Americanization: Transition from Forbearance to Equilibrium A Story about Ban Chung

“Without my uncle, my parents would not have made it to the United States”

Ban Chung, a Vietnamese American with Chinese ancestry, recalls his family’s story—and his own story. Ban’s great grandparents went to Vietnam in the late 1800s. For three generations before Ban, his family lived in Vietnam, absorbing the cultures of the place as well as celebrating his Chinese ancestry. They went to Vietnam for unknown political reasons.

Cambodia vs. Vietnam

Ban’s connection with the United States began with his uncle. The Cambodian-Vietnamese War in the late 1970s caused Ban’s uncle to leave Vietnam. During the 1970s, the communist party of Khmer Rouge in Cambodia purged the Vietnamese-trained personnel. In 1975, Cambodia, led by the Khmer Rouge, attacked the Vietnamese island Phú Quốc. In 1977, Cambodia, once again, launched a military attack on Vietnam. In response, Vietnamese forces made attempts to force the Cambodian government to negotiate, eventually leading to an invasion to remove the Khmer Rouge-dominated regime of the now Democratic Cambodia. Ban’s uncle wanted to escape this political turmoil. He did not want to be in the military draft.

Ban’s Uncle’s Expedition

Ban’s uncle wanted to escape communism. At first, Ban’s uncle wanted to go to Hong Kong, since Hong Kong was under British rule. However, the captain of the ship brought Ban’s uncle to the Indonesian Islands, “Because he had zero navigational skills. Zero.” Ban’s uncle chose to live there until 1980.

The United States Congress passage of the the Refugee Act of 1980, an amendment to the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 meant Ban’s uncle could be admitted to the United States. The 1965 law defined Ban’s uncle as a refuge because he was outside his country of nationality and unwilling to return. The Refugee Act of 1980 allowed for a permanent and systematic procedure for the admission of refugees.

In the early 1980s, Ban’s uncle moved to the U.S. He lived with Ban’s grandaunt, who came to the U.S. when U.S. troops evacuated from Vietnam in the 1975.

In the context of the large immigration picture, the Vietnamese immigrant population in the U.S. increased significantly after the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. These Vietnamese people wanted to escape the political turmoil after the war. Ban’s uncle was no exception.

Population of Korean Immigrants

He worked as an assistant cook at a restaurant in Manhattan. At first, he had trouble adjusting because of the language barrier. He was unable to speak fluently in English, so his manager and fellow colleagues misunderstood his intentions and the meaning of his words. As time progressed, Ban’s uncle learned the fundamentals of English and learned to hold casual conversations.

After living in the U.S. for several years and passing the citizenship exam, Ban’s uncle became a citizen in the mid 1980s.

Ban’s uncle experienced various stages in his Americanization process. In the use of Americanization, the definition that is used is how American policies, cultures, and norms affect a person’s formation of his or her identity as well as his or her performance in the country. In the first stage of Ban’s uncle, he came to escape political turmoils. Coming to the U.S. is merely an attempt to find security. In the second stage, he came to find a job, so he could feel reassured. During this time, Ban’s uncle had to be careful of his actions and made sure he did not stand out. In the third stage, Ban’s uncle wanted to establish himself economically, so he worked diligently. However, the language barrier and other norms proved to be obstacles he had to overcome. While working and building relationships with his manager and co-workers, he eventually established himself. In the fourth stage, Ban’s uncle felt comfortable enough to sponsor his brother.

Different Reasons for Immigration (Vietnamese vs. Everyone Else)

The majority of Vietnamese immigrants who obtained lawful permanent residence in the U.S. qualified as immediate relatives of U.S. or family-sponsored immigrants. During these times, Ban’s uncle kept in contact with Ban’s parents. A few years later, under his sponsorship, Ban’s father came to America. Ban’s father became a citizen through the same method. Ban was born in 1997 in Vietnam. Although his father was a citizen, he did not have U.S. citizenship. However, he was eligible for citizenship if he came to the U.S. before the age of 18. Ban came to U.S. in 2008 when he was around 9 years old.

New York City

Rural Area in Ho Chi Minh City

Coming to a new country takes a lot of courage. For Ban, his purpose for coming to the United States was to look for opportunities. He knew that it would be difficult to adjust to a new environment. His family had told him stories. His grandaunt, his uncle, and even his father faced some challenges. With all their experiences, Ban still felt insecure. He kept doubting himself. “[I was] wondering whether I have what it takes to live in such a developed country.” Specifically, Ban was not accustomed to the urban lifestyle, food, culture, and people of New York. He was not used to all the tall buildings and not used to seeing people of other ethnicities. It was a shock that he had to endure and get used to these things. Ban came from a small community in the rural areas of Ho Chi Minh city, where everyone was Vietnamese.

“I felt very insecure and nervous, because I wasn’t sure what was waiting ahead for me.”

When Ban first arrived in America, he was nervous because he would be living in a different place than Vietnam. He missed his friends, his old home, and the environment in Vietnam. At the same time, Ban was excited because of a new place to explore. He had the mixed feelings of being nervous and being excited. This nervousness was reduced by the welcoming voices of the customs officers. While they looked at Ban’s passports and checked him in, they said “Welcome home!” To Ban, this welcome carried a stronger meaning than the officers intended. Being new to America, Ban needed every bit of reassurance he could access.

