Ming-Chung was also typical of many immigrants who adapt to their situation, and whose dreams change with them. As a child growing up in San Francisco in the 1950s, I sometimes met insults when I ventured outside of Chinatown or my neighborhood. I have even been spat on and threatened with a knife. I could have let my anger fester until it became hate. I taught creative writing at UC Berkeley and UC Santa Barbara and in the first assignments some of my students were caught up in their anger over various issues.
Anger is a valid emotion but it makes for monotony.
Imagine listening to a song that only had one note played over and over. Part of what I did as a teacher was guide my students into other emotions. However, as I began to write about her, I began to see her viewpoint. From her perspective, I was a lazy, irresponsible child who had turned my back upon my Chinese culture. What began in anger became acceptance.