The Whitworthian

Issue date: 10/9/07 Last Updated: 10/12/07

Seniors Nissana Nov and Cam Tu Nguyen know what it means to juggle multiple cultural identities.

Nov is the first in her family to be born in the United States, which makes her second-generational. Nov's parents, who are Cambodian refugees, moved to America in the late 1970s to escape the genocide.

The Humanitarian Operations Program initially moved Nguyen and her family to Kent, Wash., when she was 6 years old.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, second-generational Americans are either native-born Americans or raised from infancy in America. Second-generational Americans have either one parent or both parents who were born in another country.

Nov said she grew up learning how to deal with both Cambodian and American culture, which often clashed. A common American norm such as teenagers and young adults dating was a big thing for her parents.

Her parents still don't allow her to date but she said it isn't a big problem for her since she is always pushing herself with academics and focused with her studies.

Nguyen, whose parents are Vietnamese, also grew up faced with cultural conflict. She said her interactions with her parents were awkward at times.

"Growing up, my family didn't really let me be very social. I wasn't allowed to invite friends over or go to any sleep overs. So it was hard to connect and express myself with others," Nguyen said.

Nguyen struggled with the clashing portrayal of Vietnamese and American views of culture.

"There are a lot of things I had to suppress because I could not turn to [my parents]. It's hard when I see Western-cultured families being able to turn to each other for personal problems. But I couldn't. I didn't know even how to begin. I couldn't even say I love you or even give them a hug," Nguyen said.

Having to live life being multicultural can be difficult, especially if the cultures have polarizing values.

"With American culture, there is a value of independence," Nov said. "There is freedom to make choices."

But Nov said Cambodian culture values collectivism and unity which can restrict her ability to participate in the values American culture embraces.

"At my house back in Tacoma, my relatives live close together. We value a sense of collectiveness. We do everything together," Nov said.

Even though attending Whitworth allowed Nov to grow as an individual and learn independence, she said she never felt completely free from her parents and her Cambodian culture.

For Nguyen, being a woman and a daughter in Vietnamese culture have different roles compared to American culture. She said it was expected of her to clean the house, cook and always have a constant mind-set of submission even to the point of being unable to voice her opinions.

At home, Nov said she has to take on another an identity as the eldest Cambodian daughter, which means she has the greatest responsibility among her siblings and cousins.

"I am caring for my family and try to maintain that wholeness. Because I am the oldest of all the children, I have the responsibility to take care of everyone else. There is a lot of pressure. Little things like driving my grandma to the store and having to translate for her during doctor's appointments and tutoring my little cousins are expected," Nov said.

Both Nov and Nguyen said they feel there is still a sense of attachment to their parents, wherever they are.

"Trying to be independent and a woman without sacrificing my cultural values is difficult," Nov said.

Because Cambodian culture embraces the idea of collectivism, Nov said it is difficult to pursue her interests while also appeasing her parents.

"My parents have different career aspirations for me. I'm pursuing my own aspiration but how do I explain to them that my degree is still [as] valuable as being a doctor or lawyer?" Nov said.

Nov, is a cross-cultural studies major, said her parents are starting to realize and come to terms with her aspirations to work with nonprofit and grassroots organizations.

Although it's a challenge to balance both Cambodian and American cultures and values, Nov said she would never abandon either culture.

"I have a lot of pride in my cultures. My cultures are a big part of my identity, especially my Cambodian culture. If I were to relinquish my Cambodian culture, that's like saying the rich culture of my family doesn't matter," Nov said.

Nguyen dealt with her dynamic cultural interactions differently.

"When I grew up, I began to choose what I liked about both cultures and kind of formed my own culture in a way so it's not sacrificing but creating something beautiful from both cultures," Nguyen said.

Nguyen shared a story of interacting with American culture when she and her family first lived in America.

"When we first moved, my uncle would give us a bunch of Christmas stuff like stockings. We didn't know what to do with it. We thought we were supposed to wear them for the winter. But [we] were confused because none of them matched. We didn't understand a lot of the pop culture that was going on," Nguyen said.

Ngueyn also said when she started kindergarten she didn't know how to speak English, so she never said much. One day she received an award for being the quietest student in class, but she knew it was only because she could not speak English.

Both Nov and Nguyen agreed that living with multicultural values is a careful juggling act.

Esther Louie, the assistant dean of intercultural student affairs, is a second-generational Chinese American. She said second-generational students have a rich cultural background to draw upon.

She said she has tried to embrace traditional Chinese culture and still blend in to the dominant U.S. culture.

"It isn't always easy having one foot in each culture; sometimes stepping fully into one and not the other. It's a dance, and it hasn't always been easy to figure out all of the steps. Sometimes I feel 'forever foreign,' not accepted fully by either of my cultures, but I wouldn't have it any other way," Louie said.

Nov said being second-generational means living with multiple cultural values, identities and sets of cultural behavior.

Living as a second-generational American means you have to adjust to be able to adapt to both cultures depending on scenarios you are in everyday, Nov said.

Contact Yong Kim at yong.kim@whitworthian.com.

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