For imigrants to "fit in" in a new place they feel as of they must acculturate. Acculturation is "cultural modification of an individual, group, or people by adapting to or borrowing traits from another culture" (Miriam Webster Dictionary). In Reyna's situation there were large amounts of cultural differences and barriers. For instance the most basic, language, Reyna came to the United States knowing no English. In school she had to be separated from the rest of the class to learn the basics of English while the rest of the class, those who could speak English, were getting ahead. Another example of acculturation in Reyna's situation would be how the Grande family participated in American holidays; Christmas and Halloween. They stopped celebrating traditional Mexican holidays to move a few steps toward being Americans. One more example of the Grande family acculturating, is Mago asking to be called Maggie in school, she said it would be easier to fit in with a name people had heard of. These are all sacrifices the Grande family had to take to try to blend in culturally.
I found a short article written by a Chinese-Canadian, Mary Chan, who feels out of touch with her heritage and culture and recognizes herself as niether Canadian nor Chinese. She immigrated to Canada with her family when she was one year old, and since then became Canadian. Mary said she feels a little ashamed that she doesn't know much about her heritage and what it means to be Chinese. Mary said she hated the tension she felt between her "traditional upbringing at home" and the "overwhelming Western culture we are exposed to every day". Mary Chan says she doesn't think she will ever get over the feeling of "otherness", but at the same time she doesn't want to ignore her past.
My Opa didn't want his family to become American in fear of them losing their cultural identity and becoming the Mundane. Even to this day my Oma, who has lived in the U.S. most of her life, says she won't become a citizen because she doesn't want to let go of her Dutch culture. Oma always said she felt as if she always had one foot in each country, belonging to both and none at the same time. She would go back to the Netherlands to visit but feel out of sorts and changed. She felt the same way when she was in the U.S. at times, in one town my Oma lived in people would look at her and talk about her because she wasn't Polish or Catholic. No one wants to go through that. No one wants to be ostracized. This is why I think immigration should be easier and immigrants should be accepted and embraced everywhere in America.
My mother and her brother in Dutch costumes |
I agree when you say that immigration should be easier for people coming to the United States for the right reasons. I believe that people should acculturate to the nation that they live in, but not let go of their native culture. Dual citizenship is a good support of this. I like your multiple contrasts of what Reyna and her family did.
ReplyDeleteI love what you said about your Oma, that it very beautiful saying that she wanted to keep one foot in each country and would never give up her Dutch citizenship. I think it is beautiful that some people don't want to give up their culture so easily just because they have moved to a new place to have a better life.
ReplyDeleteWow I hadn't thought about this subject very much. It's kind of weird to think about. I can't relate to anyone who has drastic culture changes like that, so I can't even begin to imagine the confusion of how to identify yourself and how difficult it is to walk into a new culture and environment. Great outlook!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on the culture changes, but if they are going to a new place, they better be prepared as much as they can. some of them won't be willing to leave but as time goes on they will die and their culture will be lost.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your blog, Immigrating into other countries isn't for everyone. I can't imagine what it would be like to enter a new environment with a new culture. Only certain people are meant to immigrate into the U.S. It is a difficult place to adapt to.
ReplyDeleteI love how you could connect your families immigration story with Reyna Grande's. While your family didn't have as much struggle adjusting to America as Reyna's did, it was fascinating how your Oma and Opa still want to keep their Dutch culture, but still want to live in America!
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