Tag: culture

The Better Food.

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Recently, one of my American friends asked me about my perspective of the food differences between Chinese and American food. Well, it’s hard to say which is better but there are lots of differences. But since I am a Chinese, I would of course prefer mine.

Gourmets will like Chinese food more than American food even by only looking at the it. Chinese chefs put a lot of efforts to make their food look beautiful. Since the ancient times, Chinese people have considered food as an individual type of art. Food is usually made colorfully and sometimes is made into the shape of animals, such as a dragon or a phoenix. Great dishes do not only have taste, but also have gorgeous embellishments. On the other hand, American food also has its own style of appearance. For both casual dining and fine dining, American food is often layed in the plates in a simple and clear way. Food eaters do not usually get a large amount of embellishments other than small pieces of fruits or vegetables.

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Look Ugly and Be Happy.

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The ugly Christmas sweater has become a unique feature of the Christmas holiday season, along with the Christmas trees and shiny Christmas lights. All of these holiday elements together can give a warm atmosphere of Christmas.

Although the sweater as a garment has already existed in the U.S. since the late 19th century, “ugly” holiday versions of those sweaters only began to come up in the last several decades. Bill Cosby was a modern-day pioneer of the trend and is revered as an ugly sweater icon. Thanks to Cosby, as well as Chevy Chase in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, the sweaters they wore experienced a resurgence until their popularity faded as the ‘90s began.

Later in the last decade, the trend has picked up the fashion once again. In the book Ugly Christmas Sweater Party Book: The Definitive Guide to Getting Your Ugly On,there was a noticeable mention of the ugly sweaters which the tradition had snowballed from there. There was a parody of MTV’s teen documentary series entitled “True Life: I Love Ugly Christmas Sweaters”.

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Home of Soul.

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I was lucky enough to have a chance to visit Lijiang with my parents this summer. And till now, I still believe that my soul has settled in Lijiang and it could not escape from there any more.

Lijiang, a popular destination in Yunnan,the southern part in China, is considered a fairyland blessed with fresh air, clear streams, breathtaking snow mountains and an undisturbed landscape inhabited by a friendly group of people. The Old Town there is graced by well preserved ancient buildings and the Naxi culture.

One of the most attractive feature is the way people live and the  mood of the city. I clearly remember the very first moment when I stepped into the Old Town which lied in the center of the city – the peace and comfort strongly flipped my heart.

The small-sized houses stand together to create an atmosphere of unity. The colors are mostly grey and dark blue that take people back to the past. People live in a slow  and leisurely pace. Most residents work as tour guides and the olds spend most of  their time dancing and singing. The whole mood of the town is peace but joy.

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A New Journey.

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I don’t know if it’s my personality or if it’s just the culture that I was brought up in but I always struggle to put myself out there and to meet new people. I’ve been forced to do it some many times, changing schools and immigrating to California, but still every time it’s a challenge.

It’s not that I struggle to talk. It’s just that I’m not outgoing or confident and this has really been highlighted in college situations. Although I’ll always put on the tough, brave act and get tasks done, underneath I am so fearful.

I want to meet and get to know new people but the inherent fear that they wont like often makes me restrain in many situations.

I have a common problem: I care too much about what other people think of me. Rather than putting all of me out there to get to know others I worry about all the things I will loose. In the past this has changed me, loosing myself behind: materialistic goods, clothing and friends, but now I want to go into college as me.

I guess it just takes time but from now on I am going to try and take braver, honest steps and see where these take me on my journey.

Friends

The Pursuit of Nationality

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I am Korean. And, I am Americanized.

My circle of friends varies–Koreans who have never been in America, Koreans who have tasted American culture, Korean-Americans, Americans, and Europeans.

As a high school senior who began boarding in 2003 as a fifth grader at a private school in California, I know what America is. As I get older, I now face some dilemmas within the Korean and American social structures, and I am not alone in this journey of confusion and struggles.

Here is my case:
My mother completed her education in Korea while my father did in America. Weighing the benefits and disadvantages of American educational system, my parents provided me the chance to broaden my insights. Before I took off on my journey to this land of opportunities, they clarified on this one thing–you are Korean. I did not get it because I was legitimately Korean. But the more days I spent in America where the culture vastly contrasts from the one in South Korea, I started to doubt about my manners, logics in English, semi-understanding of American trend, English writing skills, Korean speaking and writing capabilities, and most importantly, adapting to the Korean and American social structures.

