Which country do you represent? What makes you the citizen of that country? What is it that you feel like the citizen of that country? What is it that you belong to that country?
Different but same questions lingered in my head after our homeroom class discussed about citizenship. As international students, citizenship is quite an important factor. Yes, it is true that KIS has 99% of Korean population (just the students). But many of us have double citizenships: US or another foreign country and Korea. But if you have to make a choice between those two, which one would you pick? Me? Well, before we had this discussion, I would have said “US, duh!” But now? It’s a little different.
I was born in Washington D.C. in 1991 because my father was a student there. My three years older sister, Kathy, however, was born in Korea. She is always jealous of me and tells me that I am luck to be born in United States. Well, what has US given to me till now other than other people’s jealousy?
Well, because I had the citizenship… I could get in the shorter line when you get the passport check. I could be valid for the financial aid when I go to college—but, I have yet took the advantage of it! I could, I could,… What else? Nothing really comes up to my mind. When I think of America, it’s a place of liberty and…shopping! Full of opportunities to do things freely! Yet, hard to get a decent job. But I still thought US as my home country just because I was born there.
I know a lot people who think the same way as me. Home country is something important but that should not be the only reason to become your “home.” If Korea has been a home to you for over 15 years, if Korea allowed you to experience stuffs, if Korea was the place of your youth, then shouldn’t it become prioritized? What really defines citizenship? I am baffled—really.
If you are a citizen of some place, I think, you should really be willing to pay back your country with your future job by contributing something. Even if you are thinking of studying in US college, you should go back to your home country and contribute with what you have learned and experienced.
Some people say they are the citizen of the world. Sure, why not? I visited Bangladesh for Habitat for Humanity. But I am not continuously helping the third world like Mr. Perron is. So which country do I belong to? I don’t know—not yet.
Where do you belong?
I belong to nowhere.
picture credits to...http://www.danschmoyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Confused-Pic.jpg
I love how you end with I belong to nowhere. During homeroom, I was just frustrated that the school was making us do this but after all, I think it was quite worth it. Who are we, what kind of citizens are we, and etc... I wondered for a long time afterwards too.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
It seems that humans have an innate need to belong somewhere. Maybe that's why civilization started in the first place. But why do we feel the need to belong?
ReplyDelete-Lynn
I've always been jealous of friends that have US citizenship or dual citizenship. After reading your blog, though, I'm lost as well. I'm legally Korean, I look like a Korea, I speak Korean, and I live in Korea. However, I dress like students in the States, I also speak English, I go to an international school taught in English and under a US system. So...what am I? Good post. Self identity can be a difficult factor of teenagers like you and me!
ReplyDelete