People Watching

Observations of children and adults

I have been staying in the United States for approximately 5 months, I found out that American children are expose to the American culture very much. They have an early sex education which they learn by themselves from the mass media (TV, Magazine, Newspapers, and the Internet.) In addition, they are the spectators who watch adults interact. Those adult did not act as good models to guide the children.

Let me abridge what I have seem in American family.

Last few week, my friend invited me to Twin Cities for a weekend stay. I lived at her sister's house. Her sister is 23 years old and she has a 6 years old son. They started to drink alcohol in the house and the kid was watching TV. He was so concentrated to the Cartoon show and I was sitting beside him. From my conversation with him, he told me they always like to drink and he was kind of got used to all of this. He would rather to do his own thing, and not to interrupt us. Sometime, he will turn on the volume because they talked really loud. At the end, he faced the music.

The American elderly

The questions for American elderly are so crucial and meaningful. It is kind of a personal legend or a future plan for everyone. From my survey conducted to American friends and elderly, American elderly wish to live at a retirement community.

In Sacramento California and Hot Spring Arkansas, there are many famous retirement community and Americans plan to go there when they reached their retirement age. (My friend's grandparent is in Sacremento). The reason they choose to go to retirement community is because they want to enjoy their life and make more friends. They do not want to rely on their children or stay with their children when they are old.

In Chinese culture, children must be respectful and thankful to their parents and they have to take good care of their parents when they are old. This is to appreciate them as growing us up since we were young.

The American Family vs my family and my way

The best way to know more about American Family is to go for a homestay at American house or ask Americans about their family. From my observation and conversations with Americans, they love their family members. Yet, they are independent when they reach the age of 18.

Throughout their school year (elementary to high school), they live with their parents. When going to college or university, they will choose to move out from their house and stay in University dorm or a rented house which is close to campus. For me, I did the same thing as Americans do. I am kind of following American's ways. When I graduated from high school, I picked up a college which provides me scholarships and not too far from my home. It was TAR College, Penang which is 2hours drive from my hometown. I rented a house off campus and I knew that I was going to be independent when my parents sent me to college.

A majority of American students will try to earn tuition fees themselves, so do I. I went in to a college which provides me 75% discount on tuition fees when I graduated from High School. I was trying to be independent and not going to rely on my parents. Although they are more than afford to send me to private college, I did not go for it! This is because I just want to be independent! I was influenced by my sisters who are more independent than I do.

My American friends will talk to their mother more than their father on cell phone. This is exactly the same situation as mine. Some of them will write letter to their grandmother. However, I would never write letter to my grandmothers because they are illiterate. I will follow my mother whenever she is going to visit my grandmother.

A majority of Americans have a big family and they will organize family reunion party once a year in summer. Besides, they will gather together during Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Wedding. For me, my family and relatives will gather together during Chinese New Year, Wedding, Ching Ming Festival (Festival for Tending Graves), and Elderly’s (Grandfather or Grandmother) birthday party.

The only difference that I found is the equality in the family. Husband and wife are equal partners. They share the household duties together if both of them go to work and earn some earnings for the family. This is so much different as in my family. My father is a businessman and he is the key person in the family. He is the only one who earns money and supports the whole family. When my father comes home from work, my mother is a good housewife who is obedient to my father. She takes good care of my father and us (her children) when we were young. We have a happy family though. Anyway, parts of the household duties are done by my house maid and it is to minimize the workload of my mom. Sometimes, my mother is responsible for household duties whereas my father is responsible for the maintenance of cars, electricity and furniture. It is very rare to see my daddy taking a broom and clean the floor.

As a teenager, we need to learn how to be independent in order to strive for success with our bare hands. For me, I would not expect anything from my parents unless they were willing to give me. I would try my best to do the best to achieve my dreams.