Growing up with chefs as parents, I never had the need or opportunity to learn how to cook. As I moved away from home, I realized how much I missed the Fuzhounese flavors that filled my home and my heart. Faced with hunger and homesickness, I call my mom.

What is one thing that your parents did for you that you want to continue for the people you love? ‎ ‎ ‎

Soundtrack for this story is Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2 in E Minor.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

brain, mouth, toes, heart, skin, bones‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

Can we track emotions through heart rate? I monitored mine for a week to see what moments made it change.

Did you know that Ancient Greece thought that anger came from the spleen? You do now. ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

A journey of cultural reconnection sparked by a song. A never-ending journey where there's always something new to discover. What is culture to you?

There’s just something about a prickly, unfriendly vagabond going through a life-defining character arc to become a well-developed paragon of goodwill

The human experience is powerful. It leads us down a path that we unintentionally walk. Our fates, destiny, or whatever you'd like to call it, is not predetermined, but is heavily influenced by our visceral experiences.

The first time my mother said “I love you” was likely on the day I was born. As she held me, she must have thought as she brushed her hand against my cheek that this—this was love. I was love.

Pokémon, is it corporate and soulless or still heartfelt and meaningful?‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎

We’re having an identity crisis. Do you know who pays for it?‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

An explanation behind my karaoke song, “Love” by Keyshia Cole: memories, family bonding, and the Filipino singing gene.

In my more depressing moments, I wonder if this family history of division and displacement manifests itself in the lives of all my family members, myself included. It is just as silly as it is comforting to attribute that haunting sense of displacement I have felt all my life to some concrete past

Got a craving for some good Japanese food, but overwhelmed by the literal dozens of options on The Ave? I've got five solid spots for you to check out.

heart pounding with excitement and joy // of seeing such hope and possibilities // in the plain paper and junk. // your handmade games made the lessons fun // for you knew what life was all about // the playfulness in children’s wonder // to be immersed in the present moment.

“why are wisdom teeth called wisdom teeth” is a question i think most have entered into their google search bar at some point or other before getting their wisdom teeth removed (note the lack of question mark punctuation at the end of this question, no one has time for that)

Colonization of the Philippines makes it difficult to define what it means to be Filipino.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

I made a crossword themed around roots. It is wacky awesome crazy certified. No hints. Fun for Everyone Guaranteed

“You’re pretty for an Asian.” At a point in my life, this was the highest praise I thought I could receive. Growing up Asian was something I hated, only because everyone seemed to hate me, too.

Haapy Chinese New Year! In the spirit of honoring traditions and it being my final quarter of Homeroom, I wanted to reflect on my college experience again, one last time.

Family sat around the table on the backyard patio, everyone having pulled up a plastic chair. Dinner is long past and so is dessert and everyone has launched into conversation and laughter and drinks. All of a sudden, the conversation shifts over to old high school memories.

The Oxford English Dictionary defines “home” as “the place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family or household.” Others define home in varying degrees such as a safe haven or rather than being a physical place, it’s where your heart belongs.

Growth is not a linear journey. It comprises a series of steps forward, backward, and sideways. Yet, with each movement, we learn, we adapt, and we grow.

UW Math professor Bianca Viray joins me in discussing her experiences in mathematical academia as a Filipino American

Asia is a home to thousands of ethnic groups and a diverse variety of Asian languages. Over time, our ancestors have shared bits and pieces of languages with each other, and with migration and globalization, variations of dialects and bilingual languages now take root in our multifaceted Asian ident

My grandmother always held Chinese and the great lands of China in reverence. It’s what she grew up with, where she’s from. She taught me to read ancient texts and old Chinese poetry and scriptures. Stuff you’d see in the museum, myths and tales of old wise men and women alike. She led me through th

Being the daughter of a Chinese immigrant, I’ve learned firsthand the dominant narrative for marginalized communities leaves little room for deviation. It’s like an instruction manual: come to the United States to pursue the American Dream, secure a financially stable job, and craft a life from scra

I always remember being envious of Asian Americans who could speak their mother tongues. Growing up as the youngest child of immigrant parents in Fort Worth, Texas, I was put at a significant distance from my Korean heritage. Korea existed as a mirage across an impassable chasm. I could only stare a

Monkey Man is the directorial debut of Dev Patel, who is well known for his performances in Lion and Slumdog Millionaire. In a project that started pre-Covid, was abandoned by Netflix, and then picked up by Universal and Jordan Peele, the British-Indian star weaves in political, religious, and...

