on the Rose of Sharon. While it refers to many things, including a reference to Jesus Christ, a flower in Europe and St. JohnÆs Wort, in Korea it is the English equivalent of ômugunghwaö and is actually a hibiscus, ôHibiscus Syriacus L.,ö found throughout Asia. According to the website I found, it ôsymbolizes the many glories the country has experienced and the trials and tribulations the people have overcomeö (Image of Korea http://www.koreaaward.com). After looking up these terms and rereading the piece, I began to realize that the author is making a point of saying that this mixed race child identifies herself as Korean, even if others do not. She straddles two worlds û Asian or Korean and Other, just as this piece of writing is neither completely poem nor completely an essay or short story. In identifying herself as Korean, she is becoming the Rose of Sharon and trying to overcome her own trials and tribulations.
After that sank in I began to realize how much I have in common with this little girl. While we are very different, she is a Korean female, only child from a single parent home and I am a male from Singapore who is fortunate enough to still have both parents as well as siblings, our experiences are actually very common. My family came from Singapore to the United States eight years ago, when I was young enough to assimilate into American culture, but old enough to feel foreign and remember where I came from. There are times when, driving to work or school, listening to music, hanging out with my friends, and studying for my degree, I feel very American. I am part of the melting pot of my adopted homeland. Then something will happen that will shatter that illusion. Suddenly I will realize that as ôAmericanö as I feel, I am still perceived as ôforeignö and ôOtherö by people around me. I also realize how much of my heritage I carry with me as I, for example, automatically respond to nonverbal queues...