anonymous

August 26, 2023

Chloe: What is your background, what’s your culture like? Can you describe it?

A: I’m Taiwanese. We are from Taipei, Taiwan. Taiwanese people are very proud, very democratic, and really into their whole food scene! It's part of our culture!

Chloe: And do you feel like you’re really close to that?

A: Not really actually.

Chloe: Oh, really? Do you think your ability to communicate with your family has affected your ability to stay close to your family? Has it helped you a little bit even? Language wise because you speak the same language at least?

A: I feel like speaking Mandarin brings me closer to my people and culture because the second I speak Mandarin, Mandarin-speaking people’s personas change. They are friendlier, and they are more open and more likely to talk to you as opposed to if I spoke English; they would give me a different treatment.

Chloe: That is a very interesting point. So, you described that you were not extremely close to your heritage. But how connected would you say you are?

A: Well, not very. The last time I was there was when I was five, and then I left everything, and I just came to the states to try really hard to assimilate to being American, and speaking only English and no Chinese, and focus on speaking English and learning the American culture, and immersing in the American culture – trying to be 100% Americanized and not any portion of Asian. We’re taught to be as less Asian as possible and to focus on being as more Americanized as possible here so that we can merge well with the community.

Chloe: Is this like a familial lesson, or–

A: That’s how a lot of immigrants I know, including my family, approach their migration to the states.

Chloe: So is it a norm imposed by other Americans?

A: It’s what my immigrant parents taught their children because it’s what they thought was the best way to assimilate into American culture and something that’s still prevalent today; to drop their identity and find a new identity here. Otherwise, they won't fit in.

Chloe: Wow, how confusing that must've been for you. So, other than that influence, have other factors prevented you from leaning into your identity, your heritage, your cultural background

A: The inability to travel there because of school and college and family and children, limited timeframe to do so, limited finances to do so. And a very, very tiny Taiwanese community in New York, so you don’t have the ability to spend time with the community. That's pretty much what I think Taiwanese people feel in general.

Chloe: Mm, I see.

A: Yeah, you don’t have the opportunity to connect with Taiwanese culture. 

Chloe: But even if you aren’t able to be as close to your heritage through visiting and being there, being surrounded by people of the same background, do you think that recent social movements like #StopAsianHate and the representation in the media has had any impact on your relationship? Maybe by seeing people like you on the screen or in the media?

A: It has helped a little bit. Moreso Americans than myself and other Asians. It has helped how Americans view Asians in general, I think. Their roles in society are more normalized in media and politics and the news and all that, so I think slowly but surely it's a work in progress. But yeah, if I see someone Taiwanese on the screen, if I see a Taiwanese movie, or a Taiwanese show, or a Taiwanese restaurant, I’ll be able to connect more to it, but it's very hard to see Taiwanese culture portrayed because it's such a small portion of the Asian community.

Chloe: That’s very true. And I would think also the accuracy of the depiction would also play a role in that as well because we know that there is a history of media representations being not necessarily the most on the nose. Would you be able to describe any personal instances that have impacted your relationship with your identity, either positively or negatively, in the media or in real life?

A: Positively influenced my identity…I would say when I was younger I went back to visit one time and it really helped solidify my patriotism and connection with my country. Spending time there feeling more connected to the people, culture, my family. That’s been a plus. When I attend Taiwan festivals, I feel the community support there. When I connect with Taiwanese professionals or with Taiwanese groups. Like Facebook Groups. I feel there’s more comradery in the community, we share common interests, we talk about the same things, we understand the same languages, feel closer to people from my hometown, we laugh about the same jokes, we eat the same foods. Taiwanese cooking groups, we laugh about the same stuff, talk about the same foods, talk about pineapple cakes, you know. When my family comes to visit, it's always great because they bring some snacks with them, you just feel more connected when they visit. Seeing Taiwan portrayed positively in the media is always a bonus. That’s always a point that a lot of Taiwainese people are able to be proud of. There’s that Taiwan Loveboat program where a lot of my friends have gone. My husband, my sister-in-law, my brother-in-law, my friends have all gone there. It’s a program that helps people of Chinese descent connect with Taiwan and learn about the culture and just have more of a love of the country itself. Negative experiences? I’ve never really had any negative experiences.

Chloe: That’s good to hear! That’s great. Last thing: I'm currently planning to share Asian American stories regarding their relationship with their racial and cultural identities. So what else do you feel would be crucial to share with other social media users who would like to hear about this and who might be having a hard time navigating their own backgrounds.

A: Be curious about your background. Don’t be shy, or afraid of it, or hide from it, or run away, or be embarrassed by it. I know a lot of adoptee, or second, third generation Asian-Americans that feel like they are just American because they don’t know a lot about Asia. Explore the culture, explore the food, explore the language, travel the countries. Don’t be afraid to do that. Connect and join groups with people of your own culture. Speaking Mandarin brings me closer to my people and culture because the second I speak Mandarin, Mandarin-speaking people’s personas change. They are friendlier, and they are more open and more likely to talk to you. Experiencing all that will be life changing because you will see your culture from a different perspective. Even just traveling there for a month–for example, the Loveboat program–or visiting for a week or two really helps you feel like you identify with your other culture.

Chloe: I totally agree, that is great advice!