America is one giant bunny chow, filled to the brim with people from all walks of life. The very formation of the American population is based on immigration as almost everyone is from elsewhere. It is believed that the earliest inhabitants of America, before Christopher Columbus’ “discovery”, were the Paleo-Indians, who travelled and settled throughout the Americas. You have seen the Indian presence in the Western TV or film content and although they are shown as imposters, they are actually documented as the closest thing to the indigenous peoples of America.
But if you were to step onto the streets of New York or Los Angeles today, you would realise that the diversity of people who are labelled Americans has grown considerably. A large percentage of people who live in the US have roots in other countries. From Barrack Obama, whose father is Kenyan, to the Asian immigrants who speak barely a word of English, the US is probably the most culturally diverse place on Earth. Because of the lure of the American Dream, many people leave their poverty-stricken countries in the hope of finding their fortunes. The truth is that only a few make it, while the rest die trying.
By now you must have received an unsolicited e-mail, probably from some or other Nigerian prince, with the subject: “Win A Lottery To Live And Work In The Us” that promises heaven on Earth, should you win.
The truth is, like any other place on the planet, America has its own highs and lows. While there are those who live the “TV life”, millions live normal lives with ordinary jobs and endure ordinary problems. Still, this fact does not deter the trek towards the US.
Fox has a new sitcom, Fresh Off the Boat, which will touch on some of the things discussed here. We follow the Huangs, a Taiwanese family trying to make it in the US.
They originally stayed in Washington, DC, but then an opportunity to open a steak restaurant in Florida arises. Now DC and Florida may be situated in the same country, but they support wildly different lifestyles. Washington is the capital of the US so it is administrative and formal. Florida, on the other hand, is the third-most populated US state and it has Miami which is known as one of the biggest party scenes in the world.
Now factor in the Huangs, settling there as they try to be part of the American Dream.
The sitcom, which only started airing in the US last month, is already a hit, especially because it plays on well known stereotypes. While it is often compared to slice-of-life comedy shows like Everybody Hates Chris, Fresh Off the Boat also deals with serious issues, like how foreigners feel in America.
• Fresh Off the Boat airs every Thursday at 8.10pm on Fox (DStv channel 125).