Yi Donoy Family The Yi Donoy family consists of Carlos Sr., Aurora, and their children Carlos Jr. and Marla. Carlos Sr. is a Korean man who was born and raised in Mexico and now lives in the United States. He speaks English and Spanish fluently, but does not know Korean. His wife, Aurora, is a Mexican-Korean woman who was born and raised in Mexico and now lives in the United States. She speaks fluent Spanish, and understands English perfectly but cannot speak the language. Both of their children, Carlos and Marla, also speak English and Spanish fluently, but do not know Korean. Carlos Jr. is a Korean-Mexican-American man living in San Diego, and his sister, Marla is a Korean-Mexican-American woman living in Irvine. Aurora Where were you and my grandparents born? I was born in Tijuana, Mexico. My mother is Mexican and was born in Michoacan, Mexico. My father is full Korean and was born in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz in Mexico. My dad’s grandparents came from Korea to Merida in the Yucatan peninsula in 1902. My parents met in Tijuana, Baja California. My mom had me when she was eighteen years old. I met your dad in Tijuana, and after we got married we moved to San Diego in 1981. Where did you go to school? I went to school in Mexico for elementary through high school. I didn’t go to college because as the oldest I got a job to help my parents support the family financially. Did you feel different from the other kids for being Asian in a Mexican school? No, my self-esteem was pretty good, so I didn’t feel different. I feel Mexican even though I am physically Korean. It didn’t bother me at all. Do you consider yourself Korean or Mexican? Mexican. I’m physically Asian, but I definitely consider myself Mexican. I was born in Mexico, grew up in Mexican culture, so I consider myself Mexican. Tell me about the Mexican culture. When I was younger, I was more immersed in the culture, but as I grew up, the customs slowly started going away. But I had a quinceanera, and when I was younger we had posadas at Christmas. Family is very important in Mexican culture, but like I said once we got married, the customs slowly started going away. What do you mean by the culture started going away? When I was young, the family got together every Sunday at my grandmother’s house. The women brought or made food, sat around to talk, the men talked or played dominoes, and the cousins played together all day. There was like 5 families under one roof. Family is important in Mexico, and we got together every week. Were the get-togethers on your mom’s side or dad’s side? Mom’s. Usually, in Mexico, women take their families to their mother’s houses. I was closer to my cousins on my mom’s side because we played together very often. But when we started growing up and getting married, the cousins each went our separate ways, and now we start the tradition with our families and your cousins. When you were younger, my siblings and I went to my mom’s house, and you played with your cousins on that side. If we were already living in San Diego, why did you decide to teach your children Spanish? Honestly, we taught you Spanish because I don’t know English. I understand English perfectly, but I can’t speak it. You and Carlos learned English when you started school. Did we have trouble in school since we didn’t know English? Not at all. In fact, I don’t know how you and Carlos figured out how to read and write in Spanish because we never taught you. You and Carlos taught yourselves. Carlos, Sr. Where were you and my grandparents born? I was born in National City in San Diego, and both of my parents were born in Yucatan. Their parents, who are my grandparents, came from Korea and settled in Yucatan. How did your family come from Korea to Yucatan? They came on a boat, they can’t drive over, and besides they didn’t know how to drive. Dad, I meant why. Well, my grandparents came in 1902. Same as my mom’s grandparents? Did they know each other? No, there were probably thousands of people coming over. They came over for work and they had four choices: Florida, Mexico, South America, or Cuba. Why those four? And why did they choose Mexico? That’s where the boats went. They probably went to the boat going to Mexico because it was probably the one that had space. My grandfather’s father knew that there was going to be trouble in Korea with the Japanese and war, so he sent his son to keep him safe while he chose to stay in Korea. My grandfather was about 20 years old when he came from Korea. Do you know your grandparents’ names? My dad’s parents were Maria and Manuel (his Korean name was something like Don-u), and they had nine kids. My mom’s parents were Maria and Nicholas and they had six kids. How come my grandpa’s last name is Yi Donoy and his