Chinese, Japanese, Korean, etc. School

[Rob_Hugo@PortNW]

When Asian families move to the United States from their original countries, many parents put their kids into language schools such as Chinese, Japanese, or Korean schools. Even though I never actually went to a Chinese school, my mom still taught me at home with Books for Overseas Chinese Children. Did your parents ever make you go to a school like that? Did you resent it? [Edit by="mli on Jun 5, 11:05:04 PM"][/Edit]

[Anonymous]

My parents never forced me to go to a Vietnamese school, though they did ask me if I wanted to (of course the answer at that age is always no). My sisters and I were taught Vietnamese at home from books as well. But by the time it got to me (I'm the youngest), I don't think my parents were as fervent with teaching, so I was never able to read Vietnamese well as my other sisters. Looking back, I wish they had put me in a school or I had been more active in my learning because I wish I could read and speak Vietnamese a lot better. :}

[Anonymous]

I remember my parents forcing me to go to Chinese school on Saturdays. We usually met at a local school and always got little crackers at break time. I remember really despising going there because I didn't understand why it was necessary. I also didn't like writing those characters over and over again in those workbooks with the squares. My mom kept telling me that when I grow up I will regret not learning Chinese but I thought otherwise. Now I see what she meant because I really want to learn Chinese now.

[Anonymous]

Except for the bit about crackers, my experience is the same as yzhen's verbatim. I attended Saturday Chinese school for a few years but 1) I started hating it. and 2) My mom got sick of driving me to the school every weekend, so I withdrew. I do regret not knowing how to speak my own native language fluently especially when I come to UCLA and hear all these Chinese students speaking Cantonese and Mandarin like crazy. I would love to have a real conversation with my grandma who only knows a few words of English.

I think that in a way my parents failed me as far as speaking Cantonese to me growing up. I think that if they had persisted in speaking Cantonese at home all the time, that would have had a dramatic effect on my verbal Chinese skills. Instead they would speak Chinese to one another and then use English with me. I think they did that so my English would be better than my Chinese and I would have a greater chance in succeeding in school, but clearly it's possible to be bilingual.

[Anonymous]

no my parents never forced me to go to chinese school... i came here in third grade so i know a lot of basic words... but yah i kinda wished that they DID make me go to chinese school though, it was actually ME who told them i wanted to take a chinese class at a community college two years ago, but i think the reason WHY my parents didn't really force me to go to classes was because we speak cantonese and most Chinese schools only teach mandarin because it is the main dialect

[Anonymous]

yea, my parents also had me attend Chinese school. The one thing I disagreed about this is that, my reading and listening level was so far superior than my writing level that the school had no idea where to place me. In a low level class, I would be completely bored and just mess around. In a high level class, I can easily understand everything but when I had writing assignments, many chinese characters that I don't know how to write comes back to haunt. I think this was the biggest dilemma for me as a young immigrant going through Chinese school.

[Anonymous]

My parents were never the stickler for putting me into Vietnamese schools to learn and read the language. I wonder though if Vietnamese schools are as popular compared to Chinese schools. Because i ALWAYS hear my Chinese friends talking about how they had to go to classes for the longest time, but never any of this from Vietnamese friends.

In ways to do regret that I don't have a better handling of the language to be able to talk more fluently with my parents and grandparents. I feel that I do lack something culturally, something that defines me. It makes me sad that in the futre when i have kids, their Vietnamese might only be limited to what i know.

[Anonymous]

I went to Pomona Valley Chinese school from the 2nd grade to the 7th grade. Even though most of my friends went for social reasons, I never regretted being able to communicate and read in Mandarin.

I remember how it was "cool" if you were in the 7th grade & convinced your mom not to make you go to Chinese School. Then..... talk to them when they are in college & they will tell you that they regretted not sticking to Chinese school a while longer. There are basic reasons: pass the language test & save yourself of taking 3 additional classes, getting an edge in the job process, and even picking up girls/guys with "wo ai ni" (as cheesy as that sounds).

However, I've always been hurt/annoyed/bothered when I go to "asian" cities & have a difficult time NOT using Chin-glish. The older generation will look at me and say, "You're Chinese. Why can't you speak Mandarin??"

Ouch. All the more reason to take Grandma out and talk to her; she appreciates the conversation as much as I do too!

I know a few people in our seminar plan on going past Level 3 Chinese. I also signed a petition for UCLA to keep the Vietnamese language. Have you heard about that?? I would be angry myself if UCLA took out Chinese (but...... we all know that's not going to fly w. THIS many Chinese-American & Chinese-language enthusiasts at UCLA)

-Ames

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