The title of this article is taken from a song released in the early 2000s that I grew up listening to, from the Indian film Salaam Namaste. It was one of the few songs at the time that mixed both English and Hindi language in a popular track, a trend that would grow as time went on. I chose the..

Listen to my interview with Sokha! During spring break of this year, I had the opportunity to interview the owner of Mam’s Bookstore, Sokha Danh, with the help of Ground Zero Radio. If you’re still unfamiliar with Mam’s Bookstore, (which is named after Sokha’s father, Mam Danh) they are...

the future as glasses fogged up. the future as swimming pool flooding into leaky goggles. as contact lenses migrating to the back of youreye, wearing opacitylike a coat: the 9:00 pm mist draped around the bowed shoulders ...

We’ve all seen it before. It can be found on our floors, our tables, and our beloved knick-knacks. We often just brush it off, but at some point, one must consider: Where does it come from? and why does it always come back?

Try again! Don’t stop now! I often find myself resistant to repetition. I’ve always been combative against repetitive tasks as I had no patience with myself. As a cellist, I found myself unwilling to practice on the cello, even though I know that the only way to improve at producing the sounds...

The weather is changing and so will our clothes, wardrobe choices and personalities, if you haven't figured it out already…Welcome to Seattle! As the ground slowly thaws, a whole fashion movement around spring is evoked and a new cycle of trends emerge. The dead of winter brings fantasization...

again, and again, and againtoday you’re a stranger but we used to be like bookendsit’s again and again and againwhen i pass our worn out roadI’ll remember when

Spring came in full festive force. The flowers smile at the revitalized trees. Cherry blossoms in bloom soak in the laughter of gleeful passersby. When spring comes, we all become friends.

early morning, but not too early for the mother to get ready for another 9-5. for her husband, made visible by his graveyard shift. sleepless, is their daughter scrolling on her phone past midnight.

Chinese New Year has come and gone again. Maybe it was because we made dumplings from scratch again this year, or because the New Year Gala really got to me, or because it was the first year I handed out red envelopes; but something about this Lunar New Year has left me in the mood to reminisce.

When I was younger I would look up towards my mom And whine “I wish I were older” I had wished I were older So I could be free Not have to ask permission for the simplest of things

If I wrote this just 2 hours ago, who knows what I would’ve written. // And the day starts as it ended: Woke up with a stone in my stomach

and the world keeps spinning without you // head in my lap, yogurt cups, miyazaki movies in 360p // isn’t it strange / how heartbreak still chases you two years later / like some kind of sickening hunger // waiting like a dog at the train station / at the foot of your bed...

The common understanding of time: a loop containing a linear movement with a beginning and an end. We are pushed to keep going, one after another after another.

Cross the hallway to find me Braid my hair as if it is made of gold Pile my plate despite my protests Accompany me wherever I go

Fiona and Jane by Jean Chen Ho is a novel about the titular characters, both Taiwanese-American girls growing up in Los Angeles, and their friendship, which spans from second grade through adulthood. They grow up together, then grow apart when Fiona leaves for New York...

It was a rainy Saturday afternoon when I boarded the 49 to Capitol Hill with an exciting (albeit daunting) objective in mind: to conduct street interviews revolving around the topic of love. As for my approach, I was still pondering this as I swiped my U-Pass, took a seat on the bus, and watched...

