Page 6 - Luce 2012

In Conversation

A Tale of Two Asian-Australians at JCH

Alice Pung is Artist-in-Residence at JCH. She is a writer, lawyer and teacher.
The author of Her Father’s Daughter and Unpolished Gem and the editor of
Growing up Asian in Australia, Alice has received enormous critical acclaim for
her writing.

Jenny Tran is a resident tutor in Medicine and a former resident student at JCH.
She is the recipient of an Australia-at-Large Rhodes scholarship for 2012, and
will be moving to Oxford University in 2014 to study for a D. Phil in Global
Health Science.

Alice and Jenny are interviewed by Jack Tan, resident tutor in English and
Creative Writing at JCH.
Alice Pung (left) and Jenny Tran
Alice and Jenny, tell us about some of a Chinese woman writing in English Jenny: There is a huge spectrum of people
your current projects and involvements. to fashion a narrative of great tragedy defining themselves as ‘Asians living in
and suffering, for example, about one’s Australia’. For me, being Asian-Australian
Alice: I am currently involved with a few experience after defecting from communist is inseparable from the values my parents
projects that support writers in need. China. However, my book is an Australian have taught me – the value of education,
One of them is PEN International, an story, because I have always lived in this confidence in yourself, and the willingness
organisation that helps writers around the country. At that time, I tried to tell jokes, to sacrifice what you have for those less
world who have been imprisoned for their and be as Australian as I could. That fortunate than you.
writing. I am also involved in a project reassured people that I was not just writing
called the 100 Story Building, which helps a depressing book. Alice: I use this term a lot, including in my
children in poor neighbourhoods improve edited book Growing up Asian in Australia.
their literacy skills and develop a passion When you write about your family and During the period of multiculturalism,
for reading and writing. I also work three the people you love, one of the greatest which was from the late 1970s to the early
days a week at Fair Work Commission difficulties is not knowing how much 1990s, Asians in Australia were categorised
– that is what I do with my law degree. of yourself to give, and how much you as ‘Cambodian-Australian’, ‘Vietnamese-
For the remainder of my time, I visit should withhold. I think the best advice Australian’, ‘Indian-Australian’ on so on.
high schools. During exam time, I talk to is to get it all down first, and then you ‘Asian-Australian’, on the other hand,
students about my edited book, Growing will see whether you have written things speaks of a unified collective of Asians
up Asian in Australia (a VCE English text). because there is some truth there. I think if living in Australia. A parallel example is
At other times, I chat to them about you write about people you love, it comes the ‘Asian-Americans’ in the United States,
studying and motivation. across quite differently. I write about my which is politically strong. I think these
mother quite candidly, but my readers collective entities mean a larger support
Jenny: I am first year out of Medicine, can tell that I love her. I try to achieve a base for its members.
doing my internship at The Alfred Hospital. balance between ‘not hurting others’ and
My current rotation is with the Trauma ‘telling the truth’ when I write. Tell us someone who really inspires you.
Unit, which is one of the best of its kind
in Australia. It is exciting and challenging Jenny: When I first applied to do Medicine, Alice: I am inspired by Aung San Suu Kyi,
being on the frontline. I am also a very I did not get a place in Sydney, which the democratic leader of Burma, not only
active person, and I like to keep up with was why I moved to Melbourne. The because she is a woman, but because she
my sport outside of work. I row with the initial plan was to start at the University does not conform to the Western paradigm
Footscray City Rowing Club and also of Melbourne, and then try to transfer of a female leader. In the West, female
play indoor soccer regularly. I also have back to Sydney, because I have my family leaders have to behave and operate like a
an ongoing involvement with a student- there. But it turned out to be a blessing man. In Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi, because
run clinic which helps disadvantaged in disguise – I came to Janet Clarke Hall she is very much a woman, wears flowers
people in Western Melbourne. Finally, I and made friends for life, like Paul Peng, in her hair. At the same time, she is a very
enjoy keeping up with medical research, Julia Lai Kwon (current resident tutors) and strong woman, without being aggressive.
particularly in the area of Paediatrics. I others, with whom I still keep in regular
am currently studying skull deformities in touch. I found a home in Melbourne Jenny: Mahatma Gandhi inspires me
children, finding out how we can diagnose here at JCH. About overcoming my initial because he has this amazing ability to
In Conversation
relate to people. He took the time to
and treat them more effectively.
disappointment on missing out on a place
travel around his nation for the people he
at Sydney, I think if you are passionate
represented. He spent the effort to get to
You have both excelled in your chosen
enough about something, you will get
know them as real people, and not just a
fields. Can you tell us the challenges you
there, whatever the difficulty.
population he was fighting for. I find it very
faced when you were starting out, and
touching that for someone like Gandhi,
what you did to overcome them?
Both of you are fine representatives of
who had such a big vision, he still found it
Asians who grew up in Australia. What
Alice: When my first book, Unpolished
important to keep his people in mind.
does the term ‘Asian-Australian’ mean to
Gem, came out when I was 25, some of
you?
my readers were not responding how I
6 thought they would. They were expecting
LUCE Number 11 2012