⭐️五月是美國亞太裔傳統月！美國亞太裔外交官在美國國務院扮演重要的角色，在AIT的運作上更是如此！在整個五月份，我們將為各位介紹AIT亞太裔官員的重要貢獻。今天要和大家介紹的是政治組官員黃東偉(Tom Wong)的故事。
✨在我外派來台期間，我最難忘的回憶莫過於有幸受邀至台中女中演講，台中女中正是我媽媽50多年前畢業的母校。我媽媽畢業不久之後便離開台灣，最終定居美國，並在當地認識了我爸爸，而我爸爸則是早了幾年移民美國。我和我弟弟在紐澤西長大時，我媽媽就常常教我們一句中文俗諺：「吃得苦中苦，方爲人上人」。就像許多新移民一樣，我父母一生中也經歷了不少艱辛與磨難，但他們最後都成為美國社會富有貢獻的一份子。而當我努力奮鬥，希望讓我的家人和國家為我感到驕傲時，我從來沒有忘記這句媽媽教過我的話。誰又想的到，在我媽媽離開台灣、又過了一代之後，她在美國出生的兒子會加入美國陸軍的行列，隨後成為美國外交官，甚至有機會回到媽媽的母校去拜訪。- AIT政治組官員黃東偉
*黃東偉曾獲選為「40位美國亞太裔國家安全及外交政策下一代領袖人物」！回顧一下: https://bit.ly/2QWWT0r #AAPIHeritageMonth
⭐️It’s Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! AAPI diplomats are a vital part of the State Department, and especially our AIT operation! All month, we look forward to featuring the important contributions of our AAPI colleagues. Today we are sharing Political Section Officer Tom Wong’s story with you.
✨One of my most unforgettable moments during my tour in Taiwan was having the honor of speaking at the Taichung Girls Senior High School, where my mother graduated over 50 years ago. Shortly after graduating, my mom left Taiwan and eventually settled in the United States, where she met my father, who himself had immigrated several years prior. When my brother and I were growing up in New Jersey, she taught us the Chinese phrase "吃得苦中苦，方爲人上人” (loosely translated as "no pain, no gain"). Like countless other immigrants to the United States, my parents endured their fair share of hardships in their lifetime, yet emerged to become productive members of American society. In my own efforts to make my family and country proud, I've never forgotten that phrase my mom taught me. Who would have thought that a generation after my mom left Taiwan, her American born son would go on to serve in the U.S. Army, then join the U.S. diplomatic corps, and have the opportunity to return to visit the very institution that educated her in her youth. -- Political Section Officer Tom Wong
*Tom Wong was recognized as one of the "40 Asian American Pacific Islander National Security & Foreign Policy Next Generation Leaders." See the post: https://bit.ly/2QWWT0r