siblings are Diaz? When they came over, my grandpa only knew Korean, so he gave his name as he would in Korean (last name, first – Yi Donoy), and the guy at immigration wrote it down like it sounded: Yi Donoy. My aunts and uncles changed their names to Diaz to make it easier in Mexico, but my father was the only one who kept his father’s name. Everyone else changed their Korean name to a Mexican name to fit in. My dad met my mom in Yucatan, and when they got married they moved to Guadalajara for a while, then settled in Tijuana. Where did you go to school, United States or Mexico? I went to elementary in Tijuana, but junior high and high school in the United States. Did you feel different from the other kids for being Asian? No. I didn’t feel different. I went to private schools, so we were all in uniforms. Did you already know English when you went to Jr. High? No, I learned English when I started going to school in the United States. I knew some English from watching tv, but I mostly learned it in school. Do you consider yourself Korean or Mexican? American. Well, also Korean. I’m American-Korean. You mean Korean-American? Yeah. How come my grandparents didn’t teach you to speak Korean, did they know how? My mom was fluent in Korean, and my dad could only understand it, but couldn’t speak it. They had supermarkets and worked from 6am to 11pm so they didn’t have time to teach us Korean. Where you and my uncles by yourselves all day? No, we lived on top of their supermarket, and we had a nanny. Do you wish you spoke Korean? Nah, I don’t need it, with Spanish and English you can travel the world. Well, English, Spanish, and Chinese you can travel the world, but I just know English and Spanish. Do you know anything about Korean culture? There is a Korean Association in Tijuana, and every Sunday the Koreans in Tijuana got together like luncheons or small reunions. Back then, the Korean community was small, so they wanted to stay close together. My father was president of the Association for many years, they had elections for president every two years, and my father was re-elected for a long time. I know Koreans are very humble, very educated, and very hardworking. Education is very big in Korean culture. Is that why you and my mom pushed Carlos and me so hard in school? That’s why we didn’t want you or Carlos to get a part-time job. Your only job was to study, study, study. What else do you know about Korean culture? There are big milestones in Korea, like when a baby is born they wait 100 days to celebrate, they don’t celebrate the birth right way and when you’re 61 years old you are considered a senior. Did you wait 100 days to celebrate our births? No we did it the American way, we had baby showers. How do you know so much about your history? Did my grandpa tell you? No, his sister told me. She showed me my grandfather’s book and he wrote about Korea and his journey. Like a diary? Yeah. Do you have still have it? Yeah, my aunt told me to keep it safe. Can I see it? Yeah you can, but it’s all in Korean. I wish I knew Korean. Our Concern as School Psychologists As school psychologists, it is dangerous to assume that just because a student has a certain physical appearance then they are from a certain culture and speak the language. My family is a perfect example of physically being from one culture, but celebrating another culture. School psychologists should get to know the students and their families. Reflection I knew some of my family’s history, but I was not sure on the details. It was very eye-opening to hear exactly what year my great grandparents came from Korea and what hardships they faced as they tried to make a better life in Mexico. They started a new life in a country they knew nothing about, not even the language, but it didn’t stop them from trying to build a better life for their families without losing who they were. For example, I always respected my grandfather, but hearing that he was the only one to keep “Yi Donoy” from all his siblings made me even more proud that he was my grandfather. It made me proud that he didn’t lose who he was, his identity as a Korean man, whereas his siblings just wanted to assimilate to Mexican culture by changing their names. When I was younger even I wanted to tweak my last name because I was tired of people thinking “Yi” was my middle name and “Donoy” was my last name, so I started using “Yidonoy”. Now I feel ashamed I used Yidonoy. My grandfather would probably be disappointed if he knew I used Yidonoy because of how hard he fought to keep his father’s name in the family. I also did not know there was actual documentation of my great grandfather’s journey from Korea to Mexico. I would love to learn Korean just so I can read his journal and see the world how he saw it in 1902.
