimination; it was just extremely awkward.
Amanda’s interview
MADISON:
What has been the hardest challenge you’ve overcome in your life?
AMANDA:
I think the hardest challenge is actually accepting my Chinese side. When I was young, my parents really did not want me to learn Chinese because they had the thought that you have to know English in order to assimilate into America. Up until third grade, I didn’t have a language. I was an English-Second-Language-Learner, but I did not know how to speak Chinese, so it was a really hard time. I spoke in a combination of two languages so that was hard to overcome. Another challenge was my lack of understanding of the term Asian American. I didn’t know if encompassed that many cultures and ethnicities. I thought it was just Chinese people. It’s not only overcoming challenges but also gaining knowledge to learn more about different aspects in life.
OLIVIA:
What practices and traditions from your home country have you kept?
AMANDA:
Traditions and practices from my home country that my family still celebrates are holidays such as Chinese New Year and the Lunar Moon Festival. My grandparents live with us, and they are really invested in bringing back traditions and cultures. For Chinese New Year, my family dress up in traditional red clothing, and everyone congregates at my house. My grandma has five children, so it’s a huge family. Everyone eats dumplings and noodles because it represents longevity and good life. For the Moon Festival, we would all sit on the porch and watch the moon because of a traditional story that’s told in China. In terms of traditions, my family celebrates holidays that represent our culture.
Madison’s interview
AMANDA:
When did you or your family come to the U.S. and why? Who made the decision to immigrate? How was the decision made? How was the journey made? What was it like?
MADISON:
My mom came here when she was two, and she told me that when she came here, she was sobbing in the airport, even though she was so young. She knew that she was not going to be back home for a while. Her parents made the decision for her obviously because she was so young.
I think that they wanted better opportunities than they could get in the Philippines. Most of their relatives, because in the Philippines there is no middle class, they are either super rich or dirt poor. So they wanted better job opportunities, and they had a chance to “make it” in a way. My dad, he was actually born here. But at first, they were going to deport his parents back to the Philippines, but since they had him here, they had to keep him here because he was automatically a U.S. citizen.
OLIVIA:
What languages do you speak? Do you speak a different language in different settings, such as home, school, or work?
MADISON:
I only speak English, but I wish that I could speak Tagalog, which is the language that they speak in the Philippines. But my parents never taught or they never wanted to teach me because when they were younger, they only spoke Tagalog. Then my dad said that he was failing English. So I don’t think that he wanted that to happen to me. Sometimes, they’ll say little phrases that we’ll all understand because we grew up with them, but aside from that, usually we don’t know what they are saying.