Aas Book Report

4. In the “American Meat” chapter, Bich Minh Nguyen and Holly Jansen recently became BFF, best friend forever. One day, Bich Minh got invited to Holly’s sleepover event. The author expressed her excitement because she will have an opportunity to get to know Holly’s family and culture. The experience at Holly’s house was something interesting but rather strange because Holly’s family was completely different from her family. She thought Holly house perfectly exemplify how house should actually look and smell. The house was spotless clean and had scents of “ clean laundry, Lysol, and early morning baking”, which is the smell that Bich Minh never had a chance to smell at her own house. The coziness and comfortableness mingled through the dining room. On the dinner table, it was set “ the way mine at home was never was.” Dishes and silverware were well organized and tumblers were filled with ice water. Everyone was calm and quietly took a small bite and talked about their day. The author soon realized “ how much noise, how much of a mess” every one in her family made.

From this experience, Bich Minh widened her perspectives by understanding similarities and mostly differences between her culture and Holly’s culture. She had a hard time assimilating two cultures to one but she soon realized she would be able to accomplish it when she tries her best. A meal at her friend’s house brought different perceptions to the author, because it was totally a different atmosphere, eating manner, and foods. She was fascinated by how Holly’s family behaved cautiously around dinner table: placing napkins on their napkin, independently slicing meat with fork and knife, taking time to eat, and sharing moments about their day. However, the author mentions that she was relieved to be at home, “to have the beef sliced in to easy pieces in the salty stew.” To continue her effort to accept foreign culture, she began practicing slicing meat with fork and knife. One of the biggest...