Bicultural Conflict Anonymous

The bicultural conflict that I faced growing up as a child of first generation Vietnamese immigrants restricted my early social development but eventually allowed me to forge a new conception of my identity. When I began to speak English at the age of five, I was required to speak only Vietnamese at home. Because my parents considered my verbal skills to be no match for “American” children, they encouraged me to excel in math. I entered high school with a stuttering problem and insecurities about my identity. I became even more conflicted when my parents forbade me from partaking in any high school events, including sports games, theater, and prom. They believed American culture corrupts Vietnamese values and distracts from academics. My social interactions during childhood were limited primarily to members of the Vietnamese community. As I participated in Vietnamese traditions, language, and cultural practices, I developed a strong admiration for the driving forces and virtues that allowed Vietnamese immigrants such as my parents to overcome hardships.

My study of literature during high school began to expand my cultural and intellectual horizons. Literature exposed me to a variety of human experiences, from battling...