Asian Immigrant In The U.S. Defends Americans From The Stereotype That They Have Life On ‘Easy Mode’ — ‘Americans Are Not Lazy’
Life in the states was nothing like she expected.
insta_photos | Shutterstock Many people in other countries operate under the assumption that Americans are lazy.
However, one immigrant took to TikTok to dispel this myth.
An Asian immigrant living in the United States insisted that, despite what people think, Americans are not lazy.
Content creator April is originally from Hong Kong and currently lives in Portland, Oregon. Before making the move, she and those around her, believed that "Americans have their life on easy mode."
She explained that, in China, people presume that American schools are easy. "We believe they have a very relaxed school curriculum," she said. "Going to school was just having fun."
April thought that most Americans "miraculously get a job that pays a lot" right after graduation and spend their time after work "sitting on the couch eating fast food in front of the TV."
However, she quickly realized she didn’t have an accurate view of the country.
Life in the U.S. was very different from what she anticipated.
“After I came to the U.S., I realized that was far, far, far from the truth,” she stated. Everything she thought she knew, from the education expectations to the job market, was false.
“The college curriculum was hard," she admitted. "Everyone around me was motivated and hardworking. I have to work my butt off to get good grades.”
“Americans wake up very early to go to work," she continued. "A lot of them wake up at 5 a.m. There is already heavy traffic at 6 p.m. That’s why they go to bed at 9 p.m.”
While many believe America is the land of convenience, April disagreed.
“We don't have the same convenience [in America] as in Hong Kong in terms of accessing cheap labor,” she explained. “In Hong Kong, people hire maids from the Philippines and Indonesia at an incredibly low price to wash their kids, do all of the housework and [cooking].”
She lamented that in the U.S., unless you are "extremely rich," you must do everything yourself, from house cleaning and maintenance to yard work, meal prep, and running errands.
"I feel like I'm always on the go 24/7," she stressed. "I don't understand why people called Americans lazy."
People from other countries think Americans have it easy for several reasons.
According to USA Today, American wealth sits at around $199 trillion. It would be easy to see that number and assume everyone in the U.S. is rich. However, USA Today also pointed out that “the top 10% controls 60% of the wealth.”
Additionally, the Census Bureau reported that 37.9 million people lived in poverty in the U.S. in 2022.
People also cite access to cutting-edge technology as a reason why Americans have it easy. However, as one TikTok commenter astutely noted, “They think we’re lazy because stuff is convenient (like cars, fast food, etc.), but it’s actually convenient and fast, so we have more time to work.”
While Americans have much to be grateful for, there are still plenty of problems. It’s best not to assume that you understand the life of someone you don't know.
Still, April has no plans of leaving, admitting that people in Hong Kong were far more judgmental and hateful toward her than Americans.
"I'd rather have a harder life [in America]," she said, "while being surrounded by good people."
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.