P2: Ahn and Nicholson

For both Ahn and Nicholson the foods present in their lives and the ones that have the most significance to them stem from their relationships with their family. Ahn was born in South Korea but moved to the United States when he was a small boy. This means that most of the things he learned about his homeland were things that he learned from his parents. This mixture of cultures in his life created a blend of food throughout his life. Growing up in the United States made him prefer foods other than his home country’s because he wanted to fit in and immerse himself in the American way of life. He was able to retain some of his Korean heritage because of his relationship with his parents, but this tie was severed when they died tragically in a car crash. This created a hole in his life that he didn’t realize that he had until his son was born. He is thankful to have the privilege to be of mixed cultures and is glad that his son is as well. This is evident when he says,”I have had terrific experiences and opportunities, and that our son, Charlie, will inevitably have the same.” Nicholson on the other hand came from a much more similar culture, but his view of it was shaped by his memories of his mother. He found that because his mother had a love for bland, white food; he found comfort in eating it after her passing. These foods were traditional English foods, which are his native land, but his cultural connection is formed more by his relationship with his mother than by his actual country. Both of these stories allow me to look into the ways that food has shaped my life. They made me realize that my food choices were shaped greatly by the culture of the places I have lived, but even more by the foods that have been passed down to me by my family. Even within the social groups of the places I have lived, such as North Dakota, my tastes have been different because of the influences of my family. North Dakota is very German and, therefore, their food is very German, however, I do not eat many German foods because my family is not German and has not passed them down to me. My love for food has been shaped by many things but none is greater than the influence of the culture of my family.