The Struggle to Be an All-American Girl

“The Struggle to Be an All-American Girl “by Elizabeth Wong is about how a mother wants her kids to learn their native language. It’s still there the school I want to 10 years ago, even with the new painting and fence. Am talking about the Chinese school on Yale Street. My brother and I used to go to Chinese school, because their mother wanted them to learn Chinese, but we really wanted to play with our friends. We walk to school with tears on our eyes and stood in front of the principal. I remember him because he clasps his hands behind his back.

The room we sat in smell like medicine from chain, I wanted it to smell like that of my public school. Speaking, reading and writing was the main propose of the school, to start we exercise and we sing “sing san ho” meaning “how are you, teacher”. At ten I had other thing to learn. Am self-conscious of the language most of the time I try to get away from all the voices in Chinatown, which is my grandma. Chinese comes and goes and when I speak to them in English the “smiled sweetly and said encouraging words”.

My mom was always criticized by my brother for mixing Chinese and English when she speaks. my mom sometime leaves “the” or “a” sometime a verb my brother will stop her and correct her. Writing for two years and repeating words with different meanings. I was allowed to leave Chinese school. I thought I was from several cultures, I wanted other ethnic food, I liked “Cinco de Mayo than Chinese New Year”. Finally, am with you; not with them. “Sadly, I still am”.