I missed You

I missed you

Being a foreigner, it's fun to mingle my own Eastern culture and the new Western culture together. However, the conflict between two sides is not only divided by the Pacific Ocean. Moreover, I did give up most of my culture translation since I move to the United States of America. For instance, I lost the opportunity of participated in the festival activities, nevertheless, I have also lost the purpose when I celebrate the Chinese festivals without my family.

At first, the festival meal of Chinese traditions is very important. People usually use nine dishes of food during the meal, and every dish of food must have the significance with it. For example, fish symbolize " earn more than spend every year". Oysters are symbolize" good happens of the entire things" and lettuce is the meaning of "no arguing and have a good relationship with people". My grandmother used to cook all of them and wish we can get a good luck in the new year. From an old Chinese proverb: " Live with old generation, such as live with treasures". The meaning of this adage is deeply seep in my heart since I move out from my parents and grandparents. Furthermore, no one would cook for me and wish I have good luck in the New Year today.

In the other hand, Chinese people take family reunions very serious. Almost every festival is purpose to let family and friends get together. I remember all the festival days I have celebrated with my family, we used to get together and enjoy a nice dinner. In my family tradition, my grandmother used to cook for the festival meal every year. Moreover, I had to discover there are nine dishes of food on the table. The reason is because of the old Chinese tradition, nine dishes of meal bring out the sign of good luck and become rich. Every member of my family had to partaking in that dinner, and no one could escape, no matter how busy they were. However, I have missed them since I movie out from my country. Nowadays, when I celebrate the same festivals by myself, the purpose of those festivals are not meaningful anymore, because I celebrated without my family.

At last, even though I don't have any religion, but as my grandmother is a Buddhist, still I did join the rules of being a Buddhist with her most the time. For example, Buddhists are supposed to be vegetarian at the 1st and 15th day every month, which is the day from the Chinese old calendar when the new moon appears. They should not eat any meat related food like eggs nor milk, for the purpose of "ahimsa" which mean refrain from harming any living being. Once I moved away from home country, I have not carried out this activity anymore. Because in the United States, Buddhism is not a common religion. People here don't need to fulfill any special rules of diet. Otherwise, without my grandmother's encourages, I am not motivated to practice this tradition by myself.

If I would say I missed the opportunity of cultural translation. I rater say I miss my grandmother because my grandmother is the sign of traditionalist in my family. I can't image once she leaves us. My family will miss a lot of cultural custom. Today, I am living in the United States. For the same festival day, I would went to a great restaurant and being with many of my friends. Still I would say, the time before I came to this country and celebrated with my family were the best moment I ever had, and I am sure that is the purpose why people love to celebrate Chinese festivals too.