Immigration shaped the United States into a rich and versatile nation with a variety of cultures from many different countries. Since the early 1900’s, the Korean people have emigrated to the United States for new opportunities. Throughout the history of Korean immigration to the United States , there have been many generations that have passed as well as new generations that have been made

As each generation of Korean-Americans passes, it is a general trend that the descendants of those parents become more Americanized. I believe that children of immigrant parents should hold on to their traditional cultures in their new home and pass them on to each generation that follows. Unfortunately, this seldom happens past the second generation of Korean-Americans. Little by little, precious language and culture are lost forever.

Because I am a child of Korean-born parents, I am strongly influenced by both American and Korean cultures. As a result, I have the ability to speak two different languages. This ability has not only given me a deeper understanding into the philosophy of languages, but it has also opened up many opportunities for me. For example, I have been hired to teach Korean literature and culture to other Korean-American students at the Korean Language Institute of the University of Akron . I have also been employed as an English tutor at various Korean schools throughout my multiple stays in Korea .

There are also many smaller rewards for living with first generation Korean-American parents. Because my parents have relatives in Korea , I have the opportunity to visit Korea with my family every year. Having gone every year since the third grade, I consider Korea as my second home. As a result, I have a variety of friends in both Korea and America . Through the friendship I have gained in both Korea and America , I have become a very diverse individual. Because my parents are still close to their home country, I have the pleasure of eating Korean food every day, listening to Korean music, and watching Korean drama. For exercise, I practice the Korean national martial art of Tae Kwon Do. I have been practicing Tae Kwon Do for 9 years and am currently a second degree black belt. As a senior ranking student, I help teach advanced techniques at a local academy every week as an assistant instructor. Doing Tae Kwon Do has taught me discipline and persistence, as well as providing with leadership skills.

Although there have been many benefits, being a child of first generation Korean-American parents is not always a walk in the park. Because all my relatives live in Korea , I can only see them for a short time once each year during my annual summer stay in Korea . Also because of my infatuation with Korean dramas and music, I have a hard time relating with my friends at school. While my friends watch television series such as That 70’s Show, I watch recorded Korean dramas from a local Asian grocery store. Recently, I watched a melancholy drama titled, I’m Sorry, I Love You ( 미안하다 사랑한다 ). On the other hand, while my friends listen to American R&B music such as Alicia Keys, I listen to the Korean equivalent, Lim Jeong Hee. Because I cannot keep myself updated on the pop culture of both countries, I have a hard time relating with my non-Korean friends.

Although I am fairly good at speaking Korean, I still lack the fluency of a native speaker. Maintaining the ability to speak both Korean and English is very hard. Because I use English at school, I can easily lose my precision in reading and speaking correctly in Korean. This burden, however, forces me to maintain a good habit of persistency and perseverance. For example, in order to maintain my Korean language skill, I read Korean novels during my free time. Furthermore, although my father has achieved proficiency in English, my mother still struggles with common usage. So, every week I spend time one-on-one helping her with her English. Teaching my mom has not only helped me with my patience, but it has also given me self-satisfaction by reciprocating the care that my mother has given me throughout my life with the academic knowledge that my mother has played such an essential role in.

Because my parents were born and raised in Korea , they carry extremely high standards for me and my brothers. They always expect the best of me in everything I pursue and constantly push me into many extracurricular activities. Because of their constant motivation, I have learned to play the piano and guitar with mastery. With these abilities, I lead praise every Sunday for the youth group at my church. Also, because of the hard work ethic and leadership skills I have received by participating in Tae Kwon Do, I have gained respect from my fellow students at school and was elected Class President last year. Even though all these extracurricular activities put an enormous stress on me, I am thankful for my parents, because they are the reason for my recognition from my peers and elders as a multi-talented and hard working student.

Living with first generation Korean-American parents has been a blessing as much as a challenge. I am extremely thankful for my parents and the dedication they have for me. Because of them, I am the very person that I am today: a proud Korean-American teenager.