Metamorphosis

Julie Chen immigrated to the United States when she was twelve. In 2019, she is twenty-four years old. Twelve years have passed since she moved from China. Julie’s parents used to be gymnastics athletes. After their divorce when Julie was four, her mother moved to the states to coach gymnastics. At that time, her name was still Shiqi Chen. When Julie was twelve, her father decided to send her to the states where her mother had started a new family with an American husband. Julie remembered her father’s words, “there will be a better environment for you in America.” That was the last moment she shared with him. From that point onwards, she was known as Julie Chen. In America, there were hardships that she had to endure. There were times that she was homesick. There were changes within that took place without her notice. Unlike her Asian friends who were born and raised in the states, she said: “I have never felt that this is my home.” However, she lost the privilege to miss home as there is no more home in China for her. “I am too Chinese to be American and too American to be Chinese.”