The rise of the ‘situationship’ and the modern culture of dating all signify a trend in our modern society: to have an abundance of choices. In today's world, a mere swipe on dating apps lets us explore a myriad of attractive individuals in our vicinity. Even after you meet someone, there are so...

such a quiet evening // in late summer, breathing // Your love, how could I not // be yours? and I have fought// the bleakness of no Spring...

Around this time of year, it’s easy to feel lonely if you’re unpartnered. Everything around us in the media screams that February is dedicated to cheesy romantic declarations of love. But when we take a second to think about it, there aren’t many times in the year dedicated to celebrating...

No one has ever asked the question better than Haddaway, the artist behind the 1993 smash club hit “What is Love”. He asks the age-old question we are all faced with: the nature of love and the navigation of walking the line of pain and pleasure that comes with it.

dear khun-yai ka, the dishes clattering in the kitchen, the 6am sounds of the television, oh how you love your soap operas, i associated this with peaceful sounds you created every morning.

Happy month of love everyone! In honor of this most wonderful time of year, I have a question for you my dear reader, and it’s a rather personal one: how often do YOU say “I love you” to others and how often do YOU show this love?

Hello Dog, There is something peculiar about your love. For thousands of years you have been at our side and for those same years we humans have prided ourselves on our unique linguistic capabilities. Millions and millions of words across cultures and continents.

In the hectic world we live in today, it can be hard to find time to show our love to the people around us, whether it be strangers, or our dearest family and friends. Yet, acts of love don’t have to be grand to show the people in our lives how important they are to us and our wellbeing...

One thing that I absolutely love about love throughout the history of civilization is the art of writing love letters. To profess your love, confess your deepest feelings and materialize it with your own hands feels so intimate and raw. In the age of mass-produced Hallmark cards and peak...

“Violence! The violence of the weak. A significant thing: it is not the head of a civilization that begins to rot first. It is the heart.” - Aimé Césaire

The Holiday season brings forth joyous celebration, familiar feelings of warmth and comfort, and a slightly colossal deficit to your bank account...

The objects presented range from literal to symbolic, general to specific, with each having much larger stories than presented with such a simple prompt. 

They call me a banana: yellow on the outside but white on the inside. I take offense. I am the great North American Twinkie™ thank you very much.

asian-american / they call us the model minority / rooted in white supremacy / categorizing our success / perceiving our skills as stereotypes / our voices and identities suppressed

my middle name is kind of like my little secret. many people don’t even know it exists and usually back off when i refuse to let it be known.

an astronaut drifts, tetherless, through the void of space / consumed by a sickening hunger for starlight & the touch of your hands.

the blue behind your eye is the kind of sadness where with one glance, i can see past your eyes just like watching the white clouds idly pass by...

Yesterday when my dad grabbed me by My body and handed me to my mom, they threw me Out onto the sidewalk to give their energy to Precious orchids that laid around their house.

on a night like this // i can’t sleep // the street light seeps through the blinds // sending the bending lines on my walls

"the sky looks like a painting" is not how i want to describe spring when spring is its own shade of color.

In honor of February, being famously known as the month of my mother’s birthday (at least in my household) and LOVE, I wanted to write a love letter to THE MOST IMPORTANT WOMAN in my family.

In her memoir Crying in H Mart, author Michelle Zauner writes about her experiences growing up Korean American, her relationship to her mother, and the grief surrounding her passing, all centered around the flavors, scents, and colors of traditional Korean cuisine...

Love is expressed in a variety of ways. Do you think you got what it takes to solve HOMEROOM's first ever crossword?

dream watching petals // carelessly encourage the purity // of hopeless romantics to reflect // upon a pure color of innocence in // reality as they would do // asleep.

Oh mighty magnificent mangos; sweet, sometimes sour, and juicy. A vibrant and radiant orange color that tastes as refreshing as it looks. Yes, it’s my favorite fruit, but it’s beyond that.

i dig my thumbnail into the top of a tangerine / peeling back the skin in endless coils / the juice bursts fragrant and sweet across my skin / almost floral, like springtime

엄마 (part 1) the smell of // subtle perfume // hard work // korean ginger // and gentle laundry softener

all the ways our lines intersect // in this world; there’s a saying, // did you know? to have the yuán to meet // is a fated occurrence. tiān dìng.

