Life Themes in the Narratives of Young Chinese Immigrants who have Successfully Adjusted to Life in Hong Kong.

This paper is based on the narratives of two groups of young Chinese immigrants who have come to Hong Kong for family reunification and who have apparently adjusted well to their new environment. It is argued that the values, beliefs, and ultimate concerns of these young immigrants have been the underlying forces behind their efforts in adjusting to the challenges in a strange land. Of particular importance are contentment and gratitude, a strong family concept, face', an urge for knowledge, a sense of crisis, faith in life, and the identity of a marginal man. These themes reflect the importance of cultural values in shaping migration behaviors. The differences found between the two groups also point to the need to understand migration experience in the context of the developmental stage as well as the social, economic and political situations at the time of migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]