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.