…And it’s India for the Win!

So today was the cricket World Cup semi-finals, in India. The game was between Pakistan and India, and if you couldn’t already figure out the result from the title, India won. It was 260 runs to 231, and even though the scorecard was less than spectacular this victory was about national pride.  It was a tight game, but my India won (yay!). Yeah, I know I can’t hide my bias, but I can’t get too excited just yet. Now India has to get ready for the match against Sri Lanka in the World Cup final on Saturday. Congrats India!!

The “Brain Drain”

Often at the center of stereotypes is the idea that all Asian Americans are super smart and come to the U.S. to take jobs and outdo American kids (I used to get that one). But now the tables have turned. Many immigrants that come to the United States to get an education are returning back to their countries of origin afterwards. It used to be that immigrants would settle in the U.S. and get jobs here after completing their education and while that continues to happen there has now been an increase in people leaving the country. Many doctors and researchers, even some who have spent 20 to 30 years in the United States, now want to return to their home country to use their skills. This is draining the technical workforce of America. Some companies from other countries, like China, actively seek to recruit Chinese students currently studying in the United States to convince them to return home once they have completed their education. While this is improving the future of many foreign countries, especially Asia, it poses a future threat to the United States and its level of technological development.

Are You Serious? #2

A repairman comes by to fix the refrigerator.

Guy: You’re Indian, right?

Mom: Yes.

Guy: Then why do you have so many pictures of Jesus?

Mom: Because we’re Catholic.

Guy: But I thought you said you were Indian?

Response to the Tiger Mom: When Parenting Crosses the Line

             

   Recently, the infamous Tiger Mom has created a stir, raising questions about when tough love goes too far. The news is filled with accounts of children committing suicide because they can’t handle the pressures of college. In such a fiercely competitive world is more pressure really what children need? Children already have to deal with the pressures that come from school and peers. Do they really need to have the added pressure that comes from harsh parenting?

                There is a point when tough parenting goes too far and it becomes harmful rather than helpful. The point of strict parenting is for children to be capable of succeeding in the future, but what if they don’t make it. Asian Americans are likely not to seek help when dealing with mental problems, due to the social stigma associate with them. Studies show that “Asian American women ages 15-24 have the highest suicide rate of women in any race or ethnic group in that age group. Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for Asian-American women in that age range” (Cohen).  This is because Asian parents are often more strict with daughters, which results in a higher tendency for females to become depressed. The model minority myth doesn’t help; it is only another source of pressure on Asian children. They are expected to succeed and that is a dangerous pressure.

Not only that, but when people are surrounded by others of a different ethnicity they begin to view beauty in terms of the other ethnicity. Many minorities begin to think of themselves as ugly and have low self esteem because they don’t see other Asians in prominent roles. There are so few Asian women in the media that it becomes difficult to find a role model. This sense of being different leads many women to seek other ways of becoming what they consider beautiful. Many undergo double-eyelid surgery to have eyes that look more European, and what they think looks prettier. This identity complex that many Asian women struggle with contributes to the risk of suicide.

Without help and support from parents, who are kids expected to turn to when they need support? It is a matter of mutual trust for a relationship between parent and child to succeed. Pressures from parents and a lack of understanding on their part could easily be doing more harm than benefit to children. Children need a balance of affection and discipline to be successful in the future.

Source:  Cohen, Elizabeth. "Push to achieve tied to suicide in Asian-American women." 16 May 2007. CNN. 2 March 2011 <http://articles.cnn.com/2007-05-16/health/asian.suicides_1_asian-american-families-asian-women-asian-american-parents?_s=PM:HEALTH>.

Who's Stealing my Mommy??

This cute little doggy is stealing the affections of the mommy chicken. This adorable scene is out of India.

Are You Serious #1

My dad meets my brother’s friend’s parents for the first time.

Dad: Hi. I’m George.

Friend’s Dad: Oh, so what’s your Indian Name?