The Yi Donoy family consists of Carlos Sr., Aurora, and their children Carlos Jr. and Marla. Carlos Sr. is a Korean man who was born and raised in Mexico and now lives in the United States. He speaks English and Spanish fluently, but does not know Korean. His wife, Aurora, is a Mexican-Korean woman who was born and raised in Mexico and now lives in the United States. She speaks fluent Spanish, and understands English perfectly but cannot speak the language. Both of their children, Carlos and Marla, also speak English and Spanish fluently, but do not know Korean. Carlos Jr. is a Korean-Mexican-American man living in San Diego, and his sister, Marla is a Korean-Mexican-American woman living in Irvine.
Aurora
Where were you and my grandparents born?
I was born in Tijuana, Mexico. My mother is Mexican and was born in Michoacan, Mexico. My father is full Korean and was born in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz in Mexico. My dad’s grandparents came from Korea to Merida in the Yucatan peninsula in 1902. My parents met in Tijuana, Baja California. My mom had me when she was eighteen years old. I met your dad in Tijuana, and after we got married we moved to San Diego in 1981.
Where did you go to school?
I went to school in Mexico for elementary through high school. I didn’t go to college because as the oldest I got a job to help my parents support the family financially.
Did you feel different from the other kids for being Asian in a Mexican school?
No, my self-esteem was pretty good, so I didn’t feel different. I feel Mexican even though I am physically Korean. It didn’t bother me at all.
Do you consider yourself Korean or Mexican?
Mexican. I’m physically Asian, but I definitely consider myself Mexican. I was born in Mexico, grew up in Mexican culture, so I consider myself Mexican.
Tell me about the Mexican culture.
When I was younger, I was more immersed in the culture, but as I grew up, the customs slowly started going away. But I had a quinceanera, and when I was younger we had posadas at Christmas. Family is very important in Mexican culture, but like I said once we got married, the customs slowly started going away.
What do you mean by the culture started going away?
When I was young, the family got together every Sunday at my grandmother’s house. The women brought or made food, sat around to talk, the men talked or played dominoes, and the cousins played together all day. There was like 5 families under one roof. Family is important in Mexico, and we got together every week.
Were the get-togethers on your mom’s side or dad’s side?
Mom’s. Usually, in Mexico, women take their families to their mother’s houses. I was closer to my cousins on my mom’s side because we played together very often. But when we started growing up and getting married, the cousins each went our separate ways, and now we start the tradition with our families and your cousins. When you were younger, my siblings and I went to my mom’s house, and you played with your cousins on that side.
If we were already living in San Diego, why did you decide to teach your children Spanish?
Honestly, we taught you Spanish because I don’t know English. I understand English perfectly, but I can’t speak it. You and Carlos learned English when you started school.
Did we have trouble in school since we didn’t know English?
Not at all. In fact, I don’t know how you and Carlos figured out how to read and write in Spanish because we never taught you. You and Carlos taught yourselves.
Carlos, Sr.
Where were you and my grandparents born?
I was born in National City in San Diego, and both of my parents were born in Yucatan. Their parents, who are my grandparents, came from Korea and settled in Yucatan.
How did your family come from Korea to Yucatan?
They came on a boat, they can’t drive over, and besides they didn’t know how to drive. Dad, I meant why. Well, my grandparents came in 1902. Same as my mom’s grandparents? Did they know each other? No, there were probably thousands of people coming over. They came over for work and they had four choices: Florida, Mexico, South America, or Cuba. Why those four? And why did they choose Mexico? That’s where the boats went. They probably went to the boat going to Mexico because it was probably the one that had space. My grandfather’s father knew that there was going to be trouble in Korea with the Japanese and war, so he sent his son to keep him safe while he chose to stay in Korea. My grandfather was about 20 years old when he came from Korea.
Do you know your grandparents’ names?
My dad’s parents were Maria and Manuel (his Korean name was something like Don-u), and they had nine kids. My mom’s parents were Maria and Nicholas and they had six kids.
How come my grandpa’s last name is Yi Donoy and his siblings are Diaz?
