Resultados en relación a la observación de la aplicación de los textos en el

The identities like Asian migrants and language learners discussed in Section 5.1, reflect certain dominant discourses. This section describes how the dominant discourses associated with the participants’ identities were perceived as challenging. One was the practices in communities they found different which resulted in feelings of unease. The other was the generalised views of the participants as Asian migrants. Both influenced the way the participants perceived social interactions and accessibility to their imagined communities.

5.3.3.1 Normative practice

The participants’ stories included challenges caused by differences in normative practice. Some stories were about not being understood by others as well as not understanding the others’ behaviours. In Mia’s case, at the first interview, she narrated long, detailed stories about her husband and herself being questioned as “child abusers.” Her husband was accused of child abuse by parents at their children’s school. According to her husband, he only “disciplined” a child by holding the child’s arm while talking to him about bullying his son. Mia also had a similar experience at her work. One aspect of her normal practice as an ECE teacher was of concern to her colleagues. When she was volunteering at an ECE centre, she cleaned up children who came in from playing outside. According to her, it was a natural and ordinary practice for adult women to wash young children whether the adults were volunteers or part-timers. However, she was challenged:

One day, . . . Children were playing outside, sand with water; one boy came into the bathroom. Back then I hardly spoke any English. He was so wet and dirty. I asked him if I could wash him. And I washed him and sent him out. Another boy came in, and I washed him. . . . There was a girl, and I asked her if I could wash her, and she nodded. Then the teacher was rushing in panic.

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She asked me if I was washing her, “Did you wash them?” She told me not to, and she was in panic. She said that the person who volunteered could not wash children. I didn't understand and told her that I was a mother, “Why not? I am a mum. They are only 3-4 years old. Why not?” She said, “Sexual abuse,” which I understood. I was so shocked. Nonsense! In Korea, there were students coming in for volunteers at my work, and they used to wash the kids. There were no concerns about it. I stressed that I am a mum and a qualified preschool teacher. She understood, and the principal asked me to come with my husband who could translate. Oh, I did understand the word 'sexual abuse' then. I was just frustrated by the fact that I was not allowed to wash the children. (Interview 1)

As seen in the excerpt above Mia was very confused with the normal practice in Aotearoa NZ. She could not understand the reason for the practice as seen in the comments like “why not?” and “nonsense.” She compared this newly discovered practice to the one in South Korea arguing for the rightness of her practice. Later she understood the underlying reasons and accepted the practice as reasonable and normal. Similarly, she mentioned another practice which was not understood at work which was going to work even though she was sick. For her, a case of diarrhoea did not give her the right to call in sick. She commented that it took a while for her to fully understand the practice.

Mia also felt that she could not fully belong to the “Kiwi” community due to cultural differences. At work, at the ECE centre, she commented that she made many mistakes due to her English competency. Often, the mistakes became the subject of gossip among colleagues even though they said to her it was okay and understandable. Those events made Mia lonely at work, and she felt like she did not belong to the group of colleagues, as seen below.

My job is a kindergarten teacher and if you ask me about the sense of belonging, if I am with children I have one hundred percent sense of belonging, but with Kiwi teachers, when I interact with them, often I feel sad. Do you know that they gossip a lot? Is it one of Kiwi women's characteristic?

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It is a kind of culture. So, if I make a mistake, we Korean just tell the person straight away, and that is done, but here in front of me they say it is okay and smile and as soon as I turn around, we have 11 teachers, they talk about me. I understand it is their culture, but whenever it happens, it makes me really sad. Most of the mistakes come from language, and I am the senior there, I have been there the longest. Children understand my English well. I am so happy when I am with children. But with teachers it is hard. . . . I cried a lot at the beginning. . . . (Interview 1)

As seen above, Mia identified herself as a senior teacher, but she could not feel a sense of belonging among the teachers. She reflected on similar situations in Korea and claimed that it was the cultural differences between the countries which resulted in sadness and loneliness.

Jessica commented on the feeling of being different and lonely as well. Jessica was in a class where the majority of students were young recent high school graduates. She was very uncomfortable in the group due to the many differences she recognised. A few incidents, as seen in the excerpts below, are examples of the unease she felt. The first is a recount about Jessica’s classmates’ overall behaviour which annoyed her greatly.

