More Alike than We are Different

This is Lucy, the author of our latest entry on chapters 1 and 2, enjoying the Tulare County Fair with her sister when they were young. County fairs are certainly an American tradition for many families in the United States, no matter the family's native origins. These chapters inspired Lucy to think about her own family's acculturation in the U.S., and I think you'll enjoy reading her thoughts and perspectives on this important topic.


Reading the beginning of a book is always a way for me to decide if I will enjoy the book or not. So far the first two chapters have kept my interest and left me wondering what will happen in the upcoming chapters. As each author was introduced, each of their different stories felt as if it included information I thought of when I was younger, or am considering presently.

When Ranya told the story of how her family came to escape the war, it reminded me of my parents. In Laos my parents escaped execution for helping the United States during the Vietnam War. They lived a life of running until they settled in safely in Thailand. As a child I never understood why my parents always said I took things for granted. I would feel upset and angry towards my parents for lecturing me over such things. As Ranya tells the hardships of her family history, I remember that when I was a child, I just could not understand the hardships my parents have endured. My feelings, as a child, were put first and my parents would never understand me. Now that my nieces are becoming older, I see that they too take things for granted and it makes me frustrated. I now realize that children go through a stage when things are simply about themselves and there really is not much one can do to change their minds. Though Ranya speaks nothing of how or if her children know of her grandparents’ history, I feel a connection to her when I read this section of the book.

Ranya’s children asked her if they celebrated Hanukah or Christmas, reminding me of this past Christmas. As I work in a kindergarten classroom, there were some children who did not celebrate Christmas. The other children were of course very curious and would ask many questions. I remember feeling uneasy, as I wasn’t sure of what to say that would make a child understand without making the other child feel uncomfortable. I felt the same way Ranya did. I considered whether I even wanted to bring religion into this situation as that would just inspire more questions from the curious children. It was hard to think of what to say, but it made me relate to Ranya’s worries. She did not know what to say, whether it would protect her children or not. Though the children who did not celebrate Christmas were not my children, I wanted to protect them in a way.

I agree with the three women’s decision to continue on their religious paths. During Priscilla’s story of how her religion came to be, I felt happy for her, as she has kept her Jewish and religious traditions alive throughout the years. It makes me regret not learning and knowing the complete meaning behind many of the Hmong traditions that I practice. But the women’s stories of how they learned of their religions gave me a sense of ease, knowing that diverse religions will continue to live on in the United States. It also made me feel happy to know that there are still people in the world that keep their traditions alive even in the United States where many things have become Americanized.