“As much as I’m grateful to have graduated from college, I did not go to school for me. I did it out of not only the guilt for my family’s immigrant trauma but also out of a savior mentality I’m still working to unlearn,” says Gabby, age 26.
What was your role in the family growing up?
My parents were always fair with [my brother and me], so I didn’t get different treatment as an older sister, but I was the guinea pig.What kind of pressure did you experience? I was born in Hong Kong, but my parents were based in Japan. After two years, my family moved to Gothenburg where my brother was born, and then to Frankfurt, and then Paris. Because my family moved so much, I had to be OK with saying goodbye. I had to be OK with feeling split between two countries — split between two identities. I didn't reckon with my multicultural identity until university.
In subtle ways, I couldn’t do certain things that my brother could do. It wasn’t out of malice, it was just very cultural. I had to help set the table and wash the dishes, and my brother was never asked to do things like that. I was [expected] to be a good"Indian daughter," which doesn't always mesh well with the American environment I was raised in.
Having a second — or third — culture can be complicated. It can also be a blessing. That’s why we launched Second Gen, a series celebrating the gifts, even the bittersweet ones, passed down from our parents, communities, and cultures.
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Wendy MacNaughton’s Drawing LessonsThe illustrator teaching kids (and their parents) how to see.
Read more »
Biden to Relaunch Cancer Moonshot Program, Aiming to Cut Death Rate 50% in 25 YearsThe issue is deeply personal for Biden: He lost his eldest son, Beau, to brain cancer in 2015.
Read more »
Prince Harry & Meghan Markle's Kids Are Getting to Know William & Kate's Kids Over ZoomPrince Harry and Meghan Markle's kids use technology to get to know their cousins from across the pond.
Read more »
Lawsuit Tries To Save Interviews For Diversity Visa ImmigrantsA new lawsuit hopes to save individuals selected in the Diversity Visa lottery in FY 2022 from being denied the opportunity to interview.
Read more »