Revisiting Transnational Activities: Korean Immigrant Mothers’ Home Visit for Families

Abstract

Immigrant mothers engage in numerous transnational activities. In this qualitative study, we explored one distinct type of transnational activity, a return trip to the home country for visit, as experienced by Korean immigrant mothers. Through purposeful sampling, 11 married middle-class Korean immigrant women with children were recruited to be interviewed during their visit to South Korea. By exploring the transcripts through the thematic analysis, we paid attention to how these women negotiated and constructed the meaning of their return trip. These mothers carefully planned and coordinated these return trips so that their children could find their Korean roots by being immersed in the culture and build close intergenerational relationships. The mothers also perceived the trip as an opportunity to see their relatives face-to-face and spend quality time with their aging parents. Similar to other transnational activities, the meanings of return trip to home country might reflect social and cultural climates of Korea and the United States.