Assignment 14: Lena Ilagan

For the most part, my Thanksgiving adheres to the traditional American ideal: turkey, family, and all of the good stuff.  And no, despite what many of you worldly individuals think, I do not eat sushi and dog as a family tradition (yes, that was something someone actually said to me in middle school). I celebrate most holidays with my Thai family, and unfortunately, sushi is Japanese, and dog is a Chinese delicacy, neither of which are Thai.  Rather, Thanksgiving is one of the whitest things my family partakes in.  We still hold fast onto our Thai and Filipino roots; my mother still believes that male betta fish can impregnate female betta fish with just a look, and my father still swears that vinegar and rubbing alcohol are remedies for everything.  Simply because we pursue endeavors which are seen as exclusively white does not in any way diminish our identity as Asian Americans. We are still Asian no matter how much pumpkin spice latte we drink.  Our Thanksgiving, however, is a bit unique.  It still involves the stereotypical turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, etc., but those are almost always accompanied with the iconic papaya salad, fried rice, and spring rolls.  Our Thanksgiving is just like our family: though it's pretty white, it still holds onto its Asian roots.