The idea of this essay stems from my personal experience growing up in Hong Kong and Toronto. I was often asked where I was from. While most people think it is a simple question, I always feel obligated to say Toronto instead of Hong Kong. I fear that people might label me as a newly immigrated alien, often referred to colloquially as a FOB (fresh off the boat). After reading the book Woman Warrior: Memoir of a Girlhood Among Ghosts, I found the story very easy to relate to. The first-hand stories about how the author, Maxine Hong Kingston, faced cultural pressure really resonated with my thoughts and experiences. In this paper, I decided to discuss the ways America’s dominant cultural and social expectations shape immigrants’ self-identities, forcing them to behave a certain way. Also, by drawing on different readings from earlier in the semester, I explored the question of how immigrants can face the dilemma of cultural competency. All in all, I believe balance and flexibility are key solutions for immigrants in order to have positive experiences in foreign lands.
CALVIN POON is a rising sophomore from Toronto, ON majoring in psychology and economics. As a member of the College of Arts and Science, class of 2018, he is studying to become an occupational psychiatrist and a businessman. Calvin took his first semester off to embark on a marketing internship opportunity in Hong Kong. He believes his ambitious and adventurous personality contributes to the “thinking out of the box” approach of his essays. He would like to thank Professor Barents and his classmates for their tremendous patience and guidance; their support and feedback were immensely helpful throughout the writing process.