Origins

Welcome to the very first post of Twinkie Town! Like most blogs, this first entry will serve as an introduction to my style (aka flavor, or as we say in my hood, FLAY-VAH), topics of interests, and origin of the blog's name.

twin-kie (n)

1: a yellow sponge cake with cream filling manufactured by Hostess

2: an indestructible and imperishable substance (see THE SIMPSONS)

3: a person of Asian (usually Chinese) descent who has been assimilated into the American culture (Synonyms: banana, ABC, toe-gee , tu2 sheng1 )

This blog takes its origins from the third definition. Basically it means someone who is ethnically Asian (yellow on the outside), but culturally American (white on the inside!).

I grew up in San Francisco, so there was no shortage of Asians. My first language was Cantonese, but I soon learned English. I'm not exactly sure how or when, because my parents probably didn't speak more than 5 words of English when I was a baby. My brother knew English from school, so he must have spoken at me, and I must have hung onto his every word (just like now! Aww, he's my big bro!) until I acquired English as my second language. That's my linguistic point of view. If you want to hear the cute story my mom tells then I picked up English from watching Disney Sing-Along tapes. I do have an affinity for sing-alongs... Anyways, I recall speaking perfect English by the time I entered preschool.

When I was in the 1st grade my mother's family came over from Vietnam (Chinese people living in Vietnam! It's a common occurrence and a story for another day). My grandparents as well as 2 aunts and 3 new uncles (my mom has 12 siblings... a story for another day indeed) moved in with us. As a child, this was the best thing EVER. I had so many people to play with and there was never a shortage of food as I think my grandma cooks 24/7. Note that all of these people came from Asia not knowing much English either.

So how is it that I turned into a Twinkie? How did I turn into a "toe-gee" ridiculed by my relatives about being a white girl born into the body of a Chinese one?

Let this be a lesson on the power of American societal pressures and the media. Somewhere along the way I felt the need to suppress my Chinese culture to become more "American." I feel like this is a common situation in the development of Asian-Americans.

1) raised in Asian environment

2) start school system and introduced to American culture

3) become immersed in American culture and feel the need to assimilate

4) increase the amount of English spoken in the home ("Chinglish")

5) if you don't use it, you lose it. Chinese language ability decreases, unknowingly

6) realize that the Asian culture is very valuable and attempt to retrieve it

7) solidify identity as an Asian-American

While this blog won't necessarily focus on Asian topics, it will certainly be the reflection of an Asian-American mind. Being Asian-American is not something that I can pull myself away from.

Thanks for reading! I need a cool sign-out. How about, "Recycle or burn, people! Take care of the Earth!" Too preachy? We'll work on it.