What I learned from failing a major placement exam
Aura Barrera /File
Failing the HSK made me realize that failure is not the dark pit I imagined it to be — instead, it can be an opportunity of reflection and redirection.
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For A-Gong
Cal in Color
I wish I could give A-Gong more than just my American habits and my Chinese, tainted with my heavy American accent and dotted with English; I wish I could say more.
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Steamed egg: A staple side dish in Asian cuisine
Warm, smooth and savory, steamed egg is a popular side dish in many Asian countries such as Japan (referred to as chawanmushi), Korea (gyeranjjim) and China (zheng dan). Although it may look complicated, it’s actually a simple dish and can be made by a beginner. Moreover, the dish is versatile and can be easily tailored based on one’s own preferences. Here’s how you can make it in no time!
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I am … not living the American teenage dream
Cal in Color
My identity lies in moments that I cannot imagine sharing to my peers. I have mastered the art of drawing a curtain between the reality of who I am and the surface-level, minute-long introductions I give every year.
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Asian Americans deserve recognition in educational curriculums
It’s no secret that U.S. education glosses over its racist, anti-Asian history, and although many of us feel we are familiar with its horrors, we aren’t.
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From coffee beans to caramel
Cal in Color
English, to me, felt trendy, international. It slipped out of my mouth as smooth as caramel. Chinese was awkward, bulky, mundane, like chewing coffee beans.
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Lessons from cooking
Growing up as a second-generation Chinese American with a largely American upbringing, I found it easy to feel disconnected from my cultural background.
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Embodying my honey and silk
Cal in Color
I quickly grew to resent my Chinese side. I hated my monolid eyes, my parents’ accented words, my mother’s ethnic dishes and anything else in between.
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Lost in translation: My journey to gaining proficiency in Chinese
While learning a new language may seem daunting and while the process is certainly difficult, it opens up new worlds and brings you to places you never would have imagined.
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What’s in a name?
Off the Beat
When it comes to names with kanji, it becomes possible to mix past and present by changing only the reading or the kanji.
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