2nd generation new immigrants "search for their identity" and Chiu Yi-Fang "takes the path of social work" to give back to Taiwan

(Taiwan Immigrants’ Global News Network) cooperated with IC Voice FM97.5 [New Life Registration-We are in Taiwan] to launch a series of brilliant stories about new immigrants in Taiwan. This episode invited second generation Indonesian new immigrant- Chiu Yi-Fang (邱怡芳), her mother is a "Hakka Chinese" (客家華人) from Kalimantan, Indonesia (印尼加里曼丹). After getting married in Taiwan, the whole family settled in Zhudong Town, Hsinchu County, (新竹縣竹東鎮) which is known as a “simple Hakka town”. The local dialect is very similar to that of the Indonesian Hakka Chinese dialect. Around 300 new immigrants from West Kalimantan, Indonesia, live in Zhudong. Chiu Yi-Fang welcomes everyone to travel to Zhudong and take a trip to the "Zhudong Market", where one can taste many local Hakka specialties. [Taiwan Immigrants’ Global News Network] also translated this episode into 5 languages including Chinese, English, Vietnamese, Thai and Indonesian, allowing more readers and listeners to share Chiu Yi-Fang’s wonderful story.

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Chiu Yi-Fang studied social work at a university in Taiwan. Photo/Provided by Chiu Yi-Fang

Chiu Yi-Fang, who is currently studying at a university in Taiwan, majored in social work. Because she was helped and accompanied by others, she was inspired to choose this major as her future field of development, hoping to give back to more people in the future. After graduating from school, she can become a social worker. Chiu Yi-Fang said: "Even though I had a shy and introverted personality in the past, I have changed a lot since I entered the Department of Social Work. In addition to gaining a lot of professional knowledge, I also learned how to get along with others.”

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Chiu Yi-Fang "takes the path of social work" to give back to Taiwan society. Photo/Provided by Chiu Yi-Fang

Chiu Yi-Fang shared that she worked as an intern at the "Hsinchu County New Immigrants Family Service Center" (新竹縣新住民家庭服務中心) during her studies to assist the center’s social work-related business. She believes that every time she goes to a brand-new field, the most important thing is to "not to be afraid, ask questions, and always be curious". In addition, Chiu Yi-Fang said that she gained another level of "self-realization" during the internship. In the process of serving new immigrants, she was able to find her own "identity as a second-generation new immigrant". She said that being together with each other for a long time, she not only understands the needs of the new immigrants in Taiwan, but also embark on a journey of self-talk.

Chiu Yi-Fang believes that the new second-generation immigrant’s identity is a  "unique self-expression." Photo/Provided by Chiu Yi-Fang

With the internship experience at the "Hsinchu County New Immigrants Family Service Center", Chiu Yi-Fang has turned her identity as a second-generation new immigrant into an advantage of "unique self-expression", just as every new immigrant in Taiwan wants their "Second Hometown" of Taiwan to give her a sense of belonging. Therefore, whether one is a new immigrant or a second-generation new immigrant, good or bad is not defined by others. If you find yourself, your life will be colorful.