I remember the first year when my family just moved to America. Life in a new country was so different. On the first weeks of school, I could not eat anything because the food was not what I have always eaten: tacos, burritos, and chicken nuggets. I could eat none of those, and I was desperate for a bowl of rice and a fried egg. Mexican food was not what I grew up with. It was not my favorite thing. Therefore, I would ask my mother to pack a box full of Vietnamese food for lunch. Eventually, after three years, I started to get used to the taste, and in the end, I came to love everything about Mexican food. The argumentative essay “‘Blaxicans’ and Other Reinvented Americans”, by Richard Rodriguez, explains that assimilation occurs naturally, and without force, it will happen to anyone. However, a person does not just blend into a new culture because a
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However, American history has shown that not all immigrants can adapt to a new environment so easily. During the early twentieth century, America received a flow of immigrants. Each group of immigrants had their own language and beliefs, thus creating difficulties in communication. Luckily, the Americanization movement emerged and provided classes that taught English and citizenship skills for the new people of the country. Not only that, the immigrants were also provided with social support and housings. Until today, Americanization still happens. An example of this is the ELD program, which stands for English Learner Development, and this program is specialized for students who struggle in English. Learning a language is a long process, and it starts when a person is born into the world. If someone needs thirteen years to master their native language, then that person also needs another thirteen years to master a new language. Assimilation is a process, which consumes a lot of time and effort. It requires learning and repeating over and
However, American history has shown that not all immigrants can adapt to a new environment so easily. During the early twentieth century, America received a flow of immigrants. Each group of immigrants had their own language and beliefs, thus creating difficulties in communication. Luckily, the Americanization movement emerged and provided classes that taught English and citizenship skills for the new people of the country. Not only that, the immigrants were also provided with social support and housings. Until today, Americanization still happens. An example of this is the ELD program, which stands for English Learner Development, and this program is specialized for students who struggle in English. Learning a language is a long process, and it starts when a person is born into the world. If someone needs thirteen years to master their native language, then that person also needs another thirteen years to master a new language. Assimilation is a process, which consumes a lot of time and effort. It requires learning and repeating over and