By Jasmine Woo
Walking along a scenic route by the ocean in Laoshan, China, a man in Mandarin asks me “Are
you a Huárén?” Huárén describes someone who is of Chinese descent living outside of China.
This past summer, I participated in a three week college sponsored faculty-led
study abroad course called Change and Continuity in China. This study abroad course gave me a chance to
travel abroad and to visit China for the first time. I traveled with a of group of mostly White male
students except for one female, African American student.
As a result of my experience of studying abroad, I began questioning and wondering about my identity as an Asian American, as a Chinese American. Initially arriving to China, I was very aware of myself within my group, especially being seen as an American or maybe being seen as a local Chinese. Throughout the trip, I constantly thought of myself as being very American.
As a result of my experience of studying abroad, I began questioning and wondering about my identity as an Asian American, as a Chinese American. Initially arriving to China, I was very aware of myself within my group, especially being seen as an American or maybe being seen as a local Chinese. Throughout the trip, I constantly thought of myself as being very American.
At the university, we were visiting, there were many stares by students as I
walked around campus with the “foreign” group of students. I was one of only two female
identified students on the trip so I was always walking with the African American female student.
LATEST STORIES
As the two of us walked together, I think they probably saw us as an odd combination.
Towards the end of the trip, I thought of myself as being culturally American, but ethnically Chinese. However, I was confused by this notion because I also thought of myself growing up with Chinese parents and their knowledge and cultural practices have imparted upon me.
Identity is a place of confusion and is very dependent upon on the context in which we are in. I still see myself as holding these dual identities, sometimes I identify more with my Chinese
heritage, but sometimes I can connect more with being from the United States.
I am an undergraduate student at a small liberal arts college in Western North Carolina. As a result of my study abroad experience I decided to focus my senior thesis around Asian American students experiences of studying abroad in Asia, especially focusing on students who study abroad in their heritage country.
This research is a year long process and I am looking for students who might be interested in learning more about my research and potentially being a participant. Please contact me if you are interested.
(Note from the editor: Jasmine Woo attends Warren Wilson College and may be reached at jwoo.f12 at warren-wilson dot edu)
RE: How studying in China opened up issues of identity for Asian American students: Hi Jasmine. I don’t know if you will see this comment, but this is amazing!How did you find out about asamnews? I hope this piece will reach out to more people and get your thesis rolling.
-Anita Tam
RE: How Studying in China Opened Issues of Identity for an Asian American Student: Couldn’t email Jasmine. Tried the email provided by the editor, didn’t work.
Please try again. The email is good. Of course, you'll need to replace at with @ and "dot" with .
RE: How studying in China opened up issues of identity for an Asian American student: My school was switching over their email system, so it should be up and running now!