Sunday, October 21, 2001
I AM PROUD TO BE A CHINESE-AMERICAN
Here's a discussion I had with one of the nurses, who is Chinese, at work today:
DAVID: It's good you speak Chinese, Victor. Speaking is the first steps to understanding your culture. Otherwise, you're neither Chinese or American.
VICTOR: Yeah, I now realize that Chinese school was a good thing for my parents to send me to as a kid, even though I hated it. And let me tell you, I hated it.
DAVID: The Chinese culture is special. They support strong morals. I don't know if you're a Christian (I nodded and was pleasantly surprised to find out that he was one too), but a lot of what Chinese people value are in line with Christian morals: strong family structure, no sex before marriage, saving your money and being a good steward of it, and things like that.
VICTOR: Yeah, I'm good at the first two, but not the last one. And I'm glad my parents instilled in me the Chinese culture that ...
DAVID: (interrupting, because he's getting excited) Don't tell anyone this (whispers), but I can't stand the way Americans raise their kids and live their lives. Sex, parties, spending money at will. What kind of life is that? They have no sense of what's special, what's sacred in this life.
VICTOR: Yeah, I agree that ...
DAVID: (interrupting again) Confucius said a lot of good things that I wish Americans today would follow. You dating?
VICTOR: Yes.
DAVID: Good. You're 25, right? That's good. Just make sure your family loves her too because dating and eventually marriage involves the family as much as it involves the two people. It's Chinese tradition.
VICTOR: Yeah, I'm big on family too.
DAVID: Good.
In conclusion, I have to say that it's good to be Chinese and to have the Chinese culture instilled in me, thanks to my parents and grandparents. I think the only downside to the Chinese culture is how often they cut you off when they get excited.
Here's a discussion I had with one of the nurses, who is Chinese, at work today:
DAVID: It's good you speak Chinese, Victor. Speaking is the first steps to understanding your culture. Otherwise, you're neither Chinese or American.
VICTOR: Yeah, I now realize that Chinese school was a good thing for my parents to send me to as a kid, even though I hated it. And let me tell you, I hated it.
DAVID: The Chinese culture is special. They support strong morals. I don't know if you're a Christian (I nodded and was pleasantly surprised to find out that he was one too), but a lot of what Chinese people value are in line with Christian morals: strong family structure, no sex before marriage, saving your money and being a good steward of it, and things like that.
VICTOR: Yeah, I'm good at the first two, but not the last one. And I'm glad my parents instilled in me the Chinese culture that ...
DAVID: (interrupting, because he's getting excited) Don't tell anyone this (whispers), but I can't stand the way Americans raise their kids and live their lives. Sex, parties, spending money at will. What kind of life is that? They have no sense of what's special, what's sacred in this life.
VICTOR: Yeah, I agree that ...
DAVID: (interrupting again) Confucius said a lot of good things that I wish Americans today would follow. You dating?
VICTOR: Yes.
DAVID: Good. You're 25, right? That's good. Just make sure your family loves her too because dating and eventually marriage involves the family as much as it involves the two people. It's Chinese tradition.
VICTOR: Yeah, I'm big on family too.
DAVID: Good.
In conclusion, I have to say that it's good to be Chinese and to have the Chinese culture instilled in me, thanks to my parents and grandparents. I think the only downside to the Chinese culture is how often they cut you off when they get excited.
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