Suki Kims Facing Poverty with a Rich Girls Habits Essay Example for Free

Suki Kims Facing Poverty with a Rich Girls Habits Essay This woman named Suki Kims life changed instantly. In the beginning she talks about Queens, New York in 1983 where she lived at, at the time. She describe their first home as â€Å"the upstairs of a two-family brownstone in Woodside†(Kim, page 92 ). She also said â€Å"the place was crammed, ugly place† and compared that to where she use to live in South Korea (Kim, Page 92). When she entered seventh grade her father’s company went bankrupt overnight and he was a millionaire shipping company, mining business and hotels. However, when the bankruptcy happen jail time was required because that was the punishment for her father. So without any money at all they flew to America into the state of New York. Sense Suki Kim came from South Korea, she couldnt speak any English at all. In fact the only first English word she knew was F. O. B (â€Å"Fresh off the boat†) because in junior high school all the teens was saying that about her. Miss Kim had transportation from a chauffeur when she used to live in South Korea and now that she lives in Queens, New York she has to ride on the public school bus with all the other teens. Another thing that changed in her life traumatically was that she had never done homework without a governess helping Miss Kim. She also noticed that a house can get really messy when she dont have a maid around anymore to clean up after her. Suki was even humiliated about bringing her dirty laundry to the laundry mat! Miss Kim had many life changes and she wasnt happy about it at all, she just wanted to go back to how her life was before. At the time when Miss Kim went to junior high she noticed how American schools are so different from Korean schools. Miss Kim also observed how people treat each other in America different from how Koreans treat each other in South Korea. Suki mentioned how Koreans in schools wore slippers to keep the schools floors clean as she compares to Queens, New York school has graffiti on the walls and has guards at the school doors searching the teenagers before they enter the school. When Miss Kim entered a English class with other Koreans she thought that she would fit in more but soon realized that she was still standing out from them. She knew that their was a difference between her and other Koreans. She said, â€Å"The wealthier Korean immigrants had settled in Westchester or Manhattan, where their children attend private schools† (Kim, Page 93). She was in a public school where all the other poor immigrant teens went to. After awhile her family had earned enough money to move out of that neighborhood to get better housing and education. Suki had volunteered at a family assistant center as a interpreter and she got on her feet-finally adjusting to society. I think this memoir is to good read because I can understand how Suki feels. I was interested in how a rich person life changed to being a middle class or poor person. I liked this memoir of Sukis story because she put all of her opinions and what she disliked into her essay. To me it seemed like she wanted to fit in into the American school society. I think she should just be herself and to always have faith that everything is going to be alright. She should take it one day at a time and make friends that can be true to her. I think this memoir teaches people never to regret what you have and always appreciate what you have. Never to be ashamed of where you came from and to always have pride that better days will come. I wondered what kind of friends she used to have when she used to live in South Korea? I also wondered how Sukis family learned how to survive in America without any money? I could imagine her having that fantasy life that she used to have when she used to live in South Korea. I felt that she didnt show any emotion about the big move her family made to America. It seem like she was brave and didnt think that America was a hard place to survive. I liked how Suki talked about the hip hop culture being known by other fellow Koreans. Seems as though to me that she was growing to be like an ordinary American teen that wants her ears pierced. My opinion on the memoir is that it made me feel bad but I was glad that some one in the world experience the hard times like other poor and middle class Americans. Yes its harsh, but all people have their down falls and I think rich people should imagine being in other poor or middle class people shoes. I also think that Immigrants have it hard also when they cant afford to be in their own countries and come to America to make things right. They believe that they would be free to do what they want because they have better opportunity to make more money. Which is true but some immigrants think that its easy to get money when there is always a struggle to get what we want. I enjoyed this memoir of Suki Kims story because it made me appreciate what I have now. Yes I would love to have what she used to have but I know money doesnt bring happiness because its only the ones you love would. Changes in Sukis life made her change her attitude of being a rich girl into a girl being more well rounded about everything she use to know. I wondered what kind of jobs did her dad and mom get while in Queens, New York? I wondered how did her parents take to poverty because she never mentioned how her parents felt? I also think she could have made more friend if she would have reach out to other races in her school. I know she couldnt speak very good English but she could have at lease get a Korean girl that speak English to help her. Suki can reach out in her community to go see others that are in her situation and talk to people. She can also be with good friends at a community center and be with them to help her get through her situation.