Maria Hsin reflects on her multicultural upbringing in Los Angeles, where she learned English and Spanish without Mandarin. After her father's death, she spent two years in Shanghai, aiming to reconnect with her Chinese roots. Hsin reminisces about her childhood experiences visiting Chinatown, where food played a key role in understanding her heritage. Despite a strained relationship with her father due to family dynamics, she found opportunities to reconnect, especially in caring for him during his final years, revealing the profound ties between culture, language, and familial bonds.
My Shanghainese father met my Mexican mother near Los Angeles in the 1970s, and I grew up speaking English and Spanish. I even chose Spanish as my minor in college.
Chinatown was also where we went to celebrate special occasions. As a kid, I remember the excitement of catching glimpses of the Lunar New Year dragon parade from a restaurant.
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