Culture Corner

[Tsukuyomi]

Looking around here I noticed that there's a variety of people here with differant backrounds and stuff. What culture are you apart of and what goes on in it?

In the Laos culture we are pretty much a normal asian american family. You probably think all asian cultures are alike, but they're not. Like the Japanese we eat on the floor circling the food, but we don't use chop sticks. We use our hands. I know, you're probably thinking,"Oh how barbaric (ignore). Of course we use spoons, plates, and stuff lilke that, but here's what we do. What happends is what ever the main dish is we put in a big plate (bowl) fillled with a soup we call "gang). There's differant types. Basicly we just dip our rice in it with our hands and eat. Rice is a very big part of our meals to. We basicly eat rice with everything (some exceptions of course). It's funny really, I've noticed growing up while other kids had trouble eating their vegies I had trouble wanting to eat rice with everything. Now that I'm older I have no problem. Now it's weird not eating rice with chicken and stuff like that. Well, there's alittle about my culture. Now it's your turn to share

[White Raven]

Cool thread.
Ok I grew up in Topeka Kansas.
And everyone that doesn’t know much about Kansas thinks that it’s nothing but farms.
Topeka is a thriving city with lots of people from different cultures and backgrounds.
I grew up on poor side, you could call it the geto.

I thing I don’t get it why so many people act like being from the geto is so cool. It’s not.
When kids can’t play in the front yard without seeing people buy dope, every ten minutes.
It’s just wrong

I don’t have that great of a background when it comes to the street I lived on.
But let me tell you, KS is beautiful when you get out in to the country side.
With fields of corn and wheat as far as the eye can see. Cows munching slowly on grass.
Eagles and hawks flying high, with a sky so blue that it sometimes seem like you could touch it.
And a sunset that has brought tears to my eyes once ro twice.
I miss living there so much.

[Alice]

Wow, this is interesting. ^__^ I've learned a lot already. Kansas does sound beautiful, ILoveArt. ^^

My heritage is basically just American. (I mean I have a family background like everyone else, but culturally we are American and have been for awhile.)

Although my family eats a lot of rice. (We ate even more when I was growing up.)

When we eat rice, 99.8% of the time it's brown rice (if we make it ourself, not with order out). It is healthier and everything, but I got really sick of it growing up.

I still don't like rice much. Although you can do something really great with it with spanish olives, canned tomatoes, and chicken. That I like. ^____^

[shooraijin]

Well, I'm pretty much whitebread, but Mom's Aussie and so we have lots of Australian stuff up and we have lamb with our holiday meals. It was wonderful going to NSW because we got to have lamb every day. Of course, it was boring to them ...

Lots of potatoes. That's one thing that's a commonality, even with Mom being diabetic.

[Anna Mae]

Alright for Kansas! Whyever did you move away, ILoveArt?

Anyway, I grew up in Kansas and have Caucasion background. However, my house has always been counter-cultural. Before I was born, my parents were missionaries in Haiti and surrounding area for about seven years, so that experience really changed things. We buy almost all of our clothes from second hand stores, recycle everything, don't have TV or air conditioning, and my mom is a health food nut (most recipies are made with 100% whole wheat flour, 1/2 of the original amount of sugar or none at all, that type of thing), and our views in general are different from most of the people in our neighborhood. However,

WE ARE NOT AMISH!

I have had people at school ask me if I am, and I tell them that if I was, I would be wearing a dress and bonnet, would have driven a horse and buggy to school, and wouldn't even be going to a public school.

But yeah... I'll stop rambling now.

[Shao Feng-Li]

I grew up in northern California. 'Nuff said. XP

I don't have much of a culture I guess... I go to church on Sunday and eat three meals a day... play video games...

[White Raven]

Alright for Kansas! Whyever did you move away, ILoveArt?

