"In my class I seemed to be the only [foreign student]..." from Itty Chan '61
Title
"In my class I seemed to be the only [foreign student]..." from Itty Chan '61
Creator
Lesley University
Source
From 28:24 of Itty Chan's oral history.
Publisher
Lesley University
Rights
Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright.
Language
English
Type
Sound
Identifier
3.001 Lesley University Archives Oral History Collection, 2008-2010
Interviewer
Alyssa Pacy
Interviewee
Itty Chan
Transcription
AP: "And you mentioned you learned a lot about American culture in the dorms. Do you remember some of the sort of culture shocks or differences that really stuck out to you?"
IC: "Yes. Yes. Usually boyfriend, girlfriend kind of thing, you know. They talk about it. I was totally puzzled by what all of this about. (Laughs). And dating, you know. And discussion about boys and girls and all those. So I basically…I listened."
AP: "So that was very different?"
IC: "Yeah. (Laughs). And, of course, you know, like a…I don’t know it’s like family relations, I think they learn it from me, too. It’s how…they don’t understand why we address my older sister and older brother in a certain way. We don’t just call them by their names. You know, little things like that. There’s a lot of interchange of culture practices."
IC: "But I learned how to stand up for myself. That was one thing I had to learn a little bit more. How to speak up. I was…but…by temperament I’m not the type, you know, who’s outgoing, you know, I mean, in that sense. But…so I, you know, don’t feel…if I wouldn’t talk back or anything like that…just I think that’s part…partially the way I was brought up. But then I learn how to draw boundaries and things like that, you know."
AP: "You mean with your friends?"
IC: "Friends…and...any social relations..."
AP: "And what do you suppose…and what did you make of the obsession of dating and boys and boys and girls relationships?"
IC: "I don’t know. At the time, I think I just put it down as “oh, this is the American way.” (Laughs). Because I didn’t understand it. Of course they complained, too, because as I told you before that living in White Hall in my junior and senior years…I was in White Hall and 11:00 is the curfew, you know. You have to be back, sign in and…and…and I know a lot of people complain about that. (Laughs). For me, 11:00 is bedtime. (Laughs). Anyway, I did have time because I…I had to study and I had, you know, on weekends I also spend sometime babysitting for pocket money."
AP: "You worked so hard. It’s really amazing how hard you worked. You had two jobs. You were in school full time and you would baby sit on the weekends. It must have been really challenging for you."
IC: "Yeah…I think, you know…but it’s okay. I didn’t feel…I don’t remember feeling stressed or anything."
"And I was…I think the only thing I was a bit anxious was to make sure that I make it. I didn’t want to let my parents down. I didn’t want to let President White down by not making it."
28:24
IC: "Yes. Yes. Usually boyfriend, girlfriend kind of thing, you know. They talk about it. I was totally puzzled by what all of this about. (Laughs). And dating, you know. And discussion about boys and girls and all those. So I basically…I listened."
AP: "So that was very different?"
IC: "Yeah. (Laughs). And, of course, you know, like a…I don’t know it’s like family relations, I think they learn it from me, too. It’s how…they don’t understand why we address my older sister and older brother in a certain way. We don’t just call them by their names. You know, little things like that. There’s a lot of interchange of culture practices."
IC: "But I learned how to stand up for myself. That was one thing I had to learn a little bit more. How to speak up. I was…but…by temperament I’m not the type, you know, who’s outgoing, you know, I mean, in that sense. But…so I, you know, don’t feel…if I wouldn’t talk back or anything like that…just I think that’s part…partially the way I was brought up. But then I learn how to draw boundaries and things like that, you know."
AP: "You mean with your friends?"
IC: "Friends…and...any social relations..."
AP: "And what do you suppose…and what did you make of the obsession of dating and boys and boys and girls relationships?"
IC: "I don’t know. At the time, I think I just put it down as “oh, this is the American way.” (Laughs). Because I didn’t understand it. Of course they complained, too, because as I told you before that living in White Hall in my junior and senior years…I was in White Hall and 11:00 is the curfew, you know. You have to be back, sign in and…and…and I know a lot of people complain about that. (Laughs). For me, 11:00 is bedtime. (Laughs). Anyway, I did have time because I…I had to study and I had, you know, on weekends I also spend sometime babysitting for pocket money."
AP: "You worked so hard. It’s really amazing how hard you worked. You had two jobs. You were in school full time and you would baby sit on the weekends. It must have been really challenging for you."
IC: "Yeah…I think, you know…but it’s okay. I didn’t feel…I don’t remember feeling stressed or anything."
"And I was…I think the only thing I was a bit anxious was to make sure that I make it. I didn’t want to let my parents down. I didn’t want to let President White down by not making it."
28:24
URL
https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/oral_histories/37/
Citation
Lesley University, “"In my class I seemed to be the only [foreign student]..." from Itty Chan '61,” Digital Exhibits | Lesley University Archives, accessed April 29, 2024, https://lesleyarchives.omeka.net/items/show/96.