PATRIOT SURVEY SAYS: Korean-American: Unapologetically Mimi
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I. . What's in your name?
- Michelle means "Who is like the Lord." It has Hebrew and French origins.
- Mitch- My Aunt liked a band back in the 70s that had a member named Mitch...
- Mimi- shortened, sweeter version that I use now...Working in Retail, you want a name that people remember. So it stuck.
- Chelle- for those who thought Michelle was a mouthful...lol
II. Country(ies) of Origin/Residence:
- South Korea
- U.S.A.
III. States/Regions Lived/Visited in the United States:
- Lived in NC, SC, & GA.
- I've visited States as far West as Nevada, and as far north as Maryland.
IV. Language(s) Spoken:
- English
- A little Korean
- And a little Español.
V. Favorites:
A. DISHES:
- Kimchi Chigae
- Chap Chae
- Kalbi
- Bibimbap
- Zuppa Toscana
B. PHRASES:
- "Are you worthy of being emulated?" Dr. Pedro Nugera
C. SONGS/ARTISTS:
- Whitney Houston
- Prince
- Michael Jackson
- Yolanda Adams
- Kirk Franklin
- Erykah Badu
- Jill Scott
D. BOOKS/AUTHORS:
- Stephen King
- Anne Rice
- Amy Tan
- and many others...
VI. Three words to describe each of the following
A. USA: Freedom, conflicting, contradiction
B. YOUR "OTHER" COUNTRY: Foreign, Motherland, Honor
VII. Which nationalities/cultures do you represent?:
- African American
- Korean
VIII. Where do people assume/guess you are from?:
- Goodness! Hawaii, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, China, etc
IX. What is the most "creative" way (positive or negative) someone has expressed themselves to you with regard to your nationalities/cultures?
- Exotic...I must know Karate...You're not "AS Black (as the others)"
X. What are the biggest differences between your nationalities/cultures?:
- Honor and preserving culture seem to be very important to Korean people. America is freedom to do everything, respect is earned, every man for himself...Not all are like that.
XI. What are the biggest similarities between your nationalities/cultures?
- Families are close-knit. Small town mentality...
XII. Share your experience/observations returning to your country after living in the U.S.:
- TBD
XIII. Share your experiences/observations returning to the U.S. after travelling/living abroad:
- TBD
XIV. Share your experiences/observations travelling to different to different regions within the United States:
- Living in the South is different. People are very polite here, but are also racist.
XV. Share some accurate, inaccurate and lesser known stereotypes of "Americans" and your "other" nationalities/culture(s):
- Koreans are exotic. We have some super sexual prowess. We're all very good at Math and Science.
- Americans are loud and rude.
XVI. How do you define patriot/patriotism?:
- Having a sense of pride and an abundance of love for your homeland.
XVII. What does it mean to be an "American" to you? Did you have a moment when you realized you were or weren't "American"? Did you have a parallel moment in your "other" country? Please share:
- The older I get, the more muddled my definition become. Equal, but separate.
XVIII. How would elders in your "other" country define an "American"?
- TBD
XIX. How would the youth in your "other" country define an "American"?:
- Lazy
XX. What "American" qualities/traits do you most admire?:
- A sense of community, coming together as One.
XXI. What "American" qualities/traits do you least admire?
- Laziness, indifference, racist, close-minded people.
XXII. What makes a country exceptional?
- An exceptional country takes care of its own, as well as the world.
XXIII. What is the "American Dream" to you? How has it changed? What should it be?
- TBD
XXIV. When you watch international competitions like the Olympics or the World Cup, who do you root for?:
- America and Korea
XXV. In which countries have you visited a McDonalds or Starbucks? Any interesting observations?:
- TBD
XXVI. Favorite country/place you have visited or lived or want to visit/live? And why?:
- I want to visit Tuscany. It seems so romantic. I've visited Texas and I loved the wide open spaces...
XXVII. Please share a significant memory(ies) involving one/all of your nationalities/cultures:
- The freedom the play outside all day in Korea, with no fear.
XXVIII. How as living in the United States impacted/influenced you?
- It has allowed me the opportunity to adapt to many situations and meet people from all walks of life.
XXIX. If the United States was "reborn" today, how would you change the following:
Superpower of the Free World.
XXX: Which would you rather have named after you... a mountain or a theory? Why?:
- A theory, because it would cause people to think of a new way of doing things.
Follow Mimi on Twitter: @UrFavritDelta10 & her blog at www.ebbflowweb.wordpress.com !!!!
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