To better understand the immigration history of Asian Americans and the life of Asian Americans in West Michigan, Chinese Immersion students taking the WMU Dual Enrollment course CHIN 2750 Chinese Life and Culture at Forest Hills Northern High School in Grand Rapids are interviewing volunteers from the AAPI community, writing their stories, and sharing what they’ve learned in class. Telling Our Stories provides the opportunity for WMU’s Chinese language students get to know more about the diverse communities in West Michigan, improve cross-cultural communication, and create empathy as a response to the disturbing trend of anti-Asian violence in the U.S.
The project was conceived and created by WMU World Languages and Literature Professor Dr. Li Xiang. With the help of the University Center for the Humanities Publicly-Engaged Faculty Mini-Grants program and the University Libraries, Dr. Xiang developed an immersive learning experience where in addition to interviewing and sharing the stories they gather from the AAPI community, and the students spend a day visiting Chicago’s Chinatown for a day of cultural immersion and learning. Dr. Xiang has presented nationally on her innovative curriculum design and pedagogical approach to Chinese language education in the Telling Our Stories project, and the project is now in it’s second year of adoption at Forest Hills Northern High School.
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Interview with Sandeep Shenoy
Sandeep Shenoy
Oral history interview with Sandeep Shenoy conducted by Haley Cook and Tess McGrath. Interview written by Haley Cook and Tess McGrath. Sandeep Shenoy was born and raised in a part of India called Goa. Now, he lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan and recently turned 50. He is married and has two kids: one in highschool, and another in college. He is currently working for Meijer along with his wife. When he first arrived in the United States in 1997, he lived in Boston for a year and a half. After that time, he lived in Florida for six months. Finally, in 1999, he moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan. He explains that he has no complaints about his life in India. He describes the education system, mentioning that there were school uniforms. Additionally, he says how the education system is less structured in India. In America, the education system has more paths to careers and success; whereas in India, there’s one way through education. When he lived in India, he lived with his parents and his two sisters. They grew up in a small colony around a chemical plant. This colony had a swimming pool, tennis courts, and their own buses that take them to school. Overall, his quality of life in India was very high. Although he liked his life in India, he wanted to leave to find a good job, as India did not have many good job opportunities. He was drawn to America because of the opportunities, and his younger sister and cousins already lived in America. He arrived in Boston with two of his colleagues, none of whom had ever traveled outside of India. After arriving in Boston, it took him a full six months to fully adjust to life in America. Specifically, he learned to speak English without a thick accent, adjusted to colder weather, and learned to drive on the right side of the road. He had lots to adjust to when he came to America. He was so excited looking for a new adventure that leaving his family was not a huge issue. He called his family often, but did miss being in person with them. When living in India, he was close with his extended family. He mentioned that at his home in India, there were many impromptu drop-ins of family members coming by to visit. He feels as though if he hadn’t left India, he probably would’ve had closer relationships with his family he grew up with. However, at the same time, he probably wouldn’t be as close with his wife and children because time in India is so divided. He feels thankful for the times he can visit his family in person. Sandeep recently visited his dad in India for two months. About every four years, he brings his family to visit his extended family in India. When comparing the US to India, he explains that he likes both countries for different reasons. He notes that when comparing India to the US, the US is much more peaceful because there is a greater respect for both the rules and time. In addition, the quality of life in the US is better because basic needs such as electricity and water are mostly taken care of. He has a deep connection with India because it is his native country where he was born and raised. Sandeep speaks three languages. His first language was English, and he learned Hindi in school as part of the required school curriculum. He speaks Konkani with his extended family in India, but doesn’t usually speak it at home in the US. He feels fortunate that he was able to start a career in the US. He views the US as the ‘land of opportunities’, stating that as long as you put in the work, you can be successful. He hopes that in the future, his kids can also take advantage of the opportunities in the US. Sandeep went to college in India to be an IT specialist. Now, he works a successful and fulfilling job as the manager of pharmacy IT at Meijer.