"Being adopted at 9 years old and living in China has really shaped my outlook on life. Moving from China to the U.S. was really difficult."
This profile is written from Carrie’s perspective following an interview. Carrie was adopted from Guangdong province at 9 years old and grew up in the Bay area. She currently resides in California and works as a project manager/graphic designer. She is also one of CCI's new webmasters.
"Being adopted at 9 years old and living in China has really shaped my outlook on life. Moving from China to the U.S. was really difficult. My parents, although third-generation Chinese-American, didn't speak much Cantonese. So, during the first few years, the language barrier and culture shift was difficult to overcome. However, the distance between Chinese Americans and Chinese culture was still quite present. I wanted to be as Americanized as possible and assimilate quickly, but it was tough. And unlike many other adoptees, who are adopted as infants, I was conscious of my change in the environment. Consequently, it was challenging to reconcile being an adoptee and an immigrant. I came from a place where being an orphan was very stigmatized (because of how important family is in Chinese culture) to a completely new country. However, I'm very grateful for the Bay Area. It was lucky to be around other Chinese Americans; I didn't feel like a complete fish out of the water, and we often took trips to Chinatown in San Francisco. Being in Chinatown comforted me: the familiar food, Cantonese, and culture put me at ease. I liked visiting, but I was surprised when my parents pulled out dollars to pay at first. I just assumed they would use yuan. At that point, I was not sure if I was fully immersed in my new reality.
I've been here for over 20 years now, and it's taken a lot of time to sort through the emotional baggage from my childhood. Self-reflection was a big part of that, and I think it's important to reconcile the past and present and be able to speak to it. I wouldn't be where I am today without that process. It has given me perspective and gratitude for my journey, which strongly influences how I conduct my life, who I am, and my art."
Humans of CCI profiled on Facebook in 2020.