I’m grateful to everyone who has been a part of my 1.5-generation journey and helped me along the way. To the classmates who invited me to sit at their lunch table when I was in seventh grade, thank you for making me feel welcome when I was still trying to figure out where I belonged.… Continue reading Gratitude
Tag: language
Reflections – Written in 2019
There have been multiple stages of identity shifts since I arrived in the U.S. with my family at age 12. Beginning Stage — Culture Shock (Ages 12–17)Disliked the language; didn’t feel like learning; didn’t feel like I belonged; became a loner; homesick. I remember hating this place so much. I remember thinking: I didn’t choose… Continue reading Reflections – Written in 2019
Quiet Nights
We eventually started living in a nice, four-bedroom house in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. I honestly never really liked the house. It was nice and spacious, with beautiful natural light, but something about it made me feel lonely. I remember those late work nights when I was the only one home. I couldn’t bring myself… Continue reading Quiet Nights
Year 2000, Leaving Taipei
I’d like to really understand everything that led me to become who I am today. I remember taking the airplane to America that day, full of excitement. At the airport, I saw my aunt and uncle for the first time in what felt like forever—though honestly, I couldn’t even remember how many years it had… Continue reading Year 2000, Leaving Taipei
Preface: My 1.5-Generation Story
Everyone has their own version of growing up as a 1.5-generation immigrant, and this is my story. I was born in 1988 in Taipei, Taiwan, where it’s common for people to grow up speaking or at least understanding a mother tongue—whether that’s Taiwanese Hokkien, Hakka, or one of the Indigenous languages—and then learn and use… Continue reading Preface: My 1.5-Generation Story
