Interesting Article

Today, at the lunch break, I read the following article: (the following is from the article)

".........................
咱們有些同胞看到美國好的一麵，就夢想著有朝一日能夠在美國生活。且不說中國人到美國簽證不容易，就是有機會踏上了北美，活得也不可能像老美那麽舒坦，尤其初來乍到時更是麻煩不少。打個不太恰當的比方，一個中國外地人到北京，盡管北京各方麵比他老家強多了，但他能覺得北京是自己的家嗎？

　我在美國接觸到的中國人，大致可以分為以下4種類型：

　　第一類是留學生。他們年輕，英語好，適應能力強，應該說在美國的發展前景看好，最終多半選擇在美國工作。但是，許多國人可能不知道，留學生的生活比國內大學生辛苦多了——煮一餐飯菜吃上一兩天是“家常便飯”，經常加班為“老板”做試驗，甚至連寒暑假也不例外。好在他們經過兩年到5年的奮鬥，可望“苦盡甘來”，進入美國中產階層指日可待。我的中學同學吳衛東在美國哥倫比亞大學獲得物理博士學位後，進入華爾街工作13年，現在已是華爾街一家對衝基金的經理，收入應該不菲。但加入美國籍的他依然覺得真正融入美國文化不是一件容易的事。他認為英語、工作以及和美國人相處都不成問題，最大的問題是文化的認同感和個人在這個社會的歸屬感。比如下班後與美國同事上酒吧，他們講的很多曆史典故、英文小說、名人逸事、流行文化等，他常常都沒聽過。久而久之，在工作之餘，大多數中國人還是選擇與同胞聚在一起。這些在美國的白領中國人大都受過良好的教育，他們都希望能找到家的感覺和社會對他們價值的認同，而這在以白種人為主的美國社會裏很不容易。在美國出生的中國人(ABC)，因為從小接觸美國文化，他們在文化的認同感上沒什麽問題，但他們也不容易找到歸屬感，畢竟他們的皮膚是黃色的。..."

I think I'm in this class. I understand the first generation of immigrants it described - well-educated, high income Chinese students. I do see a lot of people do have the problem it described; however, I don't really agree with what the article says about "這些在美國的白領中國人大都受過良好的教育，他們都希望能找到家的感覺和社會對他們價值的認同，而這在以白種人為主的美國社會裏很不容易。..."

I came to New York in 1991 right after I graduated from college in China. Yes, the first 3-4 years were really hard for me. I worked and studied for 3 years finished graduate school in 1994 when my friend and I two of us started a computer company in NYC. I had a very successful business for the next 6 years. In these years, I learned America is a great country full of opportunities for everyone. I don't think China can offer me what America had offered me. In the article it says " 他們都希望能找到家的感覺和社會對他們價值的認同，而這在以白種人為主的美國社會裏很不容易。" but when I saw hundreds of 白種人 buying my company's products each day and treating me as their good friends, I don't feel I ever need a better description of getting the feeling of"找到家的感覺和社會對他們價值的認同". More than that, I actually feel I am a lucky guy and I only have that kind of luck in America, I did feel 白種人 respect when they learned I am the owner of the company.

Now, I work in a global investment bank's IT department. Since I'm in charge of what I do and I'm 2400 miles from my direct manager, I do feel a lot of freedom and company's respect. I work with a flexible schedule. After work, I have my own activities - play tournaments with people that I'm the only Chinese player and win hundred of thousands dollars from poker tournaments, people do respect me as a successful poker player. I don't feel any gap with American here but I do really feel gap between me and most Chinese people. Over weekends, I drive a high performance BMW going to Vegas or spend good time with my family, etc... Life is so good in the US and I really can't imagine what my life would be in China if I hadn't come here. They say life is much better in China now than before, I believe so. But personally, I think my life is much better than most Americans' in the US. I don't know how to compare that with China. One thing I do know is I never made a dime from China; all I have is from America. All I remember about China is my childhood and stressful student life beating that college entrance exam.  I got all  my working experience and adult life  from New York  City. Now I live in Los Angeles.  I feel America is my real home.  A used to be a poor Chinese student ends up playing $5,000 a hand blackjack or $8 million poker tournament isn't that bad... I do believe most successful Chinese students live better life than I do and they do treat America as a home and they feel it is their home.

Final word, yes, it's very hard or even impossible if you try to work/act/live like American and get "白種人的認同" because when they know you are trying to copy them, they will laugh at you and feel better for themselves. So, don't copy but be yourself and conquer... America belongs to the world and everyone is welcome. With the development of global economy, America is becoming even more attractive to the rest of the world.


In the article, it says" 在美國出生的中國人(ABC)，因為從小接觸美國文化，他們在文化的認同感上沒什麽問題，但他們也不容易找到歸屬感，畢竟他們的皮膚是黃色的。..."

I believe my children who grow up here and speak both Chinese and English fluently and who will study and work hard will be the real successful Chinese generation. They have major advantage when compete against Chinese because they are educated in the US and grow up in a peaceful, well-funded, stable environment. They also have major advantage over other ethic groups Americans because they are Chinese Americans - they do speak Chinese and understand Chinese a lot more than others. They will do very well in the global economy and benefit from China's growth. For them, the world has no boundary and they will be proud to be a Chinese American.

Finally, I think the newspaper at least makes the Chinese young people, who can't come to the US, feel better about not coming to the US.

[doro]

very enligntening. thanks for sharing the experience!