An interview with an Asian expat to America.
America the Lovely Country!
An interview with an Asian expat to America.
Translated from an unknown Asian language.
Interviewer: Mr. Lee, I understand that you’ve been living in the USA for the past three years. What’s your overall impression of the country?
Mr. Lee. Oh, I love it! The country is wonderful, and the people are absolutely the kindest ,most helpful human beings you can find. Everywhere you go, you see these radiant smiles, and everybody wants to say “Hello!” and teach me English. And they praise and welcome me daily. Everything here is just super great!
Interviewer: Have you been able to learn much English?
Mr. Lee: Just a few words. But it’s not necessary as I have enough money, and my money speaks for me. Also, sometimes, I take my friend with me to translate if absolutely necessary.
Interviewer: Do you think you miss out on a lot of what’s going on by knowing only a few words in English as you can’t understand what the people are saying, what newspapers write, what comments are made online, etc.?
Mr. Lee: No, because I have eyes, and I have ears -- and I observe things. Also, my friend would tell me if anybody said anything negative about me, and he never has.
Interviewer: Some say that America is a country with many social problems such as inequality, high crime, high divorce rates, many broken homes, racial discrimination, and unequaled levels of gun violence- such as school shootings- and police brutality. How do you feel living in a place with so many negatives?
Mr. Lee: I don’t see anything like that here. I’ve been here for three years, and there’s a school in my neighborhood and so far, no school shootings! My friend has been here for five years, and there’s also a school near where he lives --- and no school shootings, there, either.
I’ve never seen a cop brutalizing anybody, and I’ve met several black people, and they had cars and cellphones. I didn’t see any discrimination against them. They were smiling. Do you think they’d be smiling or have a car and a cellphone if they were discriminated against?
As far as high divorce rates, I haven’t seen any. My neighbors next door are married, the people across the street are a married couple. I don’t see them getting divorced. And what about in our country? We have divorce, too. Every place you go, some people will divorce. It’s no different here.
Interviewer: But history says that black people and other minorities had gone through terrible persecutions in America, and a lot of it is happening even today.
Mr. Lee: I haven’t seen it. But as I understand, white people in America are very shy. And black people speak this language called Ebonics-- which is difficult for white people to understand. So, the white people were just too shy to hire them and to rent to them or let them into establishments. “What if he goes in and then, there’s a problem, and he says something, and we don’t understand his Ebonics?” So, it’s not hatred or anything. It’s just shyness. They’re just timid, so, for the sake of those black people, they want them to stay in their areas where Ebonics is understood, so that they feel comfortable there. This is how my friend explained it to me.
Interviewer: But to return to other dangers: stats show that America has an average of 100 gun deaths per day! And some 10,000 rapes per year. And assaults are some 190,000 a year! Do you really feel safe living in a place like that?
Mr. Lee. As I said, I’ve never had any problem. There’s crime in every country, including mine. My view on it is that it has to do with the Law of Attraction. The people to whom those crimes happened must have been disrespectful to American people or must have had negative thoughts and sent negative vibrations which drew the crime into their lives. But, if you are nice to others, others will be nice to you. Just be positive, treat others with respect, and nothing like that will happen to you. You always get what you put in. I’m nice to Americans, and they’ve been nice to me.
Interviewer: So, how have Americans been treating you?
Mr. Lee. Wonderfully! They’re so compassionate and understanding! To wit: just the other day, an American walked up to me. He looked very serious and concerned. He said something like, “ Go..back… country, you, son…” He called me a “son”, but I didn’t understand the rest. Sounded like “ beach”. So, in his very fatherly tone, he was worried that I was getting homesick, and cared enough for me to advise that I visit my homeland and spend time on the beach there to fight the nostalgia that I might feel. Americans are so caring! I’m sure if I knew more English, I’d understand the depth of their care for me. Such sensitive, sympathetic people!
On a separate occasion, another American approached me and said something like,” mother… mother…, mother, and the rest was like “lover?” They seem to know that in our country, we’re family oriented people, and that we love our mothers. So, he obviously admired that quality and praised me time and time again. Americans are so appreciative of other cultures!
Oh, and I also recall someone shouting to me something yesterday, that sounded like, “Fun you! You God…given.. king”. Can you imagine? They acknowledge and value the fact that I bring joy into their lives and that I’m a gift from God and as great as a king. Nowhere did anybody treat me this well! I just wish I knew more English to understand what they say better. I told my friend about it, and he even blushed when he heard it. That’s the kindness that Americans bestow on me every day!
Interviewer: Now, in these trying times with the covid19 epidemics, have you experienced any adverse reaction from Americans? There have been some reports that some Asian people have been treated unkindly by the locals. And also, it seems that the covid19 cases are over a million in the US now.
Mr. Lee: I haven’t seen any covid19. Also, around where I live, there are lots of people. I haven’t seen even one coughing or choking. And I haven’t had even one single problem with covid19 or the locals treating me any differently. Just people saying something in English as usual, praising me and giving advise, but my English isn’t good, so I could only understand such words as , “ son”, “ beach”, “ kill” , “virus”, “mother” and I didn’t understand the rest. They were all treating me like own son, apparently advising me that beaches were hot places where the virus would be killed, and that I should go and stay with my mother on such a beach. As always, very caring! Sensitive, empathetic, angelic people!
Interviewer: So, what would you advise to others who want to come to the USA? How can they be successful and happy in America?
Mr. Lee: Treat Americans with respect, keep an open mind, and you won’t have any problem. Maintain a positive attitude and realize that bad things happen only to people who are negative, complaining, and who like to brood. Smile at America, and America will smile back at you! And don’t pay attention to anyone telling you anything negative about this wonderful land. They’re just being jealous, negative and racist against American people. There are good and bad people everywhere, including your own country, but how the world responds to you depends on your own attitude alone. Be good and the world will be good to you!