Because my fiance lives in PA

[Sephiroth]

I'm pretty much just Scottish, i've worn a kilt to a wedding before, hate haggis (bleh, icky stuff) mind you i have a weird diet, good old chips (fries for the americans) though i eat crisps too, i'm very carbohydrate diet person, and don't eat meat either... see weird diet, hmm, well, aye thats about it for me

[mitsuki lover]

As most anyone here who knows me by now knows I'm your basic
Heinz 57 Variety Northwestern European American.
In my case for those who don't know it means I'm Scots-Irish-Welsh-English-French-Swiss-German-Dutch.
Food:The basic meat and potatoes nothing special.
I guess the only thing that would make my family different from some others represented here is that before the Civil War my paternal grandfather's folk owned slaves.(We've been in America since my
ancestor Col.John Flood arrived in Jamestown as a 15 year old boy back
in 1610.)

[Alice]

I'm pretty much just Scottish, i've worn a kilt to a wedding before, hate haggis (bleh, icky stuff) mind you i have a weird diet, good old chips (fries for the americans) though i eat crisps too, i'm very carbohydrate diet person, and don't eat meat either... see weird diet, hmm, well, aye thats about it for me

Does that work for you? I mean is your health okay and everything?

[kazekami]

I'm a hienz 57 Europeean varity American. My Dads familly were Jews from Russia, Poland and Hungry. My Moms familly is: Basque, French, Spanish, Italian, German, English and who knows what else. Also we're not entirely sure if my one Great Great grandmother was Mexican or Native American.

I grew up as a millitary brat. I experienced culture shock at the age of 6 when my southern teacher freaked out because she didn't understand my British dilect. So I have no childhood friends. ;_; And moving is hard. Plus not everyplace you move to is that great. When I was a kid it was more like living with a single parent then having 2 becuase my dad was almost always gone. We were pretty poor for a while too. My mom made some creative food.

We eat a lot of BBQ(which I don't care for), Mexican food, and American food. We also eat a international foods. British, French, Italian, Japanese and German. But those less often then the others.

I drive everyone crazy because when I started school in England the Nuns at the school taught us proper eating manners. Since then I always eat with a fork and a knife. My dad filps out. But when I went with him to this knights of columbus function for some kids in a rodeo beauty pagent this girls mom said I was a good example to follow much to my dads horror. heh heh.

[agasfas]

My mother was born in Sweden and moved to the US when she was under a year old. My grandmother is full Hungarian, so that makes ma a quarter. So yeah, I have a pretty american background.

Born and raised most of my live in Austin, Texas. I have lived in Bournett, Round Rock and some other places around the Austin area. Food wise, hamburger helper, very dry chicken and canned veggies. I ate too much canned veggies I perfer not to eat them now. Fresh is the only way to go.

[kazekami]

I agree that Fresh veggies are the best. I used to think I hated green beans. and then I had fresh ones. I was definatly wrong. Canned are too mushy and salty.

[Joshua Christopher]

I sit around alone and play on the computer, making cartoons and videos.

Dunno what culture that is.

[~Natsumi Lam~]

welll ..... i have a weird family and background.


DAD: german, irish, english.... something else

Mom: german, irish, english, Native American..... something else

Husband: Cambodian, CHinese

So basically i am "Clear": No family cultural held history, plus i dont tan... i am soooo white. I am the typical mutt.

MY WHITE FAMILY
BUT, my family created its own traditions.... my father is a military man, martial artist, and a pastor. SO we get punished with pushups and other forms of fun punishments. My dad and mom tell me all the time how they love me and hug. We put dishes in the dishwasher to wash. Have a bag of rice the size of our frozen corn bag.

For christmas... my huge family comes over and the boys and i spar[play fight], we get weapons for birthdays and christmas. My uncle thinks he iis a ninja and he sells weapons. My mom can do her forms backwards without even knowing it!! man that is funny. I look like a cheerleader and my brother looks like a punk rocker. My dad looks just like Chuck Noris.. [well a little fatter] .. so my family makes its own ties....

Oh yea we eat any foods , we dont have any cultural food we eat.

