Jeff Niu, an American-born Chinese, experienced contrasting feelings of identity in the US and China. Born in Flushing, Queens, he felt distinctly Chinese-American, especially within diverse Asian communities. His family's migration to California made him more conscious of his Asian identity. Niu has adapted to code-switching between his American and Chinese selves, acknowledging the cultural strengths and flaws. He recalls fondly his summers in Beijing, observing the city’s evolution, and how he bonded with friends over shared experiences and cultural elements, like food and music.
I feel more Chinese in the US and more American in China. I have to code-switch between two personalities. It can be disorienting, but it also helps me see the strengths and flaws of both cultures.
Growing up in Flushing, with many Asian communities - Cantonese-speaking Chinese, Putonghua-speaking Chinese, Taiwanese, Koreans - it was easier to distinguish between different Asian identities. It's one of the few places in the US where the Asian diaspora feels truly granular.
In Flushing's Chinatown, I'd hear Chinese on the streets and eat bao buns next to people who sounded like my parents. In New York, I felt distinctly Chinese-American.
Whenever I met new Asian friends, there was this unspoken understanding: You're not Chinese, and I'm not Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean, or Japanese - but we like the same things. We bond over boba, K-pop, and math.
#cultural-identity #asian-american-experience #identity-navigation #bicultural-experience #immigration
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