Because most of them [classmates at the Level 4 course] are teenagers, right after high schools. They are not really, they are okay, but they are different. It is difficult to communicate. . . . It is so noisy. It annoys me. . . . We had to prepare a presentation. . . . Oh gosh, everyone was texting, talking, and texting. It was really annoying . . ., but every one of them was texting. It was very annoying . . . in my opinion, we have to talk about what we were going to do first, and then talk about other things. They just talk and talk other things. And then the last minute, they started to talk about the actual thing. I kind of have a feeling I am too old for this class. Just annoying me. One boy, he always drinks some kind of drink, the bottle, a can or whatever, he leaves on the table. "Put it in the rubbish bin!” I really want to say. Oh, God! I don't

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want to boss around. But it is really annoying me. Just basic things you have to do, they don't do it. (Interview 4)

The second one was about the greeting practices among her classmates. She could not understand her classmates being indifferent towards each other outside the classroom. Confused, she inquired about the behaviour to her classmates, but she could not get a reasonable answer as seen below.

They [classmates] don't say, “Hello” when you meet on the street or in class. . . . It is a bit strange for me. I don't understand. When in the classroom they start talking, playing together, they seem like they are best friends. And then when they are outside of the classroom, they just, don't even say, “Hello.” That's why I asked "Why you guys do that? In the classroom you’re like best friends, now you don't even say hello.” They can't explain why. For me it is uncomfortable. I don't expect them to treat me like a best friend. But at least just, “Hello” at least. It is really uncomfortable. (Interview 5)

The practice was uncomfortable and “a bit strange” for her. This subtle difference such as greeting practices among classmates made her feel that she did not belong to the class. She said, “I don’t expect them to treat me like a best friend,” but she wanted to be recognised as a classmate at least.

5.3.3.2 Being Asian migrants

As well as experiencing differences, the participants’ recounts included events when they were stereotyped by mainstream society. The experiences of being categorised as Asian migrants by other members of society influenced their perceived chances of accessing imagined communities. This element seemed to be highlighted in Simi’s experiences. At the second interview, Simi recounted the incident regarding her English language use during her ECE practicum (see the excerpt in Section 4.6). According to Simi, the associate teacher heard her wrong. However, the teacher generalised in her report about overseas teachers’ language problems and the importance of language to children’s education. Simi expressed frustration because not only was she wrongly accused but also stereotyped. This event disturbed her greatly because Simi considered herself as having good

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language skills. Even though Simi rejected the assigned identity as a deficient English language learner, she claimed that she was viewed as a group, not as an individual.

Lucy similarly recounted stereotypical assumptions about the migrant group she belonged to. She narrated stories indicating the difficulties in getting a job in Aotearoa NZ. Two examples are presented below. The first excerpt includes her perceptions of stereotypes and prejudices about employing migrants.

Half of them had really high skills. They are not going to start from low levels. I think that is the problem, finding a job. Some said, "You are overqualified. We can't afford to hire you." Some company says, "You are okay, but your English is not comprehensive.” Something like that. Because [we are] immigrants. If they have work permits, it is okay. But they don't like work permit. [People with] permanent permits, it is easier. If you have only work permit, it is a bit difficult. Hiring you is a kind of hassle. [Only] one year contract. (Interview 3)

The second is a story of another immigrant: Lucy used it to increase the accountability of her perception. Even though he was a university graduate in Aotearoa NZ, the journey to secure a job was difficult due to his unfamiliar name in mainstream society.

And also the other guy, he is from Iraq I think. He had no interviews. He applied for 360 jobs, to get this job. Yes, he got this job . . . after 360 applications. He came here when he was in high school, and he graduated from a [university]. His English is fluent. Writing and reading, everything is quite above, better than Kiwis. But he said when they see his CV they can tell his nationality, he is not a Kiwi because of his name. It is a real disadvantage, he said. That is interesting. They don't want to hire the other nationality. Some people will discriminate. “I don't like Chinese or Japanese.” . . . So it is so difficult to be here, being the last candidate [for them to consider]. (Interview 3)

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As seen above, Lucy found it “interesting” that an unfamiliar name is “a real disadvantage” when applying for a job. She mentioned that “People will discriminate,” and “It is so difficult . . . being the last candidate.” The excerpts above are not from Lucy’s direct experiences but her interpretation of another’s story of difficulties getting a job in Aotearoa NZ. “Being different” would make it difficult to belong to the mainstream society as she had been trying to get employed in a “Kiwi” salon. Thus, being different was perceived as a great challenge to access imagined communities.