MY AZN FAMILY
NOW..... i just married into a traditional cambodian family. THey dont like me at all becauses i am white[Even after 4 years]. I have been disowned. I get critized openly about my weight. I get called names behind my back and not to my face. Well... they think i am not submissive and i talk to the men. But when i became submissive they said" You are too submissive". I go to karaoke parties with them, cant understand their language [and they dont want to teach me], I eat a lot of rice, egg rolls, chow mein, seafood [:(]. I take my shoes off at the door. I speak when spoken too. AT dinner i eat a little. I have to be more quiet. I am the only white person there. I help cook and clean, even though i am a guest. I dont hug anyone. I put dishes in the dishwasher to dry. Have a rice bag as heavy as my dog. And i am not supposed to bow. I dance traditional cambodian dances. Been around munks. The list goes on.... [PLEASE NOTE: I AM TOTALLY NOT in any way.... saying that all azn families are like this.!!!! This is my exprience about me coming into an environment that doesnt want me.]

My NEW FAMILY
The new mix: I take my shoes off at the door. I eat a lot of chinese food. I sing karaoke in english. I eat a lot of mexican food. I talk a lot. I express how I FEEL. I wear my new sarongs.


THIS IS MY NEW CONFUSED FAMILY: i called myself the reversed twinky..... white on the outside... yellow on the inside.

~NAtsumi Lam~








~Natsumi Lam~

[mitsuki lover]

Actually kilts are a Highland thing.

[Debitt]

I'm half Chinese and helf Japanese, though I'm around my Japanese side of the family more often and to be 100% honest I like them a lot better than my Chinese side of the family. ^^;

My mom's Chinese, and her entire family is very very stereotypically Chinese, even though she grew up in Malaysia, then moved to Australia, then came to the US. When her family's around, we go to a Chinese restaraunt, get more food than anyone can possibly dream of eating, and sit around the table for a very long time and they all talk in very loud Chinese voices. They speak Cantonese Chinese to one another, and more often than not my brother and I are the only ones at the table who can't understand what the heck is going on. We can, however, tell when people are talking about us because we hear a very loud and very distinct "KELLY" or "KEVIN" and then another long string of Chinese. I can't describe to you how incredibly unnerving that is. >>;;;

At any rate, my mom's family is 90% female, since my uncles are never around and my grandpa on my mom's side died before I was born - they're all kinda...Chinese matriarch's. Have any of you seen any movies with the loud, naggy, scary Chinese mothers? xD; That's exactly what that entire side of my family is like.

However, I am glad for them because if it weren't for my mom's family living in Australia, I wouldn't have been able to absorb some of the Aussie culture. ^_^;; I love Australia, I'm just not terribly fond of my family there.

My dad's side of the family is Japanese - my great grandparents moved from Japan to the US a long time ago, and parked themselves in Hawaii. Aside from my grandma, they all stayed there, too, which is quite fine by me because Hawaii is cool. I love going on family vacations there - Hawaii = r0x0rz. When I'm there I usually stay at my great-aunt's place. She lives in Honolulu in walking distance of Waikiki beach and a bunch of neat Hawaiian places to eat. We usually do stuff like swim together, walk down for shaved ice, go see the cultural places in Hawaii, etc. Everyone's pretty laid back (stereotypical Hawaiian Japanese, from what I understand), and they're very tolerating of me, especially when I try to explain anime to them. They do nag me to speak Japanese around them more often, though.

My nuclear family at home is just generally asian. I watch a lot of anime with my brother and grandma, eat a lot of Asian food in general (lots of Chinese food, lots of Japanese food, Thai and Korean and Vietnamese every so often...), and my brother and I get nagged about doing better in school. xD;

[bbboy21]

I grew up in northern California. 'Nuff said. XP

The heck, I live there O_O

Oh me, I dont have a culture myself...just a regular family.

[Galant]

Well, if I may pitch in.

I was born in Gibraltar to an English mother and Gibraltarian father. For those not in the know, Gibraltar is British owned territory at the southern tip of Spain. Basically, all my father's family is Spanish, but my mother's family is English. Having said that, my mother was a misisonary in Spain 8 years before meeting my dad, she's fluent in the language and loves the place. When I was one however, we all moved to northern England which is where I spent 20 years growing up. My brother was born there shortly after moving.

