Iconic image of New York
New York is a great source of diversity in America, and part of the greatness of the Big Apple is the hidden portion of the iceberg that floats within each and every one of us. That is our past. Where our roots were, and what we will established for ourselves is the sense of mystery that prevails in each American individual today.
One afternoon, I had a chance to interview a fellow colleague, Sabrina Yu, from Baruch College, one of the most diverse campuses in New York City. The consistent fast-pace of the region, and work ethic is no better distinguished, as we headed up to the local honors lounge. Soon we sat and began the dissection of her history.
Of course, as you would expect, the first question was “Where did your parents come from?” The response was that her mother was from Kowloon the Walled City, located north of Hong Kong Island, and that her father was also from Hong Kong. Her mother’s residential area was also known as the “City of Darkness,” which was later demolished in 1992. The city was very overpopulated and crowded, and it was nicknamed that way because people who lived inside couldn’t really see the outside or receive much sunlight. We later on elaborated further on her roots. Her parents adjusted themselves into America easily because they came into what is now known as Chinatown when they were approximately seven or eight years of age. They attended the same school, however her dad got left back a year, and her mother skipped a year.
Where Sabrina’s mother used to live, also known as the “City of Darkness”
Later on, her mother went to Stonybrook for her bachelors, and obtained her masters degree from Pace University. Her dad got his bachelors from Queens college. Together they had three children, including Sabrina, and her two younger sisters. Both of her parents prefer America to Hong Kong because of the different hygienic views, and the greater sense of freedom. A large part of this choice is due to the fact that they have become so integrated into America that they don’t have much to compare with. However, they do miss Hong Kong’s culture, scenery, and environment.When Sabrina was asked how she would compare her current life to that of her parents, she replied that she was well off. However, her mother had a more difficult life. During that time period, her mother’s hometown had many vices lurking: prostitution, drugs, and alcohol abuse. Sabrina even includes that when her mother came to America it was also very dangerous in the same regard. She also admits that it’s a lot safer now since her mother worked hard to care of her. On the other hand, her father got taken care of more, and faced dangers on the streets as well. He was often chased by gangs.
Now, as we move onto today, Sabrina’s parents currently reside in East Village. This is also known more generally as the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Her mother and her relatives used to live on Orchard Street. Sabrina also has many of her grandparents, mother’s siblings, cousins, and relatives of her father’s side located in areas across the U.S. such as Ohio and California. When asked about how her parents feel about their current community, Sabrina responds with, “Dad likes where we live, [which is] full of friendly neighbors. However, mom doesn’t like the night life and noisy club hours. She instead likes that they live close to their grandparents so that they can always meet with each other [conveniently].”
Where Sabrina’s mother and siblings used to live, and her grandparents still live here.
Where her father and mother used to live is very close to the lower east side tenement museum
Now that her family’s past is uncovered, we move onto Sabrina’s own current life as a Chinese-American. Interestingly enough, she went to a Catholic high school. Her parents are very strict about her grades, and decisions. They care about the friends she makes, college she chose, and job opportunities. Sabrina reveals that generally speaking, “A lot of Asian parents have great control over what they want their kids to become.” In addition, she views, and continues carefully with, “Asian parents, in my experience, expect a lot more from their children. This engenders more pressures for them to be successful in the land of opportunity.”
Then we arrived to more, shall we say euphemistically, “rarely asked” questions. “What are your views of other Chinese people? Especially ‘newly arrived ones’?” I asked. Sabrina responds that the “newly arrived ones” were the very wealthy, foreign transfer students in high school. She also obviously observes their difficulty in adapting to the English language. Sabrina, herself, tutors many Chinese-American students. “They are very grade oriented, always aiming at getting a good job,” she responds critically. She believes that bettering themselves as individuals, such as volunteering, getting more involved in world politics, becoming more culturally aware, would be a huge improvement compared to their parochial goals.
As we drew away from this debatable subject, we moved onto more enjoyable discussions. I asked Sabrina, “If you could pick one word from your cultural background what would it be and why?” She was suddenly taken aback by this question, and muses. “Americanized,” she replies after a minute of thought. “Americanized—I have a lot of Chinese culture in my parental background, but I [myself] feel different.” Sabrina doesn’t practice Buddhist religion in her household, can’t cook Chinese food, doesn’t believe in Chinese superstitions, and hasn’t interacted with many Asians. She resents the fact that some of the Asians around her “think that they are the best,” and despises it when her parents constantly make comparisons between she and her friends. Indeed, I know the feeling all too well as a fellow Chinese-American. She adds that she disapproves of the “stereotyping, and racial superiority” shown by the Asians that she has met.”
I wanted to end on a positive note in the interview, since we drew upon the “hot water” subject again. “What is your favorite memory in your family?” I finally asked. Sabrina grins and replies, “Whenever we go to Disney. Everyone in the family tries to be nice to each other, and focuses on having fun. There are no worries, and we just enjoy the time we spend together.”
Sabrina’s story is one of hidden truths that lie within each American individual. We as Americans all have different cultural backgrounds, but we all share the same gem of the rise of our predecessors to elevate the next generation’s well-being. Sabrina’s parents were integrated at an early age into American society, but they did not forget their cultural roots. Along with holding a unique culture comes with the burden of racial stereotyping. However, beyond this, we as individuals can always move forward, always strive for greatness, no matter how much we sacrificed, and set the change that we envision. But sometimes we need to take a step back, and just appreciate how far we have come.
Disneyland
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