analysis of the interview on my friend’s family who came from South Korea and how they assimilated into the new cultures

 analysis of the interview on my friend’s family who came from South Korea and how they assimilated into the new cultures

The transition from one culture to another is often a difficult experience for most individuals, but it is a very interesting topic, especially from oral history analysts. In the United States, there are individuals with diverse cultures ranging from Caucasian, African-American, and Hispanics. All the individuals from this culture interact regularly, and some cultural exchanges take place, where people learn about the way of life of their neighbors and sometimes adopt some practices they deem appropriate. For oral history analysts, they collect and study information, primarily from interviews with individuals experiencing transitions from different cultures. I also found the experience interesting and conducted an interview on my friend’s family who came from South Korea and found some interesting information. This paper discusses the analysis of the interview and how they assimilated into the new cultures.

From the interview, I noted a few interesting facts about South Korea and the culture of its people. The most interesting finding was that South Korea has a high life expectancy rate as compared to other countries in the world. On average, the life expectancy in the country ranges between the mid-80s for men and the 90s for women. This is attributed to the universal healthcare coverage provided in the country and the dietary intake in the country. The healthcare system was introduced in 1989 and had, over the years, developed to cater to the population demographics in the country. Besides, the country has plans to treat certain forms of dementia, mainly due to the projected increase in older citizens. A typical South Korean meal consists of rice that is steam cooked, vegetables, and meat, which is a healthy meal, and healthy meals improve the quality of life.

The country has low rates of terrorism and violence despite people stereotyping such countries and linking them to insecurity. Their citizens respect the laws, court systems, and rules of society. However, the United States has relatively higher crime rates due to the diverse cultural groups in the country. Diversity often leads to gangs that often engage in criminal activities. Depending on the state an individual lives in, the level of security may vary. As opposed to the United States, South Korea is more peaceful. However, my friend’s family has not had any serious violent encounters while living in the United States.

However, there are some cultural differences I noted between the United States and South Korea. The first difference is in the commonly used language and communication. Back in South Korea, the family switch between English and Korean, whereas they love practicing English with foreigners. In normal circumstances, they speak Korean among themselves, and any individuals they see can speak fluently. Koreans tend to communicate without any confrontation and avoid the problem, if any. It is difficult to get straight answers from them, especially on negative issues. On the other hand, in the United States, the main language is English. Dues to diverse cultures, English is the official and national language. Communication is also different because Americans are more confrontational and say things as they are.

The other difference in culture between the two countries is diversity. In the United States, individuality matters, and people like to be unique. The uniqueness is manifested in mannerisms, clothing styles, and grooming. Such diversity is because of the presence of different races. Conversely, in South Korea, there is some form of conformity where there is a single beauty standard with minimal diversity. Besides, the friendship dynamics also tend to differ. In South Korea, there is liberty of being friendly where friends can get super touchy with one another without any repercussions from onlookers, assuming you have something more than friendship. However, Americans are mot super touchy with their friends, especially those of the same sex. This may be because of the assumptions that people might make and the culture that does not teach affection among peers.

The major difference between the two cultures is in the family hierarchy. In South Korea, respect for parents and elders is paramount among the youth and children. The young are expected to show some subservience to individuals older than them or those having higher positions than them. There exists a formal language that is used when talking to elders and superiors. Another manifestation of the hierarchy is that the eldest person is supposed to be the first one to eat at the table while the youngest ones serve the rest. Besides, if they are eating out, the eldest person picks up the check. On the other hand, Americans do not follow a strict hierarchy. Children and youth call their elders using their first names. This phenomenon is common and often encouraged, where there sensitize on equality. While eating out, Americans can fight over who picks the check as it is considered a privilege.

The family found assimilation difficult because there exist few similarities between the cultures. This was made difficult because there are no criteria to determine whether a foreigner has fully assimilated into the diverse American Culture. Some people consider fluency in the common language, economic success, educational success, or gaining some familiarity with American history and cultures as ways to determine assimilation. However, the family says they fit in well in the diverse culture primarily because the U.S has over many years been home to people of different cultures. Although there were some forms of discrimination in the early years, different cultured individuals learned to coexist. Besides, the family mentioned that they see other Koreans in America, and people from other cultures are welcoming and do not treat them like foreigners.