{"id":37879,"date":"2017-01-31T23:07:47","date_gmt":"2017-02-01T07:07:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=37879"},"modified":"2017-02-01T02:16:59","modified_gmt":"2017-02-01T10:16:59","slug":"my-american-immigrant-life-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2017\/01\/31\/my-american-immigrant-life-story\/","title":{"rendered":"My American Immigrant Life Story"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Dear friend,<\/p>\n

I want to share with you my personal American immigrant life story:<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

My Korean-American Immigrant Narrative<\/h2>\n

My father came from an educated family, was passionate about English, business, and finding opportunity\u00e2\u20ac\u201d and came to America with the hope of building a better life for himself and his family.<\/p>\n

My father was the first to come to America, and helped sponsor and financially support my uncles and aunts. His passion for English led him to studying business at Berkeley, where (I believe) he received a masters in business.<\/p>\n

My mom also came from an educated background. She studied Physics in Busan, and was a school teacher. When she was about 30 years, she came to America for new opportunities and to find a potential husband.<\/p>\n

She was looking for a life of potential and opportunity.<\/p>\n

How I came to be<\/h3>\n
\"\"
My mom at the site of her childhood home in Busan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

My parents met in California, and I was born at a San Francisco hospital on January 31, 1988. I was fortunately born healthy, without any major complications.<\/p>\n

My entire narrative as a child was this \u00e2\u20ac\u201d how my parents sacrificed so much to come to America, in order to give me and my sister a better life, with more opportunities. My parents came from an educated, middle class background. But when they arrived in America, their education degrees and training was not honored, they had no social networks, and had to build a life from scratch.<\/p>\n

I knew that I was fortunate to be an American. I knew how much it sucked to be a Korean child\u00e2\u20ac\u201d how much harder they worked back in Korea, for fewer opportunities and rewards. I am grateful for my parents to really instill in me their work ethic. They taught me the importance of excelling in school, and helping the local community. They wanted me to get into a good college and be \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcsuccessful.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 They taught me that I could control my own destiny, and that if I worked hard enough, I could achieve anything I put my heart to.<\/p>\n

Not only that, but I am so grateful for my American public-school education. My teachers were encouraging, and taught me to think for myself, to innovate, to take risks, and to not fear failure. I was given many opportunities to express myself creatively \u00e2\u20ac\u201d through writing, through poetry, through drawing and art, and through music.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I was lucky to be afforded many opportunities\u00c2\u00a0as a child growing up. I grew up most of my childhood in Alameda, California (near Oakland) which was full of mostly Asian-American immigrant families. Even when I spent some of my childhood in Bayside, Queens in New York \u00e2\u20ac\u201d most of my friends were the \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcrainbow crew\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 (my best friends were all immigrants\u00e2\u20ac\u201d being Spanish, Jewish, Indian, Chinese, Korean, Black, Brazilian, etc).<\/p>\n

In my childhood, I was active in my local Boy Scouts troop, where I learned the importance of public duties, civil service, and helping the local community. My leaders in Boy Scouts taught me the virtues of leadership, of respecting nature, and of serving others.<\/p>\n

I am also so fortunate of all the governmental support I got growing up. My family struggled a lot financially when I was growing up. My mom worked part-time jobs, in menial-labor positions, to make a living for our family. She worked as a seamstress, waitress, cleaned houses, took care of the elderly, and taught kids. Each month we could barely pay the bills. Because of this, we could never save any money — and the future was always uncertain. I remember my mom telling me a lot in middle school\/high school, “Eric– we don’t have enough money to pay for rent this month. Just know that we might have to go to a shelter, because we might be homeless.”<\/p>\n

Therefore it was scary growing up as a kid — not having any sense of security. This is what actually taught me:\u00c2\u00a0nothing in life was given to you on a silver platter. You had to work hard to achieve success.<\/p>\n

At the same time, I learned a lot about gratitude. We received support from our family networks, our local community, and the federal government.\u00c2\u00a0I was able to take my \u00e2\u20ac\u0153A.P.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (advanced placement) tests for free in high school (which would have otherwise cost us about $100 a test), I got free application fees to apply to the U.C. (University of California) schools, and I also got free\/subsidized lunch at school.<\/p>\n

Through a combination of hard work, support from the government, my local community members, local community organizations, my parents, family, friends, and everyone else who guided me \u00e2\u20ac\u201d I was blessed enough to be accepted into U.C.L.A. for college.<\/p>\n

When I went into college, I studied Sociology, and it opened up my mind. There was no way I could have afforded college\u00e2\u20ac\u201d if it weren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t for the U.S. Governmental grants, scholarships, and loans I got, as well as being accepted into the \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcwork study\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 program \u00e2\u20ac\u201d which paid my bills.<\/p>\n

