Adrianna TanMay 15, 2023

I thought I was well past any likelihood of first gen immigrant depression until I had a Trader Joe’s scallion pancake this week and cried (I hate it / why did I leave home / why am I eating frozen food / why is it so bad). I completely overreacted, but that’s why it’s called depression. Anyway, lesson learned. I will not be eating anything like that again

I want to write about first gen immigrants’ cultural shock at frozen / convenience foods as a way of life. I still struggle with it!

Show threadAdrianna TanMay 15, 2023

My wife says now we have a scale of on a one to Trader Joe’s scallion pancake how bad is it?!

I think many people love this stuff, and that is great!! But it is very much not for me, a person not used to eating frozen food, and definitely not used to eating frozen Asian food

Show threadAdrianna Tan
I always took freshly made, varied, hot food for granted when I lived in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, India, Indonesia. Some days the idea that I can’t just go out onto the street and feed myself a hot dish at any time of the day or night really kills me on the inside. I will not be making that mistake again (and will appreciate it deeply when I return for visits), but the part of my life that has those things as a daily food way is mostly over, which makes me sadder
May 15, 2023 at 5:25amWeb
Show threadAdrianna TanMay 15, 2023

I’m speaking with not one, but FIVE therapists who specialize in immigration depression. Genuinely did not know that was a thing until this week. I also feel like I’m losing my mind slowly, by losing my other languages; living in an insular superpower where I hear literally nothing about the rest of the world unless I really, really try, doesn’t help either.

The racist incident I recently faced definitely accelerated all of this.. stuff. It has not been a good week.

Show threadYontMay 15, 2023
@skinnylatte My situation is different - I immigrated to the UK where I already knew the language and a lot of things are very similar. But I can sympathise with the frustration you're feeling and the notion of starting from scratch in an unfamiliar place. It's hard, but like everything else it gets easier in time. Wishing you all the best.
Show threadAdrianna TanMay 15, 2023
@whylamb Thanks. I personally thought I was well past it because I speak English and have assimilated well. But not being able to speak my second, third languages regularly feels like another type of loss.
Show threadYontMay 15, 2023
@skinnylatte I'm sorry to hear that. It's okay to feel homesick sometimes. Are there groups where you can speak your second and third languages with other people?
Show threadcosMay 15, 2023
@skinnylatte ❤️
Show threadTim RichardsMay 15, 2023
@skinnylatte Sorry to hear that. Might you be better off somewhere more internationally attuned, eg Canada? Or somewhere in Europe?
Show threadEllenInEdmonton May 15, 2023

@timrichards @skinnylatte

A big issue that @skinnylatte has identified is the lack of access to familiar foods, especially street food. That wouldn't be available anywhere in Canada, with the possible exception of some Vancouver suburbs. San Francisco is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the Americas. I have the impression that many European countries have a lot of #xenophobia. that wouldn't make them great places to settle.

Show threadAdrianna TanMay 15, 2023
@EllenInEdmonton @timrichards yeah, not for lack of trying, but european countries are far more culturally and socially isolating in many other ways. by process of elimination i've now arrived at the conclusion that cailfornia has to work, somehow. i've run out of countries.
Show threadTim RichardsMay 15, 2023

@skinnylatte @EllenInEdmonton I know you had a bad experience in Australia, but maybe you should give it another go. Guaranteed good Asian food and close to East Asian time zones. Also no guns, and universal healthcare.

And there's always New Zealand, now I come to think of it.

Show threadmalenaMay 15, 2023
@skinnylatte this is such a sad thing about US culture, no affordable and delicious hot snacks on the street, as there is in so much of the world. here we are inside our houses cooking or spending money inside restaurants. we do have taco trucks though, which I seek out
Show threadAdrianna TanMay 15, 2023
@seachanger Yes, my taco truck days (where I bike out to eat at four taco trucks) are the best days
Show threadSteve's PlaceMay 15, 2023
@skinnylatte @seachanger Portland has good food sold from catering trucks. Lots of catering trucks. It's not everywhere, though, and most aren't close enough to where I live to entice me to go there. What I have tried was delicious. It's a start.