A lot of me, therefore, is British - I took from it the hardworking ethic, and try to be as gentlemanly as possible. I don't dirnk tea though, in any form, can't stand the stuff. I didn't ever learn Spanish from my parents, but picked it up in school. I love the Spanish food, especially the seafood, but I'd have to say that a good old English roast dinner almost tops everything. Mmmm, Yorkshire puds!

Now, I should note that my mother's side of the family is very small - she's an orphan, and I only really know one of her brothers (who's very ill right now with cancer - prayers appreciated), and I've met her old foster parents, that's about it. From my Dad's side, I know his brother, and enjoyed some time with my grandfather before he died, however, since most of my dad's family lived in Spain I didn't spend much time around them.

What's my culture then - I'm not sure. Since moving to America I've picked a few things up here. To my British friends and family I sound American. To the Americans I sound British. I speak okay Spanish with an okay accent. My culture though I guess is 'Christian'. That is, Christian is what I aim for. I do my best to be all things to all people wherever I go. Not having a big family or a lot of ties to any place - I haven't lived in my home for almost 4.5 years now, and before that, was in college for 4 years - I aim to be the best man that I can, learning as I go the best aspects of each place I visit. Truly the author of Hebrews is right - we are just travellers here, waiting for a city of our own.

I'm praying right now about my future, and am thinking that I might head towards missionary work in Japan. I suppose I'll just have to see what God has in store.

Regards, the kilt wearing, Spanish speaking, British Christian living in the USA.

[Rachel]

Well, this could take a while, but I'll go ahead and try. Okay

From my mom's side we're Scottish, Irish, English, Cherokee, and Iroquois (sp?). One of our Scottish ancestors came here in 1606 from the northern part of the highlands up by the river Dee, which is where the clan took its name from.

From our dad's side we're African, Cherokee, and Navajo. Don't know too much about my dad's family except that it's freakin' huge.

As far as food goes...we eat baked beans and cornbread, potatoes, beef!, and lost of other things.

Anyways, our family is mostly european, yeah, but uh you can imagine what I look like. Haha.

[Puguni]

Wow...well, to start, I'm 100% Korean, except I've never actually BEEN to Korea or anywhere near that area. But, living with my family and relatives, it's like I'm there, or something. Born in the US, became a military brat and went to Germany and North Carolina. [Poor mom ;.;] Came back to my home town and here I am.

It's an extremely mixed bag for me; I'm American to the extreme, but proud of my culture. My family is just not the typical asian family and I love it. Being asian is awesome for me because I get to appreciate more culture-wise. I mean, we still even get to do celebrate our holidays!

I'm not that great at speaking the language, but OK. I'm usually around my mom's side relatives, who I grew up with. I swear I'm part European though, because my dad's side looks so unconventional, although wholly Korean, and my grandma on that side looks Italian. But, eh, you can't tell when you look at me. I go to a Korean church, we watch the 'Korean Channel,' and I <3 the food. Of course, bad side is that there are anti-Japanese sentiments around me. [Remember, forgiveness is key.] Korea celebrated its liberation from Japan on Aug. 15. *waves flag*

Sheez, how many times did I say Korean?

[Alice]

I kind of envy those of you who have varied backgrounds.

80 % or more of my background comes from one country, although the people had emmigrated to the US long before I was born (before WWII, I believe).

[c-girl]

>^^< It's pretty uncertain what my heritage is. I'm just about a mix of everything I suppose...

[kazekami]

I kind of envy those of you who have varied backgrounds.

80 % or more of my background comes from one country, although the people had emmigrated to the US long before I was born (before WWII, I believe).

Even though mine is pretty mixed. I know pretty much nothing about any of the cultures in my background. At University I attended a Satier(probably spelled wrong) and studied Holocasut Literture in a class on how to write critical papers on literture. I'd like to learn more about that kind of stuff. The Satier was pretty cool beceause Jesus also attended those. =D It was a really intresting ceremony. I'd love to go to another one. =)

[~Natsumi Lam~]

[quote="Kokoro Daisuke"]

and more often than not my brother and I are the only ones at the table who can't understand what the heck is going on. We can, however, tell when people are talking about us because we hear a very loud and very distinct "KELLY" or "KEVIN" and then another long string of Chinese. I can't describe to you how incredibly unnerving that is. >>]


I totally feel your pain... they dont call me by my name though ... they use the slut word.


