Interesting Article

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

".........................
咱们有些同胞看到美国好的一面，就梦想着有朝一日能够在美国生活。且不说中国人到美国签证不容易，就是有机会踏上了北美，活得也不可能像老美那么舒坦，尤其初来乍到时更是麻烦不少。打个不太恰当的比方，一个中国外地人到北京，尽管北京各方面比他老家强多了，但他能觉得北京是自己的家吗？

　我在美国接触到的中国人，大致可以分为以下4种类型：

　　第一类是留学生。他们年轻，英语好，适应能力强，应该说在美国的发展前景看好，最终多半选择在美国工作。但是，许多国人可能不知道，留学生的生活比国内大学生辛苦多了——煮一餐饭菜吃上一两天是“家常便饭”，经常加班为“老板”做试验，甚至连寒暑假也不例外。好在他们经过两年到5年的奋斗，可望“苦尽甘来”，进入美国中产阶层指日可待。我的中学同学吴卫东在美国哥伦比亚大学获得物理博士学位后，进入华尔街工作13年，现在已是华尔街一家对冲基金的经理，收入应该不菲。但加入美国籍的他依然觉得真正融入美国文化不是一件容易的事。他认为英语、工作以及和美国人相处都不成问题，最大的问题是文化的认同感和个人在这个社会的归属感。比如下班后与美国同事上酒吧，他们讲的很多历史典故、英文小说、名人逸事、流行文化等，他常常都没听过。久而久之，在工作之余，大多数中国人还是选择与同胞聚在一起。这些在美国的白领中国人大都受过良好的教育，他们都希望能找到家的感觉和社会对他们价值的认同，而这在以白种人为主的美国社会里很不容易。在美国出生的中国人(ABC)，因为从小接触美国文化，他们在文化的认同感上没什么问题，但他们也不容易找到归属感，毕竟他们的皮肤是黄色的。..."

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 "这些在美国的白领中国人大都受过良好的教育，他们都希望能找到家的感觉和社会对他们价值的认同，而这在以白种人为主的美国社会里很不容易。..."

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 " 他们都希望能找到家的感觉和社会对他们价值的认同，而这在以白种人为主的美国社会里很不容易。" but when I saw hundreds of 白种人 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"找到家的感觉和社会对他们价值的认同". More than that, I actually feel I am a lucky guy and I only have that kind of luck in America, I did feel 白种人 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 "白种人的认同" 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" 在美国出生的中国人(ABC)，因为从小接触美国文化，他们在文化的认同感上没什么问题，但他们也不容易找到归属感，毕竟他们的皮肤是黄色的。..."

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!