Every day in Vietnam since I was 10, I traveled by bus to school and passed by many street food vendors, reminding me of my days in kindergarten: excited to meet up with my sister every afternoon to eat "bánh bột lọc" - a small flour cake with shrimp and mushrooms. It's safe to say this dish made up a big part of my childhood. When I come to the United States for summer camps and vacations, I search for every dish that is similar to it but nothing could remind me of its taste. All I find are Western dishes.
My parents, sister, and Cookie, my poodle, have been there for me in all crucial moments throughout my childhood. They make me feel like the most unique and loved person on the planet: my mom gives me kisses on the cheek every morning; my sister cooks lunch and dinner every single day; my dad gives me big allowances to eat delicious food with my friends.
Tet Holiday, colloquially known as the "Lunar New Year", is a traditional Vietnamese holiday, derived from the Chinese Lunar New Year, for our family to gather, spend time together and celebrate a new year as well as to look back and appreciate the year that had passed. It will always be in the back of my mind, the picture of my busy and contented family during Tet: my nieces and nephews running around in bright red and yellow "áo dài" - traditional Vietnamese clothing - with bright shining smiles on their faces as they love to be around lots of people; my mom and aunts busily preparing for the enormous Vietnamese food platter; and me, filled with joy and excitement as receive plenty of lucky money - a tradition to wish other people a lucky new year during Tet.
Nhat Minh or, as people close to him call him, "Bốp" has been my best friend since middle school; he has been the main source of joy and emotional support in my school life. When I scored a 3-pointer in a basketball match, he cheered me on, making me feel like the MVP of the match. When I received a bad literature test result, he alleviated and encouraged me by paying for the "bún chả" - a dish of grilled pork and noodles - when we go out after school to brighten my mood. Although these things might sound cliché, it only takes those small actions of his to make up the positive and cheerful person I am today. I would love to continue to spread this energy to those I will meet in college as I make more friends there.
College is a period that will be different from person to person, but for me, it will be a big sacrifice. Sacrificing all that I have back in Vietnam: my friends, family, and Vietnamese cuisine and traditions. All these aspects are what make me the proud and happy Vietnamese citizen I am today, but I believe I am ready to become a global citizen. To share my culture and tradition with others as well as to receive and appreciate their customs, I look forward to college life in the United States, finding a new and more sophisticated "bánh bột lọc".
Picture of "bánh bột lọc" - source: vntour.com.vn
No comments:
Post a Comment