We have talked a lot about Mexican migration, but there are a multitude of immigration stories from all over the world. One important story we have not touched much upon is immigration from Vietnam. Here is one of those stories. This story captures the essence of immigration and why our country is so much stronger for the millions of immigrants we bring in every year.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
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ReplyDeleteSomething that i do feel plagues our generation and the ones to come is that strong sense of entitlement. I feel it is problem that many American children, teens and even some young adults experience because growing up here in the states, things do come easily, we're told that we're all winners and usually if we don't win we at least will get some compensation. Something that i love about the spirit of immigrants is that they didn't grow up with this sense of entitlement. I feel a good portion of them come here with a purpose to success and do what it takes to survive and flourish here in the purpose of a better life. Like Tan Le, she was able to rise up and prove wrong the phrase, "it cant be done." Immigrants like here do better our country.
ReplyDeleteEliza Wilson
This post really opened up my eyes to how Americans often only pay attention to immigration from Mexico and do not pay much attention to immigration from other places such as Vietname, Laos, China etc. I love the diversity in America and am proud to live in a country that offers so many opportunities and bright futures to people who wouldn't have these experiences in their home countries. I am proud that Tan Le wanted to prove wrong the phrase "it cant be done". It is refreshing to know that America is known as a place where things CAN BE DONE.
ReplyDeleteWhat an inspiring story of immigration at its hardest! It is evident that Tan Le put in so much hard work and effort to attain the success she has today. It is stories such as this one that renew my faith in America as a melting pot, where cultures can really come together. Today our society focusses so much on illegal immigration that it is easy to forget that America still accepts more immigrants than almost any other country in the world. I'm so proud to be a part of such an open and diverse nation!
ReplyDeleteI loved this story. One thing Tan Le said that stuck out to me was how she is glad she is an outsider, because when one is an insider, one's horizon's are collapsed or one accepts cultural assumptions. I thought that was a really interesting insight. She went on to talk about how she is glad she went outside her comfort zone because she has learned so much. I so appreciated her insights and echo previous thoughts that have been expressed in saying that immigrants really do enrich our country with their perspectives.
ReplyDeleteLearning about immigration in the United States has reminded me about the immigration situation in Singapore as well. Singapore was made out of immigrants from China, Malaysia, and India. After surviving World War II, kicking the British out, joining and then leaving Malaysia, and finally gaining independence, Singapore is now one of the world's richest nations. As such, it is a magnet for immigrants and foreign workers. It is the same complaint from the natives that is oh-so-familiar to us: the immigrants and foreign workers are taking away the natives' jobs. I shall not continue this debate.
ReplyDeleteListening to Tan Le reminds me of my own grandfather who came to Singapore at the age of nine to start life from scratch. I admire these immigrants who were brave enough to seek a better life for themselves without knowing what the future will be. It is ironic how the native-borns complain about the problem of immigration while forgetting that they would not be where they are if their forefathers had not made the sacrifice to immigrate first.