Happy Lunar New Year to those who celebrate it! Chinese New Year, like the Gregorian one, feels like it snuck up way too fast on me this time around and not just because it’s on January 22nd! 

one mom and // one dad, one // set of parents is // how it should be. ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

Usually consisting of Subway, Panda Express, Chipotle, and other various options, there's something so nostalgic and comforting that I love about mall food courts. My parents who are from Thailand, however, would complain about how the U.S. food courts always had the same options then go on a tan...

instructions for how to open a pomegranate, step 1: start with ripe pomegranates. the best ones are from farmer's markets, kindergarten schoolyards, or pretty little churches with stained glass windows

“Food has a lot to do with memories and things to do with the past. It’s a conversation piece” -my dad

i cook the same way my mum does, more or less. of course — her hands are faster, defter; sure in the easy confidence of a lifetime of handling knives and sizzling oil.

Castle In The Sky follows the journey of a young girl, Sheeta, who meets a fellow orphan boy Pazu, as she escapes her military captors. Together, they run from military forces and a clan of pirates, the Dola clan, who both seek the magic crystal in Sheeta’s possession -- the former for...

Cute romance films are a dime a dozen, but no one portrays the pure-heartedness of love like Studio Ghibli. Written by Hayao Miyazaki and directed by his son, Goro Miyazaki, From Up on Poppy Hill is one of the best examples this. Although neither extravagant nor groundbreaking, the movie is...

I have watched Howl’s Moving Castle twice in the last few months. The first time I saw it was in the fall, in the AMC movie theater with the comfy chairs and popcorn. It was my first time in a theater since the pandemic, so there was an added level of specialness to the experience....

Hayao Miyazaki is best known for his whimsical animations such as Ponyo and My Neighbor Totoro, but one of his most underrated films has to be The Cat Returns. Supposed to be a pseudo-sequel of the movie Whisper of the Heart, The Cat Returns begins with a high school girl named Haru...

Sometime during these last few weeks, I decided to watch the movie “Peninsula”, the sequel to the internationally-acclaimed “Train to Busan,” the highest grossing South Korean film of 2016. “Train to Busan” introduced a beautiful zombie story with heartful characters, strong social criticism...

Based on East Asian history and folklore, The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang follows orphan Fang Runin (Rin) as she tests into the prestigious Sinegard Academy and trains for a war that her country has been on the precipice of for years. This fantasy war novel is dark, gritty, and Kuang’s...

Are you a broke college student with questionable cooking ability? Are you trying your best to cook healthily but often struggle to find short and simple recipes? Are you looking for a Ground Pork Torta recipe? Look no further! I present to you my favorite childhood Filipino dish, Ground Pork Torta!

Within this week I went to a mobilization at Hing Hay Park where speakers from many communities gathered to denounce violence against Asian and Pacific Islander communities. Speakers pushed for action against racism and were adamant in reminding people that “we belong here” just as any other...

I recently had a discussion regarding the fetishization of Asian women and the attractiveness from being “exotic” while still maintaining certain European beauty standards like bigger eyes or straight, long hair. We also discussed people physically changing themselves to appear more...

COVID-19 has impacted everyone in many different ways. As college students, rightfully so, I have heard many people show concern about losing their formative 20s years. But what about children who are experiencing key years to their social, emotional, and cognitive development at home...

Native Americans have experienced centuries of encroachment and invasion, which have resulted in a loss of their cultural identity, their land and homes, and their very lives. In this present day they are still experiencing a loss of their way of life because of the actions of the privileged...

Jjajangmyeon rings a different bell for me than it did 10 years ago. My idea of jajangmyeon today involves wrestling a packet of jjapaghetti out of my 16-case box since I was too lazy to cook an actual meal that evening. I throw the dry noodles into some boiling water with some vegetable flakes...