text: My parents came to America from Cuba, and I myself lived overseas (Japan) for six years.   \n\nFor my parents, they wanted to be American.  And America is one of those countries where people can "integrate" while still keeping their own cultural identity.  \n\nFor my parents, that meant learning the language (English), among other things.  Which they were happy to do.\n\nAs for me living in Japan, it's different there because it's not a multicultural, immigrant society like the US is.   \n\nI knew a few Westerners over there who'd been living there for 10, 20, or more years -- they spoke perfect Japanese and everything, but were still considered just as much a foreigner as I was.