Alice Pung Part 2

Alice and her family are finally trying to fit in amongst the locals and they are trying not to stand out as much as they were before. Alice is starting kindergarten and is learning English fluently, whilst her family is opening a family business. They are in Australia for good. A major problem for Alice though, is that Alice was born in Australia and she is being raised almost as an Australian. Whereas, her parents and grandparents grew up and lived in a war torn country their whole lives. They had to experience hardship and difficult work all their lives. Alice is finding it hard to relate to them because she has never known anything else other than her Australian surroundings. Because of her family’s different traditions and beliefs, Alice doesn’t know whether she should stick to what her parents believe or do what is common in Australia. Her parents want an arranged marriage for Alice, and this is very much unusual in Australia. Alice is on a journey to combine both Australian customs and Cambodian; what she wants is a balance between these in order for everyone, including herself, to be happy.

Fitting In

I’m sure that almost everyone wants to fit in with their surroundings, even those who tend to stand out whether it is because they dress differently or they just are not the same as those around them. It is okay to be different, but surely no one wants to be deemed unacceptable by society just because they look different or have unusual habits. I know for a fact that I want to be different but I am scared to. I first realized this urge to fit in when I moved to Jakarta in 2011. I had spent my whole life at St Hilda’s and moving to a co-ed international school in a foreign country was a huge alteration of my lifestyle. Being a Caucasian girl, living in a third world Islamic country was fairly difficult. I cannot recall a single day where I did not get analyzed and observed by the locals as though I was an alien. My first day at Jakarta International School was fairly daunting, I must admit. My style and mood changes daily and sometimes, I tend to stand out of the crowd without even noticing it. So I made sure that on my first day I dressed casually and plainly, making sure nothing about me was unusual. My school did not have a dress code, so I was free to wear whatever I wanted. The first few weeks I dressed and acted modestly, and stayed out of class discussions. At the time, all I wanted was to make friends and be deemed acceptable by those around me. I moved from group to group; trying to find people who I could relate to. I found it hard to fit in, living in Jakarta, especially when it came to shopping. Because I was fair skinned and European, the locals approached me all the time. Indonesian people are fairly kind but because I did not speak the local language, they tried to scam me into buying things for a much higher price than they actually were. It was difficult trying to adjust to the ways and customs of the locals. Sometimes, it is good to stand out, but when you are living in an Islamic country, it is best to learn to adapt to your surroundings.

Alice Pung

Alice Pung is a Cambodian girl who grew up in Australia. She has managed to experience two different cultures and two completely different worlds. Her parents grew up in Asia under terrible living conditions. After migrating to Australia, they gave birth to Alice, a girl who will never have to go through the hardship they went through. Her teen years were very emotional and difficult and during that time she was writing daily journals all whilst going through an emotional journey. Her parents put a lot of pressure on her whilst growing up to be what they wanted her to be. Instead, Alice went against the norms in her family and became the woman she wanted to be. Consequentially, she wrote a book aimed at young Asian-Australians, telling them they can be anyone they want to be and still be happy.

My Childhood Memory

It was my first day of preschool and as soon as I walked through the doors, my jelly shoes squeaking with every step, I knew that this was the beginning of something grand. The teacher was explaining something to my father, who had a tight grip of my hand, but my mind was elsewhere. I could hear the laughs and chatter of girls outside and I started to get energized and nervous and all of a sudden I was flooded with a mixture of feelings. My toes curled around the edges of my jelly shoes and I felt as though I would be made to finally spread my wings and leave the nest behind. My father led me towards the playground and I examined each and every girl with a wary but yet fascinated eye. Everyone was in the same dress attire and I myself, felt uncomfortable in navy blue shorts and a matching shirt. My father let go of my hand and I lost my train of though. I didn’t know how to begin my life as a pre schooler, so I patiently waited to be instructed on what to do. Then without warning, a Korean girl with a peculiar haircut approached me and complimented me on my jelly shoes. Without another word said, we ran to the playground and started to talk as though we had known each other for years.