Discussion Theme 1: “It is always just us, no one else” Many 1.5-generation individuals moved to the United States with just their immediate family members (i.e. parents and siblings). Though some expressed that choosing where to move to in the U.S. depended on where other extended family and friends have moved to in the past, for the most part, they start over as a single family in a brand new place. In a way, this struggle to start fresh at a new place necessitated them to be close as a family. As one participant’s father would say “…there is no one that is going to be consistent, a constant in your life other than your family”. All of the participants expressed a need to care for each other, in particular of their siblings while
…show more content…
One participant, Rose, mentioned, “As fluent as I am in English, as familiar as I am to this culture, as many years as I have lived here, others will always see me as an immigrant.” When asked to expand upon this statement, she spoke of an instance where others would question where she was from, “then they would ask, “Where are you from, like where are you really from?”. Every single participant spoke of other instances where they are made to feel not entirely belonging in this country. One of the interview questions asked the participants to talk about where they felt they most belong. “I got used to not belonging. I always feel like we will always be perpetual foreigners”, Rose again said. In contrast, Calvin, who became actively involved in the basketball team at school, mentioned, “I didn’t ever feel like I belonged entirely there either. Like “this is my group!” I feel that I could belong to all of the little groups that I was part of. I think this is still true today.” In a way, participants expressed that being 1.5-generation forces one to “mold” to the different groups in order to belong. Rose also mentioned that being 1.5 generation forces you to be “comfortable” with being the “kid that is different. The new kid. You maintain this title even after being there for so
One participant, Rose, mentioned, “As fluent as I am in English, as familiar as I am to this culture, as many years as I have lived here, others will always see me as an immigrant.” When asked to expand upon this statement, she spoke of an instance where others would question where she was from, “then they would ask, “Where are you from, like where are you really from?”. Every single participant spoke of other instances where they are made to feel not entirely belonging in this country. One of the interview questions asked the participants to talk about where they felt they most belong. “I got used to not belonging. I always feel like we will always be perpetual foreigners”, Rose again said. In contrast, Calvin, who became actively involved in the basketball team at school, mentioned, “I didn’t ever feel like I belonged entirely there either. Like “this is my group!” I feel that I could belong to all of the little groups that I was part of. I think this is still true today.” In a way, participants expressed that being 1.5-generation forces one to “mold” to the different groups in order to belong. Rose also mentioned that being 1.5 generation forces you to be “comfortable” with being the “kid that is different. The new kid. You maintain this title even after being there for so