Studying at UCLA, I met these world-class scholars and professors, who challenged my traditional way of thinking. I learned all these sociological theories, concepts, and ideas\u00e2\u20ac\u201d which liberated and enlightened me. I took out a $5,000 federal loan because I was never able to have a savings but wanted to travel and to learn. I used that loan to support a boot-strapped\u00c2\u00a0backpacking trip through Europe \u00e2\u20ac\u201d where I learned new cultures, concepts, and ideas\u00e2\u20ac\u201d which I brought back home with me.<\/p>\n

\"\"
UCLA graduation photo with Cindy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As first generation immigrants, my parents struggled to make a living and to create a home for their kids. Through advocacy organizations, my parents received citizenship and I was lucky enough to be born as an American citizen. The sacrifices of my parents and the generosity of the community and social programs have made me who I am today.<\/p>\n

My contributions to society<\/h2>\n

As an individual, I have contributed much to the \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcopen source\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 community (at least in terms of photography). In the US schools, I learned English, which is the primary language of the internet. I learned how to write, read, and compose sentences. I learned fluency, which helped me (eventually) write free and open-source books on photography, as well as many free articles and videos that can teach anybody in the world to be a good photographer.<\/p>\n

But once again, I wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have achieved anything without the U.S. \/ American concepts of freedom, individuality, hard work, \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcrags to riches\u00e2\u20ac\u2122, or access. If my parents weren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t allowed to immigrate to America, I would have never been created, and all of this information I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve created wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have existed.<\/p>\n

What is \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcAmerica\u00e2\u20ac\u2122?<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

America is a country of immigrants. Nobody is truly \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcnative\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 to America, except perhaps the Native Americans.<\/p>\n

The first settlers to America came here to escape the persecution of the British. The founding fathers guaranteed all who came to America the pursuit of happiness, liberty, and freedom.<\/p>\n

I am proud and honored to be an American. I know that a lot of my friends from all around the world would die to have an American citizenship.<\/p>\n

I am blessed to be an American, because I can travel across most of the world freely, without being hassled or being stopped at borders.<\/p>\n

I also know that America\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s principal strength is from outside and immigrant ideas, concepts, and cultures. I know much of America has benefitted from the amazing cuisine of the Italians, from the confucian-hard-work-school-education ethic of the Asians, the Zen aesthetics from the Japanese, the music from Africa, the faith of the Jewish, and hundreds of other cultures I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t think off the top of my head.<\/p>\n

A practical example: Elon Musk was an immigrant. Steve Jobs was born of an immigrant father. The founding fathers were all immigrants.<\/p>\n

All of America\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s greatness wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have existed without immigrants.<\/p>\n

Change yourself before changing others<\/h2>\n

There are a lot of politics I don’t understand fully yet and I will work towards increasing my awareness.<\/p>\n

However in the meantime, I can work towards changing my own perspectives and build a culture of acceptance and kindness.<\/p>\n

And so can you.<\/p>\n

Open is better<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

All societies thrive from openness. From sharing ideas, cultures, and allowing the free-movement of information, people, and ideas.<\/p>\n

The reason why Android is the most-used mobile operating system is because it is open-source.<\/p>\n

The reason why Linux is used on billions of devices is because it is open-source.<\/p>\n

I think we need to also open-source freedom. We need to open up borders, not keep them closed.<\/p>\n

If any country wants to thrive economically, politically, or socially \u00e2\u20ac\u201d the more open, the better.<\/p>\n

We are all citizens of the world<\/h2>\n

I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m nothing but a mere photography blogger. I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t change much in the world, but I can change myself.<\/p>\n

I want to continue to keep my information free, open, and easily-accessible to others \u00e2\u20ac\u201d hoping that this information will help empower photographers from all around the globe.<\/p>\n

We don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t belong to one country or nation. We are all citizens of the world. Humanity is one big brotherhood. When we help others, we are helping ourselves\u00e2\u20ac\u201d and when we help ourselves, we are helping others.<\/p>\n

Be the change which you wish to see in the world<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Regardless of who you are, your nationality, or your background \u00e2\u20ac\u201d you are an individual who can make a positive impact in the world.<\/p>\n

Let us start off by opening up our hearts by promoting tolerance, compassion, empathy, and love for all of our brothers and sisters in the world. Let us all be the change which we wish to see in the world.<\/p>\n

Sincerely,
\nEric Kim (A Korean-American child of immigrant parents)<\/p>\n

Share your immigrant story<\/h2>\n

If you are an American immigrant, or born of immigrant parents, share your story below:<\/p>\n