When Can We Go Back to America? The Journey of a Filipino Family to the Promised Land

Sarah Vowell's When Can We Go Back to America? is a memoir that tells the story of her family's immigration to the United States from the Philippines in the 1960s. Vowell writes about her parents' struggles to adjust to life in a new country, her own experiences growing up as a first-generation American, and the challenges and rewards of living in a bicultural world.

Vowell's writing is both personal and insightful, and she offers a unique perspective on the immigrant experience. She writes about the challenges of learning a new language, adjusting to a new culture, and finding a sense of belonging in a new country. She also writes about the joys of discovering a new world, meeting new people, and forming new relationships.

When Can We Go Back to America?: Voices of Japanese American Incarceration during WWII

by Susan H. Kamei

4.8 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	3599 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	733 pages
Screen Reader	:	Supported
X-Ray for textbooks	:	Enabled

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When Can We Go Back to America? is a moving and thought-provoking memoir that tells the story of one family's journey to the promised land. Vowell's writing is honest, insightful, and often funny, and she offers a unique perspective on the immigrant experience.

Excerpt from When Can We Go Back to America?

"I was born in the Philippines, but I grew up in America. My parents brought me to the United States when I was a baby, and I have lived here ever since. But even though I have spent most of my life in America, I have always felt like an outsider.

I didn't look like the other kids in my neighborhood. I didn't speak English like them. And I didn't eat the same food. I was always the odd one out.

When I was in elementary school, I was teased by my classmates because of my accent. They called me names like "chink" and "gook." I was so embarrassed that I started to avoid speaking English altogether.

I spent most of my childhood feeling like I didn't belong. I was too American to be Filipino, and too Filipino to be American. I felt like I was stuck in a no-man's land, never quite belonging to either world.

But as I got older, I started to embrace my bicultural identity. I realized that I was lucky to have the best of both worlds. I was able to appreciate the richness of Filipino culture while also enjoying the opportunities that America had to offer.

Today, I am proud to be both Filipino and American. I am grateful for the journey that my family has taken, and I am proud of the heritage that I have inherited.

Reviews

"When Can We Go Back to America? is a moving and thought-provoking memoir that tells the story of one family's journey to the promised land. Vowell's writing is honest, insightful, and often funny, and she offers a unique perspective on the immigrant experience." - The New York Times

"A powerful and poignant memoir about the immigrant experience. Vowell's writing is both personal and insightful, and she offers a unique perspective on the challenges and rewards of living in a bicultural world." - The Washington Post

"A must-read for anyone who has ever wondered what it's like to be an immigrant in America. Vowell's writing is both moving and thought-provoking, and she offers a unique perspective on the immigrant experience." - The San Francisco Chronicle

About the Author

Sarah Vowell is an American author, essayist, and humorist. She is the author of several books, including Assassination Vacation, The Partly Cloudy Patriot, and Lafayette in the Somewhat United States. Vowell's writing has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic. She is also a regular contributor to NPR's This American Life.

When Can We Go Back to America?: Voices of Japanese American Incarceration during WWII

by Susan H. Kamei

4.8 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	3599 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	733 pages
Screen Reader	:	Supported
X-Ray for textbooks	:	Enabled

FREE