week 2

Simply my Chinese-American identity has led me to be an insider and outsider simultaneously in certain social situations. Although I classify myself as being American because I was born in the US, I admit I don't look like the stereotypical American--Caucasian with European descent. However, because America is such a melting pot of different cultures, I do think that many of us who may not look like the "typical" American individual, can still be considered very American.

Conversely, when I visit China I do not completely fit in because I am considered Chinese American. Although I have a very Asian look, my American upbringing separates the types of clothes I wear, my hairstlye, and such. I also have a slight Chinese accent which allows locals to recognize that I am a "foreigner". Thus, my identity is somewhere in between Chinese and American. I am technically both but not entirely either one. So while I am included in both cultures, I am an outsider as well.

Different social situations call for accentuating different parts of one identity. I find myself acting differently at home versus in the dorms. At home, I am more courteous and rule-following compared to in the dorms when I am casually hanging out with my friends. In the dorms, I am very comfortable saying anything whereas at home, I must be conscious of what I say to my parents. Perhaps, I embrace my Chinese culture more at home because my parents always speak Chinese to me. We celebrate Chinese holidays and many of our family gatherings are with other Chinese families. In the dorms, my group of friends all come from different cultures but we all share the commonality of being American.

Music also varies in different contexts. If you compare a classical concert to a rock concert, the atmosphere, the audience, the mood all differs. At a classical concert, the performers are very structured, the audience is quiet, and the mood is very formal. In contrast, at a rock concert, the performers may act wild and loose. The audience is very laid back and crazy. Social contexts often dictate how people act.