Language Barrier

     “The new kid didn’t say nothing. You could tell he pretty much figured it out that Billy’s an asshole ‘cause you don’t need no English for that” (BW 294). This line from “Show and Tell” by Andrew Lam is a) really awesome and hysterical; and b) underscores an amazing attribute of Asian immigrants coming to the United States: the ability to overcome the language barrier. The thought of being dumped in a foreign country with a different language and culture I find terrifying, to be asked to live and operate in an alien world is asking a lot. I am very impressed at the willingness of Asian immigrants to jump into that. To travel so far from what they understand and restart in an environment that is not only hostile, but incommunicable. To overcome that wall and live normally I find very impressive. Bravo first generation Asian Americans, bravo.