When they came over, my grandpa only knew Korean, so he gave his name as he would in Korean (last name, first – Yi Donoy), and the guy at immigration wrote it down like it sounded: Yi Donoy. My aunts and uncles changed their names to Diaz to make it easier in Mexico, but my father was the only one who kept his father’s name. Everyone else changed their Korean name to a Mexican name to fit in. My dad met my mom in Yucatan, and when they got married they moved to Guadalajara for a while, then settled in Tijuana.
Where did you go to school, United States or Mexico?
I went to elementary in Tijuana, but junior high and high school in the United States. Did you feel different from the other kids for being Asian? No. I didn’t feel different. I went to private schools, so we were all in uniforms. Did you already know English when you went to Jr. High? No, I learned English when I started going to school in the United States. I knew some English from watching tv, but I mostly learned it in school.
Do you consider yourself Korean or Mexican?
American. Well, also Korean. I’m American-Korean. You mean Korean-American? Yeah.
How come my grandparents didn’t teach you to speak Korean, did they know how?
My mom was fluent in Korean, and my dad could only understand it, but couldn’t speak it. They had supermarkets and worked from 6am to 11pm so they didn’t have time to teach us Korean. Where you and my uncles by yourselves all day? No, we lived on top of their supermarket, and we had a nanny. Do you wish you spoke Korean? Nah, I don’t need it, with Spanish and English you can travel the world. Well, English, Spanish, and Chinese you can travel the world, but I just know English and Spanish.
Do you know anything about Korean culture?
There is a Korean Association in Tijuana, and every Sunday the Koreans in Tijuana got together like luncheons or small reunions. Back then, the Korean community was small, so they wanted to stay close together. My father was president of the Association for many years, they had elections for president every two years, and my father was re-elected for a long time. I know Koreans are very humble, very educated, and very hardworking. Education is very big in Korean culture. Is that why you and my mom pushed Carlos and me so hard in school? That’s why we didn’t want you or Carlos to get a part-time job. Your only job was to study, study, study. What else do you know about Korean culture? There are big milestones in Korea, like when a baby is born they wait 100 days to celebrate, they don’t celebrate the birth right way and when you’re 61 years old you are considered a senior. Did you wait 100 days to celebrate our births? No we did it the American way, we had baby showers.
How do you know so much about your history? Did my grandpa tell you?
No, his sister told me. She showed me my grandfather’s book and he wrote about Korea and his journey. Like a diary? Yeah. Do you have still have it? Yeah, my aunt told me to keep it safe. Can I see it? Yeah you can, but it’s all in Korean. I wish I knew Korean.
Our Concern as School Psychologists
As school psychologists, it is dangerous to assume that just because a student has a certain physical appearance then they are from a certain culture and speak the language. My family is a perfect example of physically being from one culture, but celebrating another culture. School psychologists should get to know the students and their families.
Reflection
I knew some of my family’s history, but I was not sure on the details. It was very eye-opening to hear exactly what year my great grandparents came from Korea and what hardships they faced as they tried to make a better life in Mexico. They started a new life in a country they knew nothing about, not even the language, but it didn’t stop them from trying to build a better life for their families without losing who they were. For example, I always respected my grandfather, but hearing that he was the only one to keep “Yi Donoy” from all his siblings made me even more proud that he was my grandfather. It made me proud that he didn’t lose who he was, his identity as a Korean man, whereas his siblings just wanted to assimilate to Mexican culture by changing their names. When I was younger even I wanted to tweak my last name because I was tired of people thinking “Yi” was my middle name and “Donoy” was my last name, so I started using “Yidonoy”. Now I feel ashamed I used Yidonoy. My grandfather would probably be disappointed if he knew I used Yidonoy because of how hard he fought to keep his father’s name in the family.
I also did not know there was actual documentation of my great grandfather’s journey from Korea to Mexico. I would love to learn Korean just so I can read his journal and see the world how he saw it in 1902.
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Scoring Rubric for Multicultural Interview: 10 points possible
3-5 points
0-2 points