Introduction and Orientation (July 24)

[Jiaxing Weng-Zhang]

I am getting another great teaching idea here.  As a high school Chinese teacher and someone who has experienced the boom of China, I can use this article to help my students understand the development process in China and why people are satisfied with their lives and living standard in China. And many people consider this as a great achievement of the government and of the people.

[Maria Cardenas]

I watched the almost 3 minutes video about the Chinese influence in the Mexican city border of Mexicali. I think this video would catch the interests of the students because of the art. Students enjoy visuals. I found it interesting that the video talked about Chinese immigrants being original founders of Mexicali. When I think about Mexico I think about Natives, Enslaved people, and Spaniards. I have never connected China to Mexico in this way. So if I found this interesting I am pretty sure students will find this connection between China and Mexico as interesting. 

If you go read this la times article it talks about how the chinese helped found Mexicali and how they helped flourish other cities. It started with Woo Som Yee and he got his experience from the United States. The article is from the 1990s but the information is still relevant. 

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-08-16-vw-858-story.html

[Natalie Lau-Chien]

Jessica,

I also watched the video of Jasmine Tang and agree that these are important stories for students to know about in order to expand their thinking of what can and cannot be done, not only in their own lives, but also in the lives of those around them.  We need to expand our world view and see that we don't need to be confined to the cultures of our own heritage or those of the country(ies) that we grew up in.  I love that you chose to follow your interests and major in Italian and musicology, and also join a Bulgarian choir!  This reminds me of how I joined a Klezmer (Jewish) band at my college during my first year because that was the only opportunity available for me to play percussion instruments in an organized musical group on campus.  I did not think twice about not joining simply because I am not of Jewish heritage.  Neither did the director or other band members.  I think it's a great way for us to learn about and appreciate other cultures.  Growing up in Hawaii, surrounded by many cultures--Hawaiian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, Portuguese, and more--we appreciated and embraced the languages, food, and traditions of many cultures.  The local pidgin creole also reflects the mixture between the different cultures.  Because of my exposure to many cultures, I agree that my life is much richer.  

As an ESOL teacher, I think that this is important for my students to know--that their heritage language and culture is a valuable asset that should be affirmed and maintained within this country--while they also learn a knew language and navigate a new culture.  One should not feel forced to assimilate and abandon their langauge and culture.  It is so vital for teachers to teach with a culturally responsive curriculum that affirms and validates the importance of their home language and culture.  

[Juana Evink]

In the reading by Qian-Ning, "Marriages hold together: other fall apart," the issues that Chinese couples experienced as they moved to America are discussed.  As a married woman, I hope to be married for the rest of my life, as probably most people who get married do. Yet, in the article, alot of Chinese's marriages fall apart after moving to America. Some men felt thereaten in their mascunality and their social status took a dive, whereas their wife's status  did the opposite. In China, women are more restricted than they are in America, while man are in charge, enjoyed a position of power. In the reading, a couple in which the wife recieved a scholarship to come study in America,and the husband didn't speak much English or drive, felt ignored and she felt empower. When the social dynamis change in a marriage change, it causes conlfict in a marriage, some can't survive it. In addition, language barrier, and man's insecurities put a strain in the marriage which is sad.

[Juana Evink]

As  I read, "Survuving 39 dollars a month," I kept thinking how and why would someone do that. The reading is about Chinese reporters who lived together and the Chinese embassy paid for the rent and food. The reporters saved their money to go to yard sale and buy second hand clothes and electronics. I was surprised that Chinese man wanted to buy American clothes, I assumed to fit in, one of their jobs was to make contacts and friends in America. Some of these reporters never seem  a play, or a movie. Some of this reporters would save most of their $39 a month ot buy a colo TV or refrigerator back in China. This reading provided a  glimpse into the live of the average Chinese person. The Chinese government knew the diplomats and reporters were buying products in America, and didn't stop it.

[Juana Evink]

Hi Cindy,

I want to say thank you for sharing Jasmine Tang's story and how you use it to teach student aboout assimilation and culture. I will like to you this video with my students in my Advisory SEL class, as well as videos of African Amrican singing Mariahci songs in Spanish. I believe that sharing videos of people from other races singing in Spanish such traditional cuktural music liek mariachi, can help them understand that we are all humans, can and should get along. That our differences makes us unique.

[Juana Evink]

Hi Maria,

I'm so glad that you shared this information about a video and a newspaper article about Chinese infleucne in the border town of Mexiclai. I have several family members who live dgthere, and I have never heard that Chinese poepel had helped built the Mexicali city. Now I'm curious to ask them if they know how Mexicali was founded and if they do, do they give credit to the Chinese's founers or not. This story definitely fits with the seminar's theme of Crossing boundaries, in this case geographical and  cultural.

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