I do not know where I will settle to live and work.

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If You Don’t Have Anything Nice to Say, Don’t Say Anything At All.

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For the first time in a very long time, I was shocked and shaken to the very core. I was ashamed to know that I share the world with such narrow minded people and I was reminded of the ignorance and blind arrogance that plagues and clings to our society like a heavy, dirty rag.

A few days ago, my friend shared a YouTube video with me. It was a video of a blonde girl, Alexandra Wallace, from UCLA, singling out a group of people, stereotyping all Asians. Let me tell you, it was nothing short of disgusting. Click here to watch the video.

In her rant, she complained about the burdens of having Asians in the dorms on the weekend. Their family members come on the weekends to cook for them and she claimed that their parents were not letting them grow independent. Apparently, having parents who care for their children enough to come and cook homemade food for them is a huge nuisance for her. At this point, Alexandra left me thinking “Why does it matter to you?”

It only snowballed from that point.

Rolling her eyes, Alexandra continued to rant about Asians in the library. Apparently while poor Alex was studying her political science, Asians were always on the phone. She raised a mocking hand to her face and opened her flagrant mouth: “OHHH CHING CHONG BING BONG TING TONG.”She heartlessly disclaimed the severity of the earthquake in Japan and proudly mounted herself on a rocky pedestal of fool’s gold when she called herself “the polite, American girl.” She publicly and very ironically announced that Asians needed to learn “American manners.” Sadly, this queen bee, this high and mighty girl who studies political science has forgotten that America, a salad bowl of cultures, was founded on its immigrants. “American manners” is in part Asian manners as well as manners of Hispanics, Africans, Germans, Italians, and more.

What shocked me the most was the her complete dismissal of the disaster that has shocked Japan. In her few short words, she had repudiated the heartbreak and worry that the earthquake brought onto many. My friend, Minako Otake, could not sleep all night when she heard of the news because she was worried for her family at home. She was tense, waiting for the call to hear the comforting voice of her mom and dad telling her that they were okay and to know that they weren’t a part of the thousands that were reported to be injured or dead. My boyfriend’s family lives in Japan. As Alexandra called it, “the tsunami thing” is a very good excuse to answer a phone call in the library.

The motives for her video were racist, debasing, and facile. I am sure that Asian families aren’t the only “hoards” of people that come to visit on the weekends. I am sure that Asians aren’t the only ones in the library that are using their phones and I am sure that she has probably realized the magnitude of her words. In these 2 minutes and 52 seconds, Alexandra Wallace of UCLA proved her sheer ignorance.

I am Korean American and proud of it. I know that when I get into college, wherever that may be, my family will come visit me on the weekends too and bring me food and maybe do my laundry. It is not because I am Asian. It is because I know my family will try to make my first year of college as comfortable as it can be. I know that I will probably be one of the many people from different ethnicities that might use their phones in the library. I know that my language might sound like a harsh din of rushing vowels and clanging consonants to the foreign, prejudiced ear but it is most definitely not something to be mocked or ashamed of.

In a world where people strive to be different and find beauty in the rarity of things, it is remarkable and eye opening when I find someone so narrow minded and audacious as she. To label a group of people because of their roots is wrong. What kind of world would we live in if we were all one generic race, one generic language, and one generic look? Hopefully, Alexandra Wallace (and many others) will come to terms with the many cultures that constitute our diverse home that we call America. Until then, I hope, at the very least, the magnitude of her words and their ramifications has taught her that if she doesn’t have anything nice to say, she shouldn’t say anything at all.

Vogue Tells Something More

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Adjusting to different regions had always been my challenge.

Let me scratch, I mean adjusting to different “fashion.”

When I lived in my hometown in South Korea, different layers of clothing, matching accessories and intricate designs had been the major Asian style of dressing.

During my several years of residence in Southern California, the sunny weather helped me to define my “So Cal” fashion: thin layers of clothes, traditional pair of Rainbow flip-flops, and sunglasses.

As I entered a boarding school in Connecticut, “prep” was the word for my outfit. Blazers with khaki pants, classic patterned skirts, simple dresses, and pearl earrings had helped me to abide my school rules: knee-length skirts, shoes with heels, and no jeans.

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