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UC Prompt 2- Contrast between cultures (Chinese and American)


dumdeedumdeedoo 4 / 9  
Nov 13, 2011   #1
Describe the world you come from - for example, your family, community or school - and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.

My Chinese education commenced in kindergarten, with my parents deciding to enroll me in Alice Fong Yu Chinese Immersion School. This may seem slightly odd, considering that I have absolutely no Chinese heritage in my background. After enrolling my brother in the same school and receiving excellent academic results, they figured they would follow suit with me. From that point on, not only was I immersed in the Chinese language, but also in the Chinese culture.

From Chinese holidays, cooking, etiquette, and even music, I learned it all. Growing up, almost all my friends were either full Chinese or half Chinese. However, I did not see them this way. They were simply "my friends", with no division between us. It wasn't until I graduated to high school I became conscious of my own race, being identified in the hallways as "white girl".

Despite my unawareness, I had noticed a difference between the world I encountered in school, and the one I came home to. My school focused much more on excellence and dedication, characteristic of a more eastern attitude, while my family chose to emphasize happiness and individuality, generally associated with a more Western attitude. I say individuality because I saw none of the obsession over me from my parents as I saw many of my friend's parents do over them. My parents were decidedly their own people, and if driving me home from school meant missing an outing with their friends, then I would just have to tough it out. Their lives did not revolve around me, quite contrary to what I had come to expect through my education at Alice Fong Yu. I would look with envy upon classmates whose parents would pressure and obsess over them, wondering why my parents did not take the same interest in myself.

It is this contrast that motivates me. Although my parents' approach probably was the healthier one, I think somewhere in my heart I wished for my parents to show the same enthusiasm regarding my education, and so I tried even harder in school, with my parents nodding their heads, but never showing quite the passion that I wanted. A fantastic example of this would be a conversation I recently had with my mother: "Hey, mom, I'm ranked first in my class." "Really? Good job." It may seem odd, a desire to prove my worth to parents that are already satisfied with me, but I feel that it has been one of my driving forces in high school, and probably will continue to be.

My strict education has led me to strive for and expect success in all forms, academic, social, or even athletic. However it is my parents relative apathy that has truly driven, a rebellion of sorts that never quite seems to reach fruition.

Thank you in advance!
Xiaowang 5 / 8  
Nov 13, 2011   #2
Your essay is absolutely a good. As a Chinese, I am really happy to see foreigners learning Chinese. Your understanding of the differences bewteen western and eastern parenting is little different from mine. Do you know the book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother? I think Chinese parents are the ones that never easily praise their children. Some of them won't be satisfied even if their children get the first place in school because they will want them to achieve higher goals. For many Chinese students, the pressure they get from their parents is much more than encouragement. But it's true that Chinese parents pay more attention on their children.
vuongluu2301 1 / 4  
Nov 13, 2011   #3
Hi Helena, this is an absolutely great essay. Whichever colleges you are applying will be happy to accept you, I believe. You write about true experiences about yourself, true expression, and easy enough to understand. Not too many "big words". Also, you have pride about your culture, which I believe you are totally proud about that. College is looking for those two criteria, and you have them all.

Tell me if you get accepted !!!
Good Luck.
brainop - / 5  
Nov 13, 2011   #4
Overall an excellent essay, and I completely agree with your point about Chinese parents obsessing with their children (I am Chinese). I like your structure, and how you led from how everything began to the manifestation of who you are. I'm sure that this essay is completely fine for the UC applications, if you just review it a few more times. For example, there are small things such as:

"After enrolling my brother in the same school and receiving excellent academic results, they figured they would follow suit with me. From that point on, not only was I immersed in the Chinese language, but also in the Chinese culture." The second sentence seems a little awkward because you didn't talk much about the difference between Chinese language and culture beforehand. Most likely the admission officers wouldn't even notice


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