Book Review: 團圓 / Immigrants

和好姊妹在台北逛花栗鼠兒童書店時發現了這本童書 -  團圓，嚴實的用塑料薄膜包裹著，一本正經的被放在書架上，好像深怕別人偷看了裡面的故事。我被書名和封面吸引，儘管看不到故事的內容，我還是買下了帶回來準備講給兒子聽。湊合著床前的昏黃小燈，這ㄧ講可不得了，哭點很低的我淚水直打轉，眨著眼睛聲音還差點哽咽。

兒子還小，不懂鄉愁，不懂離別，更不懂團圓之後的離別。

故事裡小女孩的爸爸在外地蓋房子， 一年只能回家一次，就是過年的時候。從一開始見面對爸爸有些陌生，到和爸爸一起包硬幣在湯圓裡，穿新衣拜新年，幫忙爸爸整修房子，看舞龍舞獅，堆雪人，小女孩和爸爸開心的相聚，時間卻過得很快，爸爸又要收拾行李出遠門了。

在中國，每年有無數的移民工人從農村到城市尋找工作，因為政府的戶籍制度，他們無法在落腳城市取得居民合法身分，沒有身分則不能享有城市居民的教育和醫療福利。大多數的移民工人住在雇主搭建的宿舍裡，賺取微薄的薪水，幾乎與外界隔絕，有家眷的只能每年過年時見一次面。

12 年了，我這個美國第一代移民掙得了自己一塊小小的位置，也試著每年回家一次。什麼時候，在中國境內的移民人口也能篳路藍縷，城鄉相融?

I came across this children's picture book written in Mandarin while I was hanging out at a children's bookstore in Taipei. It was all wrapped in platic and I couldn't see what the story was about at all. However, I love the book title - Tuan Yuan (It means "reunion" in Mandarin.) and the illustration on the book cover. So I brought it back home and read it to my son as a bed time story. It turned out, my tears unexpectedly ran like a broken faucet.

The little girl's father comes home only once a year for a couple of days. He builds houses in other cities in China and he just came home for the Chinese New Year. Through putting a coin in sticky rice balls, visiting friends, doing maintenance work on the house and watching dragon dance together, the little girl enjoyed the short period of time she had with her father, until it's time to say goodbye again.

Millions of "immigrant labors" in China moved from farm villages to cities, looking for jobs to feed their family. Despite the extended period of time they stay in the cities, the government considers them as temporary city residents. These "immigrant labors" don't share the same benefits in health insurance and medical care as the existing city residents. They live in dorms specifically built for them by their employers. Working long hours and making minimum wages, most of them don't have much contact with the actual city life. Moreover, since their children don't have the equal rights to attend the city public schools, their family usually stayed behind in the farm villages. Sadly, many children in the farm villages only get to see their father (sometimes both parents) once a year.

Being one of the countless first generation immigrants to the United States, my reunion with my extended family also happens once in a year. Although I made close to minimum wages as a former public school teacher, I had access to affordable health insurance and managed to purchase a suburban house. My children will benefit from free public education unil 12th grade wherever we choose to live.

In a way, I am grateful of this land of equal opportunities. While Jeremy Lin continues to prove "Linsanity" is not "Linished", I guess I have proved a FOB can become a credential teacher, too - and a pretty darn good one.

Harvard to Knicks - Who is Jeremy Lin? 誰是林書豪

Like I mentioned before, I was born and raised in Taiwan, moved to the States in 1999. Even though it has been over 10 years, I'm still pretty much a FOB. And I'm the same as the majority of Asian girls in my generation who live in Asia forever - we don't really care for sports. Not basketball, not baseball, not soccer, not sporty anything. (I know, there are some of you out there who can prove me wrong, like my dear friend Maria, but I said "majority" of my generation, ok? )

I don't know why. Maybe it's because I never had the genes to run fast, jump high, or handle any kind of ball in the right way. My friends were shocked when they knew P.E. is one of the subject I had to teach as an elementary school teacher. I don't blame them. My mom signed me up for swimming lessons in middle school but until this day I'm still afraid of water. Out of 56 girls in my high school class, I came in last running 100 meters. My eyes and arms don't coordinate well to hit the tennis ball with the racket. I tripped on tiny rocks when I walk in the park with my 21 month old daughter. Anyways, you get the picture. You will not find me as the tanned bikini Asian chick playing beach volley anywhere.

But ever since this Monday, I started paying attention to the NBA games, all because of Jeremy Lin. I had no idea who he was. I guess no one did. He came out of nowhere and became the point guard, the center of attention of New York Knicks.

He is not like Yao Ming, the 7ft. 6 in. giant who was a professional basketball player from China . Jeremy Lin was born in the States and grew up in Palo Alto, California. His parents immigrated from Taiwan in the 70's. His father taught his brothers and him how to play basketball at the Y. After receiving no athletic scholarships, Jeremy went to Harvard and graduated with a 3.3 GPA, major in economics and minor in sociology. Sounds like a typically Chinese American kid, doesn't it? But the brainy young man surprised the world with 28 points as Knicks beat Utah Jazz on Feb. 6.

People in Taiwan have already called him the "Taiwanese Pride". What does Jeremy Lin represent to the Chinese Americans, or the Asian Americans in the States? Is he slashing the stereotype that nerdy Asians only belong to the golf courses?

All I know is, Jeremy Lin has got my big guy fired up, waiting to watch the Lakers V.S. Knicks game tonight. A Chinese American boy growing up in Cali can actually play (and play well so far) in the NBA! After a whole week of "Jeremy Lin 101" with me, my 5ft. 8in. big guy is suddently 23 years old again, and definitely not that much shorter than Jeremy's 6ft. 3 in.......

Oh, the American dream! Look at Jeremy Lin! I wonder how many people have done the right things to nurture such an outstanding young man. As a Chinese American teacher and mommy, what role can I play in my young children's life?