Blog Post #7: Reflection
a. What challenges did you overcome throughout this story project? How did you go about
overcoming these challenges?
As a Chinese immigrant like the subject of my story, I have a wide range of experiences that I struggled to fit into my story. Some chapters are longer, some are shorter, and most have different and choppy writing styles. I kept an eye on my word count, and managed to keep the story reasonably long (1-2k words). If I were to do this again, I would delve more into the shorter chapters, like the chapters about religion and moving.
b. How did writing and researching this story change the way you think?
Through writing and reading, I feel that I am also keeping in touch with my culture in a way that goes beyond learning the language. I learned that not all aspects of a person’s life can be fitted into neat little chapters. I also learned a bit more about the environment my parents grew up in, and their struggles as first-generation immigrants with their whole family on the other side of the world.
c. What impact will this story have on others locally and/or globally?
I would hope that my story provides some insight into the lives of Asians, immigrants, and Asian immigrants. Understanding and empathy rely on knowledge, and the readers of my story gain knowledge on my perspective and Andy’s life. My story is but one take on the lives of Chinese immigrants, but it is one more resource for understanding.
