Chinese American Project: Calvin Lam

我爸爸的姓名是Hoa Lam。我的爸爸丛越南来，可是他的父母是中国人，所以他是中国人。因为共产党来越南，所以他的家人要去美国。 他一九七九年来美国。他坐飞机来美国。他跟他的爸爸，妈妈，和妹妹来了。他到了美国是十九岁。他们住在芝加哥的公寓。他们没有钱，因为他们用了钱去美国。他跟他的妹妹去Senn中学。

My father, Hoa Lam, came to America in 1979 after the North Vietnamese Communists took over all of Vietnam. Although he was born in Vietnam he is ethnic Chinese due to the fact that my grandfather and my grandmother came from China. After the communists took over Vietnam, they took my grandfather’s prosperous gas station into government hands. Therefore, they had their home seized by the communists and were poor off. In addition, the Communists changed the school system by no longer supporting Chinese education for ethnic Chinese, therefore, discriminating against ethnic Chinese. This along with poor treatment by corrupt communist officials caused my father’s family to move. My grandfather paid off corrupt government officials and bought his way to America. They took a boat to Hong Kong where they temporarily lived in a refugee camp. After that they took a plane to America.

My father, along with my grandmother, grandfather, and aunt (younger sister) arrived in Chicago in 1979 by plane. They lived in an apartment studio room near Senn High School, the high school he attended with his younger sister despite the fact that he was nineteen. He complained about the loud noises and bad neighborhood of his apartment. Also, the apartment was filthy and only had one room because my family could afford nothing more. My grandmother worked as a maid in a hotel and my grandfather worked in a steel factory. When they arrived none of them knew how to speak English, only Chinese and Vietnamese.

At school, my father often experienced discrimination. Ironically, he said that most of this was from his African-American classmates. They would come into the classroom and mock his accent, while sometimes just walking down the hallways and knocking over books. The teacher often times did nothing. Class was often times difficult for him and his sister due to the fact that they had to look everything up in a Chinese-English dictionary. Yet, after one or two years, they were able to speak and read English. Yet, he felt an outsider when he first came to America because their culture was so different from that of the Chinese one from which he was raised. Yet, he later adapted to the culture and appreciated its advantages such as individuality. Later, he received his two-year associate’s degree after high school.

My father felt that the culture of America was vastly different from that of the Chinese culture from which he was raised. He felt that there was less respect in the American culture as well as more of an emphasis on individuality rather than family. He also felt that there is less of an emphasis on education in America than in the Chinese culture. He feels that this clash of cultures shows how Chinese culture is more subservient in comparison to American culture. In addition, he sees there is nothing wrong with marrying somebody that is not Chinese American, just it is up to one’s personal preference. Yet, in reference to the American culture, my father finds it contradictory to be accepted as American, as Chinese-Americans will always be discriminated against. They will always be seen as outsiders in his opinion and never be seen in the hearts of “Americans” as American.

Critical Thinking Reflection:

I feel that after doing this project, it has become more difficult for Chinese immigrants to gain an American identity. More than ever today, the American media discriminates against Chinese Americans, and labels them as perpetual foreigners.

In order to be American, one must consider themselves American as well as be considered American by the “American” masses. In addition, they must be willing to live to the ideals of American freedom, individuality, and rights.

I learned a lot from conducting this interview. I was able to further get in touch with my culture and understand where my family comes from. I was also able to better understand the differences that conflicting cultures brings to my household.