Do people really think an Indian guy can’t be named George?

The Tiger Mom: A Crash Course in Asian Parenting

Yale law professor Amy Chua is earning infamy for her book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. The book displays Chua’s harsh brand of what she refers to as Chinese parenting. While many Americans are appalled by her parenting tactics, declaring them deploring and showing outright disdain for Chua, she holds firm. She is determined to have her children succeed in what she deems a fierce global competition. While many parents question here parenting due to the lack of love and acceptance she retorts that those are just excuses for not succeeding. She expects her children to do well and that is exactly what she demands of them. To her there are no excuses for failure, it’s all about effort. She goes on to criticize Western parenting for not preparing children for the future.

It raises the question of what makes good parenting. Should a parent be loving and accepting, or should they pressure their children to succeed at any cost?  The Western form of parenting is about raising independent and creative children; it focuses on them expressing themselves. Asian parenting, on the other hand, is about succeeding. In spite of the qualms many people have expressed about such measures they have showed results. Even psychology reports support tough parenting because it prepares children to deal with problems and successfully make decisions. On the other hand, children that are coddled are unable to make the choices necessary for the future because they are unable to handle problems themselves. Maybe Asian parenting is the way to go since Asians students are often better able to overcome disadvantages such as coming from low-income backgrounds and still seeking higher education. The drive to succeed is one that must be instilled in children, and maybe this book is just the wakeup call Americans need; it is a realization of American fears of the rising power of China. It might just be time for parents to step up their game.

Source:  Paul, Annie Murphy. "Tiger Moms: Is Tough Parenting Really the Answer?" 11 January 2011. TIME. 2 March 2011 <http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2043313-1,00.html>.



The Hallyu Movement has Arrived!

South Korean Girl Group the Wonder Girls

Talent from Asia is finally getting noticed in America. The Hallyu wave has spread the influence of South Korean culture all the way to the Western World. One of the first signs was the appearance of a girl group from South Korea. The catchy tunes of the Wonder Girls caught the attention of their American audience with their single “Nobody.” Its popularity sparked interest in the girl group all the way in the United States, where they were the first Korean group to make it on the Billboard Hot 100. The success of the Wonder Girls is just one example of the Hallyu movement.



Poster for South Korean film "Mother"



                However, music is not the only thing South Korea is getting recognized for. Among Tom Charity’s choices for best movies of 2010, for CNN, many were surprised to see an unknown title. This was Bong Joon-ho’s “Mother.” It topped the box office in South Korea and earned recognition from American viewers. Its unconventional story of a mother desperately seeking to prove that her mentally challenged son is innocent of murder leaves viewers on the edge of their seats. It’s clear that the Hallyu movement does not only apply to Asia, but has instead found its way to the United States with new talent that cannot be ignored.



Yay! I’m finally posting on my blog, so let's start at the beginning!

     Since this blog is about Asians a great place to start is probably with a brief history of Asian immigration to the United States. The first major wave of immigration came in the late 1800s when many Chinese moved to the United States in the hopes of finding jobs. As a result of China’s defeat in the Opium War many Chinese were living in poor conditions and when word of gold being found in California reached China many jumped at the chance. However, they were met with hostility and anger from American workers who were losing jobs to the Chinese, who were often paid less for their labor. This resulted in the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 which barred immigration from China and placed restrictions on the Chinese already living in the country. This was one of the first major acts against Asians.

Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 document (source: www.ourdocuments.gov)

     It wasn’t only the Chinese that suffered harsh immigration policies. In 1917 Congress designated Asia a “barred zone,” banning immigration from all Asian countries except Japan and the Philippines. These exceptions were mainly so that the U.S. could sustain a cheap source of labor, especially since the Philippines were a U.S. territory at the time. However, even Japan and the Philippines were no exception to the Johnson-Reed Act of 1924 that restricted all immigration from Asia except in specific cases. It wasn’t until 1965 that these restrictive immigration policies were changed.