Book 1, Post 1

 Book 1, Post 1

Book: American Like Me by America Ferrera

    As a Korean American growing up in Guam, I’ve often felt like I did not belong in either Korea or America. In South Korea, I’m viewed as a foreigner because of my demeanor, attitude, and appearance which are seen as too “American.” Even my parents, who immigrated from South Korea, are now also considered outsiders and seen as too “American” ever since they moved to Guam.

    When I moved to Los Angeles, I thought I would identify better with the Korean Americans on the mainland. However, I was surprised to see that I still feel like an outsider, often being labeled as an “international student” due to people’s lack of knowledge about Guam. Even though I grew up with the same media, trends, and education as those in the States, I constantly have to explain myself and where I’m from, and I feel like I will have to continue doing so for the rest of my life.

    Hoping to connect with others who may have had similar experiences, I chose the book American Like Me by America Ferrera because I was interested in hearing about other people’s diverse backgrounds and how they identify being “American.” As of today, I’ve read the memoirs of America Ferrera, Jeremy Lin, Auli’i Cravalho, and Randall Park. Although I resonated with parts of their memoirs, the person I related to the most was Randall Park.

    Randall Park mainly talked about his relationship with his parents. He mentioned that he never really knew his parents’ history. They rarely discussed their personal lives and primarily emphasized academics and hard work. It wasn’t until recently when he interviewed his parents for this memoir, that he learned about the struggles they faced as immigrants. He talks about how they still tried to maintain a stable life for their children while still mentioning the importance of education and hard work. Randall’s story hit closest to home. I had a similar upbringing where my parents were reserved in sharing their past. Recently, I’ve started to ask more questions about their experiences growing up, and I’ve learned so much about their history and the hardships they faced immigrating to Guam. In a way, I feel guilty for not working hard enough in the past, but I’m now more determined to work harder and support them in the future. As I continue to finish this book, I’m excited to read about other people’s stories and see how I resonate with them being an “American.”