How to American: An Immigrant's Guide to Disappointing Your Parents

by Jimmy O. Yang

I was sure I would never be able to love again after that.

Should I follow my family’s rules and be an obedient Chinese son, or should I follow my freedom and be an independent American man?

In a Chinese family, we never say, “I love you.”

Pursue what you love, not what you should.

Ten extra minutes onstage doesn’t sound that long, but that’s a lifetime when you run out of material.

Perfect, I knew all the weed I’d smoked in college would eventually pay off.

“Not all Asian people look alike, you asshole.”

Sure, I’ll make your boyfriend’s day.

Americans are encouraged to dream big and do anything we set our minds to. The United States is the only country where the pursuit of happiness is the right of its citizens.

I’d rather try to pursue my dream knowing that I might fail miserably than to have never tried at all. That is How to American.

Even though we might never say “I love you” to each other in Chinese culture, there is so much love in these two human beings I truly hit the lottery in life to have them as my parents.

“Having you as my son is like winning the lottery… Not the Mega Millions jackpot, but like a small twenty-dollar prize.”