America is a melting pot, different cultures come together on this land, share their traditions, and make our American culture diverse. I am proud to be an Asian American and grateful for the fact that I am an Asian so I can understand both cultures very well.
When people with different cultures mingled together, it is often beneficial. We can learn good things from other cultures. Most people in America know 武术 Wushu (Martial Arts), but few practice it. I am learning Wushu. It is a type of fighting skill unique to Chinese culture. Participating in Wushu feels special. One of the reasons is that I am the very few people in my class to practice it. It shows that I am strong and always with a righteous spirit. It was a blast when I performed Wushu at our school Heritage Night celebration in March 2019.
I am also proud to be multilingual. I can speak perfect English and fluent Chinese. It helps me reflect more on two very different cultures on how they are alike and different. I can read books written in ancient Chinese text. I can read the original history books written by people two thousand years ago. This capability greatly enhanced my ability to study and understand history and philosophy in China. I can easily assimilate the better part of both cultures and enhance my wisdom.
I learned a few Chinese songs that I like to sing whenever I feel happy. Certain songs when singing in Chinese have a special touch on me that no other American songs can bring. Some of the songs’ lyrics are based on the first poem book published in China called 诗经 Shijing (Book of Poetry). This shows one of the very benefits that Asian culture can bring to my life.
I am proud to be an Asian American! There are so many differences between American culture and Asian culture. But as an Asian American, I still feel many Americans may not truly understand our culture and give enough respect to our culture. In some cases, Asian Americans are being bullied and excluded from certain parts of society just because we eat different food, we dress differently, our parents may have a certain accent when speaking English. I can be the bridge of both cultures, and bring better understanding and harmony to the world.
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Gloria, you are really impressive — you can read books written from thousands year ago! I hope the poems from the book of poems will be your best friend for ever.