~NL~

[~Natsumi Lam~]

[quote="Kokoro Daisuke"]

Have any of you seen any movies with the loud, naggy, scary Chinese mothers? xD]

Once again i fulllllllly feel your pain!


~NL~

[Starfire1]

I'm roughly 75% Black and 25% Scotch-Irish and Native American. People say I look Hispanic or part Asian and that my mom looks Indian (true) My family is cool, though I can't think of any special foods or holidays we have. Just regular American ones. But we do eat a lot of chicken and rice. My cousin even sings about how much she loves chicken. Chicken tikimasala, Greek grilled chicken kabobs, FRIED CHICKEN, etc.

[mitsuki lover]

Wow...well, to start, I'm 100% Korean, except I've never actually BEEN to Korea or anywhere near that area. But, living with my family and relatives, it's like I'm there, or something. Born in the US, became a military brat and went to Germany and North Carolina. [Poor mom ] Came back to my home town and here I am.

It's an extremely mixed bag for me; I'm American to the extreme, but proud of my culture. My family is just not the typical asian family and I love it. Being asian is awesome for me because I get to appreciate more culture-wise. I mean, we still even get to do celebrate our holidays!

I'm not that great at speaking the language, but OK. I'm usually around my mom's side relatives, who I grew up with. I swear I'm part European though, because my dad's side looks so unconventional, although wholly Korean, and my grandma on that side looks Italian. But, eh, you can't tell when you look at me. I go to a Korean church, we watch the 'Korean Channel,' and I <3 the food. Of course, bad side is that there are anti-Japanese sentiments around me. [Remember, forgiveness is key.] Korea celebrated its liberation from Japan on Aug. 15. *waves flag*

Sheez, how many times did I say Korean?

My cousin Larry's wife Jenny is also 100% Korean.Like a lot of Korean
children she was adopted by a non-Asian family.Their son,Ethan,is
50% Korean and 50% Anglo-American.I wish I knew how to do attachments,
actually I wish this computer had a way of posting pics.since Ethan's a
cute little baby.

[livewire]

oi! I just learned something about myself reading this thread!!!!
I didn't know that we didn't know for sure whether we were part Mexican or part Native American....I thought that it was for sure that we were part Mexican...along with all the other stuff...oh, yeah....for those of you were didn't already know, Kamekazi is my Big Sis...

[Mave]

When her family's around, we go to a Chinese restaraunt, get more food than anyone can possibly dream of eating, and sit around the table for a very long time and they all talk in very loud Chinese voices. They speak Cantonese Chinese to one another, and more often than not my brother and I are the only ones at the table who can't understand what the heck is going on. We can, however, tell when people are talking about us because we hear a very loud and very distinct "KELLY" or "KEVIN" and then another long string of Chinese. I can't describe to you how incredibly unnerving that is. >>]
Hey...that sounds familiar. Cantonese tends to be spoken loudly. I personally think that it is an excellent language for dissing and scolding ppl. "Mei wa??! Lei zou mat yet, le sui looi! Le fai ti tok shi ah! Tok shi, lei sek em sek ting ah!!?" I'm not fluent in Cantonese, but I think I know enough to accurately guess what ppl are talking about. ^^; Kokoro, I hope that's not what you hear on a regular basis, assuming you can interpret what I just wrote. One of my friend's mum just happens to be very harsh on her children about their studying habits.

- they're all kinda...Chinese matriarch's. Have any of you seen any movies with the loud, naggy, scary Chinese mothers? xD; That's exactly what that entire side of my family is like.

My mum doesn't fall under that category. My condolences to you. ^^; Just resolve never to become one yourself as you grow older.

NL, you sound pretty uncomfortable wherever you are. I believe some of us feel the same in different ways. At the moment, the area I live in mostly consist of white caucasian senior citizens. I definitely feel out of place as a young Asian woman. But I always believe that if God leads you to it, He'll lead you through it. Hang on there and let Christ's strength carry you through. *0*)//