Bridge generation
I lived in central New York for graduate work, and made friends with
a Taiwanese couple. Although I felt awkward conversing in Mandarin
and Taiwanese, they spoke English well and had no problems understanding
my mixed jargons of English, Mandarin, and Taiwanese. My friends told
me that I am considered "the bridge generation," because
I retained the ability to converse, read and write Chinese, so I was
seen as a bridge between western culture and Chinese culture.
I have been confused with cultural identity. What do I teach my children
about their culture? I haven't figured out the answer for myself.
As an undergraduate, I took two Classic Chinese classes. I wanted
to learn more about the poems and stories I had heard as a little
girl. I felt the desire to learn the stories in its native language.
Classic Chinese is akin to Latin - all ancient texts were written
in it but no one uses it anymore.
I find myself half-saturated with eastern-ness, half-saturated with
western-ness. I speak and dream in English.
I am often mistaken as "ABC" or American-born Chinese, because
I don't have an accent. English was not my native tongue. I also suspect
that to some Taiwanese, I may be called "a banana" (yellow
on the outside, white on the inside.) They can't see an inkling of
Chinese culture in me. My mouth and brain are full of English expressions
and western thoughts. All this would not have bothered me if it were
true, if I have lost all Chinese-ness from me.
I need a bridge for my bridge generation.
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