Facing Poverty with a Rich Girl's Habits by Suki Kim

Facing Poverty with a Rich Girl’s Habits:

Assignment 1 : Summary and Personal Response

KaTora Wimberly

Eric Thompson

English 115

January 14, 2016

In "Facing Poverty with a Rich Girl's Habits" (2004), Suki Kim argues that "More brutally than learning English was facing poverty with a rich girl's habits". (11) In the memoir essay, Suki Kim purpose shows that she is not ashamed of sharing her changes with being from South Korea, and adjusting to the America way. In South Korea, she was raised, having a productive life with no worries. According to Suki Kim "Gone in an instant was my small word, made possible by my father's shipping company, mining business, and hotels. ‘'(1) Which goes to show that things can be on top for a person one day, and it can all be gone the next day.  From facing poverty, language issues, and education she had a lot to change.

This story is to attract different racial backgrounds who moved to a new place whether it's a new country, or a newly placed there not familiar with. Why, because Suki Kim is discussing her personal changes she was faced with. The tone of the essay would be a serious, positive and motivating tone. Being that the story encourages other not to give up, and face the changes head on. As said by Suki Kim "I soon discovered that I had no choice but to adjust."(11) However, being down doesn't last always, and eventually, she moved to a better way of life. Mastering the English language, and becoming an interrupter. She faced the odds and became more than what people expected of her.

My emotional response to the memoir would be that it is a great way of showing, how people from another country feel about adjusting to a new way of life in the United States.  I looked at foreigners different, not knowing the different things that they are forced to adapt to from day to day. Suki Kim is a high character who managed to survive physical and emotional changes in her life. "Facing Poverty with a Rich Girl's Habits "by Suki Kim shows the changing World around us. Being that foreigners come to the country often in today's time and how we all are forced to deal with challenges we face from day to day.