J. L. — Family questionnaire
The questionnaireanswers as written; unanswered questions are not shown
- What languages get spoken in your house, and who speaks which to whom?
Mostly Mandarin Chinese
- Describe a normal weeknight dinner at your house.
My mom cooks dumplings sometimes, but she also mixes some nights with some western food like steak or seared salmon. We mostly each Chinese styled food.
- What is in your kitchen that would not be in most of your friends' kitchens?
老干妈would probably be the most niche among more western communities since it's more of a chinese spice. I would say that most of my kitchen cabinet and most of the food my mom cooks uses mostly Chinese sauces.
- Where does your family food shop, and how far do they drive to do it?
We go to whole foods for all the fresh foods but we go to a local chinese supermarket for all the sauces, spices, and Asian snacks that we like.
- What happens in your house on a Sunday?
Not, much, just a normal weekend.
- Is there a word or phrase your family uses at home that does not really translate?
特儿六. I might have gotten the words wrong but my mom uses it when I'm congested and I'm violently breathing into my nose to make sure the snot doesn't drip out instead of blowing my nose (sorry it might be a little disgusting).
- What sport, instrument or activity did you end up doing — and who decided?
I played baseball because I'd always played it since I was younger growing up in China.
- What do you get asked about being Asian American that you are tired of being asked?
The question "where are you from" because quite often people want to use it to find out about your ethnicity rather than your nationality.
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J. L., “J. L. — Family questionnaire,” August 22, 2026. Asian American Oral History Archive — Tarita Foundation, 2026. https://taritaarchive.org/voices/entries/toh-001.html. Accessed [date].