Blog 2

This article talks about how immigrants are “negotiation of identities” (Pavlenko 15) with American culture. Many European immigrants negotiate with American culture. However, many Asian immigrants fail to negotiate with American culture. Many immigrants think that order to understand the language; they have to give up one of the cultures.

When I read this article, as much as I want to disagree, however, in reality, most of the things that author said I had to agree because it was true. The article stated that, “I have now been in America for nineteen years; I have grown up here as much as any man can; I have had my education here; I have become a citizen; I have given all I had of youthful zeal and energy in serving my adopted country; I have come to love America as I do my very life- perhaps more arid yet they still call me a 'foreigner'” (Pavlenk 6). When I read this passage, this described how I felt. I recently became a citizen of United States. I lived in U.S. for ten years. I spend my youth years in United States and I will in the future. I am Korean and I lived there for a long time. Many of my Korean friends think that I am too Americanized. Many of my non-Korean friends think that I am very Korean. I used to be very confused with my own identity. I felt like I got rejected by both of cultures that I live with. My English proficiency isn’t perfect as Americans but neither is my Korean. I was always questioning which cultures that I need to accept in order to get accepted in both societies. Then, I realized that I didn’t get rejected by both cultures, I am accepting both cultures which make me who I am. I understand the perspective of both cultures because I accept them. I don’t necessary agree with some of Korean norms or American norms. I just know and understand both cultures.

I agree that many immigrants’ especially Asian immigrants believe that they need to give up their native culture to become ‘American.’ Therefore, they give up using their native language. I had this argument with my friend on Sunday. She told me that many other immigrants or second generation kids understand their native language and speak perfectly. However, many Korean immigrants or second generation kids cannot speak Korean very well. She blamed that it is Korean parents which is 1^st generation think that it is not necessary to teach Korean since they live in America. I believe that it is very hard for immigrants to accept some cultural norms that is opposite of their culture. Therefore, they are likely to give up their culture since they are living in America. I see many of my Korean friends. They are Americanized, or Koreanized. In Korean society, we have a name for it: Fob and Twinkie. Fob means “fresh off the boat” which is for immigrants who accept only their native culture. Twinkie is for usually second generation, which for people who reject their native culture and accept American culture. Usually, fobs and twinkies don’t like each other. Fobs don’t understand that twinkies are so Americanized when they are Korean. Twinkies don’t understand that why fobs keep their cultural norms so much when they live in the U.S. The relationship between fobs and twinkies are not bad now. However, a few years ago, it was worse. I still don’t understand why immigrants cannot corporate with each other. I don’t understand why many immigrants are so eager to learn American cultures. They don’t have to accept the American cultures, as long as they are inform about American cultures.

As a future teacher, I want to teach my students how to accept both cultures. My question is “How?” When I was struggling with my own identity, no one taught me how to accept. I know that both cultures are essential but no one taught me how to accept. I just had to figure it out on my own. Also, it is necessary to inform the parents that it is important to accept both of the cultures rather than only American or their native culture. 

Blog post 1

The chapter 2 of Kumarazvedivelu talks about culture. While I was reading this chapter, it was interesting to see author’s viewpoint. Kumarazvedivelu stated that “In other words, because no culture can exist in its purest form, every culture is, willy-nilly, a hybrid cultural.” I completely agreed with this statement. Many different cultures are mixed with another. Every culture has its own significance; however, they are similar with each other. Even though every culture is similar, community of culture is individual. The cultures can be similar but they cannot be the same.  Another interesting viewpoint is that how the individual country wanted to learn another language after 1900’s. In Korea, many people desperately want to learn English because English is becoming a language that many people speak. I wonder why English became such an important language that many people want to speak.  

When I read Atkinson’s article, it was very interesting. While I was reading this article, there was an argument that how the TESOL teachers need to see the students as individuals rather than cultural groups. I believe that it is important to understand the students’ cultures. I think the people act differently depend on where they grow up. I came here when I was 13 years old. I only hung out with Korean friends until I was a sophomore in high school. For a while, I was having troubles looking at elder’s eyes. The reason is that when I went to junior high school, my maESL teacher was talking to me. However, I looked down because in Korea, it is very rude to look at the elderly person’s eyes when elderly person is upset. My ESL teacher got very upset and she grabbed my face and told me to look at her eyes when she talked to me. I knew that American’s norm is different than Korean’s norm. However, because I was used to Korean norms, it was hard for me to accept American’s norm that is completely different than Korean’s norm. I was so shocked when this even happened. I was more scared to talk to white people after that. If the teacher acted differently, I wouldn’t take a long time to adjust American culture. I have so much experiences that I realized how significant it is for the teachers to know their students’ cultures.

I believe that culture is very important. The culture makes who we are as person. If I wasn’t Korean, or lived in Korea, I would be a different person. In my opinion, people are so used to their own culture, many people are rejecting to learn and understand different culture. I personally saw people do this. When I was in high school, I had to talk about Korean’s norms and how it is different with American’s norms. One of the students in the classroom didn’t want to hear it because he felt like he needed to change his action based on someone’s culture. He didn’t understand why immigrants to keep their culture when they live in United States. I was really surprised to hear this because he wasn’t the only one who thought that. I argued with him and explained to him why people talk about their culture, and keep their culture.

These articles that I read made me re-think of the beliefs that I had, and how important it is to respect the culture. 

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Hello, this is Moon