Stay True: A Memoir

Hua’s parents are middle-class Taiwanese immigrants who moved to the US to pursue their studies. After graduating from Tunghai University with a degree in physics, Hua’s father immigrated to the US in 1965, at the age of 21, to attend graduate school at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He transferred to Columbia University and then followed his advisor to the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. It was during his time in Illinois that he met his future wife (Hua’s mother), who moved to the US from Taiwan in 1971 to study public health. Hua’s parents got married at the student center on campus and later moved to Texas, where they experienced racism, before settling in Cupertino, California.

Hua’s parents adapted to life in America while still maintaining close ties to their Taiwanese roots. Hua’s mother began to Americanize even before immigrating to the US. When she was a child, her father set up a chalkboard in the family kitchen, where he wrote a new English word every day. Hua’s maternal grandparents also had their children choose American names and encouraged them to read English-language magazines. Hua’s mother not only attended classes, but also visited American landmarks and got a summer job in a restaurant, where she ate ice cream for lunch every day. Similarly, Hua’s father embraced certain aspects of American culture, such as living in New York, participating in student protests, wearing fashionable garments, growing out his hair, eating pizza and ice cream, and amassing a collection of rock and roll records. Despite adapting to their new surroundings, however, Hua’s parents maintained links to their Taiwanese heritage. His mother sought out other Chinese students and attended potlucks, where she served traditional lion’s head meatballs. She also visited grocers that carried Chinese ingredients, such as bok choy, and kept a Tatung rice cooker in her room. Similarly, Hua’s father sought the company of other Taiwanese immigrants and went to pick up newcomers at the airport.

Hua’s parents strove to keep the family unit strong, even after Hua’s father moved back to Taiwan for work. The family bought two fax machines to keep in touch, and Hua traveled to Taiwan with his mother every summer and during school holidays. Hua and his father discussed a variety of topics via fax. For example, Hua’s father sent math problems and helped with Hua’s geometry homework, apologizing when his explanations were unclear. Hua responded with snippets of American news, such as Magic Johnson’s HIV diagnosis, the events leading up to the Los Angeles riots, and the fate of the Giants. He also faxed lists of song titles, which his father sought out in Taiwan, and kept his father apprised of everyday occurrences. Hua’s father tried to discuss topics that were important to Hua, such as Curt Cobain’s suicide, but Hua often felt misunderstood. Similarly, his mother confessed to not knowing how to talk to Hua about Ken’s death. Despite the generational and cultural divide, however, Hua was very close to his parents. Indeed, Hua’s father ended many faxes with the question, “What do you think?,” indicating his desire to engage with his son.