I do not know many things about my family. This is what I do know: We are from the province of Fujian, in its capital city of Fuzhou in China and we were not rich. What I do know came from talking about tragedies in our family and how determined we were to make it here. Though it might be hard to translate, and I do not have the complete story, I believe it is a story worth sharing.

My uncle Steven was the first to arrive here in America, and he came from nothing. To come to America, he had to sneak on a plane. When he arrived, Steven found a home with a dozen or so other illegal immigrants. This was a tough time in his life, as he begged for scraps to just survive. He worked odd jobs, and eventually stumbled into a restaurant in Chinatown. There, he found his business partners, some of the great Fuzhounese sushi chefs of Massachusetts, before they were great. With them, he opened his own restaurant in Chinatown, working as the mastermind and dishwasher. Though that venture failed, eventually he would claim a great deal of restaurants, with large business deals. He achieved the dream he departed China with: Finding fortune and safety in America. He now owns a mansion and spends his days gambling away his millions. Thus, the first chapter ends, and our chapter begins.

With his vast wealth he was able to secure family members a work Visa in America. First, was my father’s elder sister, Kitty. She learned as much English as possible, married a man named Jin, and they soon became the two most important employees of Bamboo Gourmet in Dedham. Here, Jin learned from great sushi chefs and eventually became one of them, learning from the Japanese, the Fuzhounese, and many others. Kitty became the head manager, running a restaurant of 100 employees. They became successful, and purchased their own home in Quincy. Soon, Kitty helped her brother, my father, along with his wife and child (me), immigrate here. Here, our stories intertwined, and two restaurants opened between the four adults.

Unlike their predecessors, my parents were married in China and moved to America to secure a better life for themselves, and for me. I was born, and then they moved to America. Due to this, they suffered a lot. When they first moved to America, under a work Visa from Steven, they worked in Bamboo with Kitty and Jin. However, my dad was inexperienced in cooking, and so he spent all his time learning how to make sushi from Jin, so that he might become a master of something. My mom did not enjoy such luxuries: She did not know English. As a result, she could not become a waitress, and so she went to Quincy College to learn English, while working random jobs. My parents came to America without any real job experience, without a car, and without money, but they did have hope and determination. Together, my parents managed to overcome many obstacles, and with some luck, they purchased a home together. They worked tirelessly, learning the American culture and language, all while taking care of a child. Today, my parents own a restaurant, and we have a house. My mother’s family is in America, and we have success.

I am the future of my family. My generation is the next generation, and we have the dreams of our parents to fulfill. The first step, however, is for me to learn the history of my family. Our history is similar to many in America. Hard work and determination, the will to persevere, the importance of family, and pride in our past are what we value. Today, with all those lessons, I’m determined to succeed even more than my parents, and to take care of my family as they have taken care of me.

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