[Welcome Home]

When Ban started school, he encountered a language barrier: one of the problems his uncle encountered and one of the problems a large majority of Vietnamese immigrants reported. In 2014, 67% of Vietnamese immigrants (ages 5 or older) reported limited English proficiency. During the first few months after arrival to America, Ban could not properly converse in English, just like his uncle. He had trouble making friends, but eventually, education and initiation helped him learn quickly.

In Vietnam, Ban was a talkative, outgoing fellow. He told jokes to his circle of friends. When Ban was in New York, he was more isolated. At first, he was not part of any groups because he could not understand what the other children were saying. Ban was not feeling depressed because he knew he would learn. However, after 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, Ban realized he was the outcast. No one talked with him because he could not understand them. Watching the children have fun and laughing from a distance, Ban felt like a bucket of cold water was poured over his head. As time progressed, Ban’s English Second Language (ESL) classes took effect. He began to slowly speak the English language. At this point, Ban joined the children in his class. He listened to their jokes–just listened. Ban felt like he didn’t want to stay the outcast even if it meant just listening and not participating; he wanted to feel included.

“At least I could understand the jokes they tell me.”

After 7 months, Ban could speak “fluent” broken-English. He had conversations with his classmates, and commented on their remarks. Ban felt so happy. It was the product of his hard work and initiation. Learning in school while taking the initiative to speak with a person—even if it is just one person—was essential for Ban’s change. Soon, Ban became a person who voices his opinions, makes a few jokes, and appreciates education.

Ban’s High School Graduation

For Ban, education is a very important opportunity. It is life-changing. Even in Vietnam, Ban knew from a young age that education is a very important opportunity for him to be successful. Having a good education would allow Ban to have a good job in the future. It also would allow Ban to become accustomed to America. For instance, Ban’s ESL classes were described as being essential to his improvement in his conversing ability.

When thinking about Vietnam, Ban recalls his friends and his relatives. He left Vietnam at such an early age that he lost contact with some of his previous friends. However, during the summer, Ban hangs out with them. Even in the United States, he chats with them online. One thing Ban does with his friends is play chess. Being a huge chess lover, Ban enjoys studying chess playing strategies. He considers the game a “sport.” As he puts it, this sport helped him through tough times, when he felt isolated and bored.

Ban playing chess in college

In his explanation of chess, Ban reveals his personality. Even isolated, he still tries to make the best out of the situation.

[Chess as a form of communication]

“I can’t find that anywhere in New York. It is sad to say that I can’t eat it until I go to visit Vietnam during the summer.”

One thing Ban misses from Vietnam is “balut,” a popular Southeast Asian snack. It is a developing embryo of a bird, boiled and eaten from the shell. Sometimes, the shell is removed, and the embryo is cooked with other seafood. Although popular in countries like Philippines, Laos, and Vietnam, Ban cannot find balut anywhere in New York. Whenever Ban visits Vietnam, which he does annually during the summer, Ban always eats the snack.

Besides “balut,” what Ban misses the most from Vietnam is the language. In the U.S., Ban does not have many opportunities to use the Vietnamese language. He usually speaks English at home and at school. What this means for him is that he appreciates every visit to Vietnam, despite the cold weather.

When asked to give an evaluation of how much he lost and gain since his arrival to America, Ban gave the following response:

[Gains and Losses in U.S.]

Ban and his friends

Ban came to America with the expectation of opportunities. As described by Ban, he received a lot of opportunities, such as new friends, new social connections, new language, new education, and even freedom of speech. He appreciates the freedom of speech.

[Freedom of Speech]

Ban’s class outing in Manhattan

Heavily influenced by his family, Ban exhibited the same pattern of Americanization that his uncle showed. Ban’s immigration story consisted of four parts. First, he came to America feeling nervous and uncertain about his situation. Then, he subjected himself to the norms and restrained himself. Next, he used education as a tool to learn and adapt to make himself fit the typical American identity. Finally, Ban entered the last stage.

Growing increasingly optimistic about his life in America, Ban asserts that although he experienced some difficulties trying to adapt, he is now at a stage where he can balance the two identities in him. “An equilibrium. Like a balanced scale.” Ban feels like he can appreciate his Vietnamese cultures instead of restraining them. While it was the strategy he took earlier to find a place in America, Ban realizes that he no longer needs to use that strategy. Instead, he can embrace his Vietnamese cultures without fearing consequences like being shunned. While he can appreciate his Vietnamese cultures, he also embraces American behaviors and norms. Today, Ban is the cheerful fellow in the group who cracks up some jokes randomly, but you can never hate him for doing so.

“How does Spiderman take pictures?”

Joking around with Ban

“Using Webcam”

Work Cited:

Batalova, Jeanne and Zong, Jie. “Vietnamese Immigrants in the United States.” Migration Policy. 8 Jun 2016. Web. 13 May 2017.