Suki Kim

The author of the essay “Facing Poverty with a Rich Girl’s Habits” is Suki Kim. Her essay discusses her adaptation to a new culture/way of life. She belonged to a very wealthy family. Her family lost all wealth and she had to learn to adapt and become accustomed to lower living standards. There was a drastic difference between her previous life in South Korea, and her current life in America. She was forcefully uprooted from her millionaire home in South Korea to Queens New York after her family goes bankrupt. She describes Queens as “the wild west”. (New York Times, 2004) Suki Kim has a very difficult time adjusting to American Culture and language. Her first words learned were, “F.O.B.”- Fresh off the boat (New York Times, 2004). She would also watch “Three’s Company” with the intent to learn the English language. At the age of 13, she describes taking public transportation for the very first time. This is monumental because she had been accustomed to being chauffeured around Korea. She also describes being “humiliated” (New York Times, 2004) because she had to wash her clothes in the public Laundromat. However, she does describe how her English as a Second Language Class was comforting because there was other students enrolled in the class that only spoke Korean, and wanted to learn English. The essay’s genre and purpose is to show readers the similarities and differences of the Korean culture and American culture. The author also shows the difficulty of adapting from lavish living conditions to poverished living conditions. There is an apparent culture shock in this essay. This essay also shows how learning a second language can be challenging. This essay would be ideal for teenagers/young adults who have been moved to a different city, state, country, for whatever circumstance. The essay discusses the author’s personal, actual feelings. The author displays a soothing and comforting tone throughout the essay. Although she was face with