Assignment 1.1: Summary and Personal Response - Draft Version
Dr. Rachel De Luise
English 115
April 22, 2012

Suki Kim’s memoir of her life changing experience when she moved with her family to the United States was interesting. She explains in her memoir the struggles she experienced at the abrupt transformation of her life after her father, to avoid jail due to bankruptcy, moved the family to New York. Having lost her former life, Kim embarked upon a journey that was forever life-changing.
Early on, her transition from Korea to the United States was difficult at best. Proving most difficult was learning to face “poverty with a rich girl’s habits and memory” (Kim, 2004, p. 63). Learning English came in as the second most difficult. The difference she noticed between her old and new life ran the gamut from her change in social status and class to watching her “glamorous mother, not long ago a society lady who lunch, taking on a job as a fish filleter at a market” (Kim, 2004, p. 63). The difficulty she faced might seem trite to someone who never experienced financial security, but it seems quite devastating to Kim when she loses her domestic help and private tutors. It must have also been an assault to her ideas of respect seeing how different education was viewed by kids in the U.S. Seeing the students who held less respect for teachers and school evidenced by their dismissive behavior and graffiti blemished school walls was mind-boggling to her.
How Kim interacted with others was another large change as she was now labeled something different by many people she met who weren’t Korean. With other Koreans, there was a disparity that no longer depended upon class alone as it had in her homeland. There were differences that had never existed before for her. Later, her self identification as Korean was expressed through traditional celebrations or traditional meals. Kim thoroughly considered herself as the All-American girl without contradiction. The latter showed in ways like enjoying American music or foods. As a 1.5 generation, she assimilated despite challenges with little to no effort. In the beginning, the disconnect she felt stemmed in how she was now being labeled by people she felt were like her.
Being ostracized by those who were first or generation Koreans was difficult after finding false comfort being able to speak her native language. The move affected and challenged how she saw herself. Kim states it took time to absorb the fact she was now classified as Asian. This sudden classification seemed at once strange yet almost amusing. Fortunately, as time passed, Kim was able to be herself as only her generation could by embracing her duality.
Kim writes to explain the challenge she experience for those who may not understand what it is to be of two cultures. In my own experience, I’ve met many people who simply cannot comprehend what it means to be anything other than definitively one nationality. Kim’s reflections give a voice to the duality that a growing number of Americans have as a result of deep and recent ties to another culture. Kim is unflinchingly honest as she tells of her responses to the complete loss of her easy former life. Her story is somber yet hopeful as there are eventual benefits and consolations to being a 1.5. Her ability to be both Korean and American and not have the two be mutually exclusive was revealing as it showed that the move positively impacted her life over time.
I have a large eclectic group of friends with different backgrounds. Many of my friends (or the parents 1-2 generations back) hale Europe, Africa, South America, and Asia. Though I see most of them as American, there have been times when I was faced with the fact, that in some respects they are quite different from me because of the culture of their parents. I’ve even made huge faux pas when it comes to personal interactions or generalizing what I assumed they would think despite their ethnicity. Some of the faux pas seem quite benign to me but are now respected nonetheless. For example, I have a friend whose parents are from China. She did not grow up in a very tactile environment, so when I reached out to hug her one day as a greeting, I was met with a look that asked, “Are you crazy?” We can laugh now about the incident and her accompanying comment that, “Asians don’t hug!” Though, sometimes I do receive a hug on occasion. In reading about Suki Kim’s experience, it takes me back to difference that can exist between cultures and the feelings that ensue when learning from unknown errors.
I was amused by a few of Kim’s examples of the differences she noticed among other Koreans depending on when and at what age they arrived in the U.S. Having friends of various backgrounds allowed me to empathize with the challenges she faced as she assimilated while still retaining who she is at heart. Surprising was Kim’s example detailing how Koreans treated other Koreans who didn’t speak television English were often treated with what seems to be disdain. I’ve often associated that type of behavior between classes in social hierarchies, not as Kim explained. Ultimately, her story reminds me that everyone has challenges for a variety of reasons. Today, I just try to make certain I show understanding to my friends who sometimes straddle the fence between a home culture of their parents and ancestors and the culture I’ve always known.

References
Kim, S. (2004) Facing Poverty with a Rich Girl’s Habits
In Roen, D, (Ed.), The brief McGraw-Hill guide: Writing for college, writing for life: (2nd ed.). (pp. 62 – 64)
New York, NY: McGraw-Hill

Kim, S. (2004) Facing Poverty with a Rich Girl’s Habits
In Roen, D, (Ed.), The brief McGraw-Hill guide: Writing for college, writing for life: (2nd ed.). (pp. 62 – 64)
New York, NY: McGraw-Hill