I Am an Immigrant

An All Our Fullness story about cultural identity. 
By Ann Sax Mabbott

I became superficially aware of cultural difference quite early in life, as I came to the US as a Dutch-Indonesian refugee at the age of five. I was born in Amsterdam, but my parents were born in Indonesia, and considered Indonesia to be their home. When Indonesia gained its independence from the Netherlands in 1949, anyone who was Dutch, or part Dutch as my father was, could no longer live there. We were sponsored for immigration by a Presbyterian church in Pittsburgh.
I grew up eating both Indonesian and Dutch food, and with many stories about life in Indonesia. It wasn't until I was an adult that I learned that the United States was only accepting Dutch Indonesians as long as we were at least 50% European, which my father was.

There is no doubt in my mind that my background led to my career as a second language educator. There is nothing more satisfying than helping new Americans learn English and adjust to life here.