Vincent's Story for AAJA 2003

HOST INTRO

Each year, thousands of American families adopt babies from China. Once back in the United States, many parents want their children to maintain strong ties to their Chinese heritage. Here in San Diego, Chinese language schools are struggling to accommodate both the children and their parents.

The Beat's Vincent Hsia (Shaw) reports.

Seven-year old Liana and four-year-old Kara Miller are sitting on their living room couch munching McDonald's French fries. As they eat, a blond woman in her 40's begins brushing Liana's long black hair.

Tape: (:08) "I'm Janice Miller. I'm mom to Liana and Kara, the giggly girls" (girls laughing in the background)

cross fade
(brushing hair ambiance under)

Janice Miller adopted the girls from China. In 1995, Miller was in the process of filing adoption papers for Liana when she decided she would teach her baby about Chinese culture. Miller had read an article in Vanity Fair about actress Julie Andrews, who adopted two Vietnamese girls.

Tape :12 "And this is what got me. They went through a time, adolescence and teenage years, where they looked in the mirror and wished they were not Asian. I just know from the bottom of my heart. I never want my children to feel that way."

Miller met other parents who had similar views. Together, they approached two Chinese language schools for help. Marty Foltyn adopted Miranda when she was ten months old.

:18 "Probably when she was two, we really wanted her to have a chance to learn about China, to grow and get a love for China and the Chinese culture. So my husband and I decided that Chinese school would be a good way to do that"

Kerman Kwan, a principle at one of the schools, decided to help. Four years ago she started a Mandarin class for both the adopted kids and their non-Chinese speaking parents, who wanted to learn the language as well.

Both mothers and fathers attended the classes. Everyone learned about red envelopes, which play a big role in Chinese festivities. They made dragon heads, learned traditional dances, and sang songs.

For a Chinese New Year's celebration, both children and parents were on stage together reciting a poem.

:4 then slow fade under
(Kids poem recital in the background)

Learning the culture was fun. But the complexities of the language were daunting. The program uses Ping Ying, a system based on the English alphabet to help pronounce Chinese words. The idea was to make it easier for the American parents to help their children.

Six-year old Miranda Foltyn says she's enjoyed taking classes with her parents:

Tape: "I feel happy cause my parents are really working hard so I can stay in Chinese school and keep learning more. And I feel good because my parents are also learning. But not my dad. He doesn't like learning Chinese at all (laughing). He doesn't know one single bit!":10

Miranda's father is not the only one who had trouble with Chinese. Some parents dropped out because they simply didn't have enough time. Kerman Kwan says there were other reasons as well:

:11 "Age and plus non-Chinese background. That makes big difference. Even though they really want to, they don't have the environment. So I think it's pretty hard for them."

Janice Miller no longer learns Chinese with her daughter Liana. She still sits in class from time to time, but she's found that Liana learns faster without her. And despite Liana's progress, her mother recognizes Liana may never master the language:

Tape: "I've had to modify my expectations. She is not going to be fluent by attending Chinese school, one time three hours a week."

But other parents say they wouldn't think of dropping out:

Cross fade
(Dance)

Madeline Clogston is learning dance steps with her son for the upcoming Moon Festival. She's Chinese American who does not speak Chinese. She attends Chinese school not for herself but for her son. They're both sticking with the class:

Tape:"For my husband and me, quitting the language program is not an option. We really want this to be a permanent part of his life. And we want him to become fluent enough so that in the future when he does return to China for a visit that he can communicate with the people there and not sound like a foreigner." :24

Both Clogston and Janice Miller feel strongly about their children's Chinese education. Both want their children to be accepted by other Chinese people. However, Miller acknowledges she can't raise her daughters in a completely Chinese culture:

"Our family is a mix of Caucasian and Chinese. And we are an adoptive family. We are our own culture ourselves. Which my goal is to under kind of….somehow synthesize all of that together about that, who we are. That's a big challenge. (laughing)"

She hopes that their family's unique culture will be one her children take pride in.

For the Beat, I'm Vincent Hsia in San Diego.