My first taste of pho

I had my first bowl of pho the other day. I've always wanted to try it, because I have a friend who possesses a small percent of asian in his blood. He's not really sure what sort of asian he is, because he's such an elaborate mix of ethnicities that his family failed to keep track. However, because of pho, he particularly likes to claim the Vietnamese culture as his own.  

Pho is a traditional vietnamese noodle soup that consists of rice noodles in a hearty broth (usually beef or chicken) topped with various spices and herbs. Honestly, I never imagined water could taste so rich. You'll understand once you've had a little pho yourself, and if the broth alone isn't enough for you, it's common to squeeze a little lime juice to add a tanginess that completely transforms the broth, in a good way. To be truly authentic about your pho, you have to be able to pronounce it as "fuh" never "foh".

A Look into the Life of a Geisha

Tonight I saw Memoirs of a Geisha. It's funny because I always thought geisha's were just a fancy word for Japanese prostitutes -- excuse my language and even more, please excuse my prior ignorance. Unlike today's modern idea of prostitutes, Geisha's were women of power.

We sell our skills, not our bodies. We create another secret world, a place only of beauty. The very word "geisha" means artist and to be a geisha is to be judged as a moving work of art

These words from the movie were the words that transformed my entire perspective of Geisha  What I used to think was a shameful trade of seduction I now understand to be an enticing secret in Japanese traditions. The art of the Geisha is a very serious honor. Something about them makes everyone stop to catch a glimpse of them. 
There's a lot to say about the life of a Geisha, and simply watching a movie will not bring anyone to complete comprehension. I heard that their secrecy plays a great part in their alluring art. When you leave things for the imagination, people seek to know more. I recommend this movie to anyone else who is curious about the culture of the Geisha.

Memoirs of a Geisha provides valuable insight into the secret lives of the Geisha revealing that even in their luxurious lives, they were not free from tragedy. These women could capture the hearts of any man but even with their power they could not keep the hearts of the ones they truly love.

Koi Sketch

Two koi fish in yin yang formation. I spent about 2 hours to sketch this drawing on the computer. It was two hours to reflect on two great asian cultures unified in one simple picture. Koi fish are said to be so brave that when placed on a cutting board, they await the knife without a quiver. Oftentimes, they're used to symbolize the bravery of samurai when they face the sword. In this yin yang formation the koi fish also symbolize the balance of nature in Taoism. It represents a fusion of Japanese and Chinese cultures.

Perspective on the Asian Fold

photo obtained from viakorea.wordpress.com

We, Asians, are known for our squinty eyes. Some people may find this sort of stereotyping upsetting or insulting, but personally, I embrace it! If our eyes didn't squint just a little bit, we just wouldn't be Asian anymore. Apparently, our eyes are so unique that there's a term for it! I discovered this today when I was reading an article and stumbled upon the phrase "the mongoloid fold of the eye". I'm not sure why it's established as the mongoloid fold of the eye, as if the mongols are the ones who have ownership over all asian eyes, but it may be because mongols are among the most ancient of asian ancestors. Anyways, our distinguished eyes are actually a result of the way our upper eyelid folds over the inner corner of our eye. This fold of the eye that is characteristic of asian people, has a scientific term: the EPICANTHIC FOLD!!

I feel that there is a lack of knowledge about this term, and awareness must be spread. We are not simply squinty, we are epicanthic!!

A Boy and His Buffalo

I found this painting of a boy on a buffalo during my day to day errands on campus. I feel like this painting represents the simplicity of country life in Asia. Even as children, the people of this lifestyle labor. And they must work each day in order to sustain themselves. Any chance for play is sweet. Here is a boy who is mixing work with pleasure, just like children of today. 

Moon Festival

Google welcomed everyone with this doodle today in honor of the Moon Festival a.k.a. the Mid-Autumn festival. I've always been curious about the moon festival, but I've never known what it was. So I did a little research and discovered the Mid-Autumn festival is one of the biggest festivals in China. It takes place in the middle of the autumn season because at this point, the moon is at its fullest and brightest. People celebrate with eating moon cakes, but even more poetic, they appreciate the moon and reflect on their family and friends far away.  This is a day to remember that no matter where we are, where we go, and where we find ourselves we can always look above in the night sky to see the same moon that the whole world sees.

Below is a photo of a moon festival that took place in Hong Kong. I'm not sure what's going on but the festival is something I hope to take part in someday.

Sketch of an Ainu Man

Today I spent two hours recreating this portrait of an Ainu man. The Ainu people are the natives of Japan. They're known for their great beards which they grow to be large and lavish because they consider an abundance of hair to be a sign of beauty -- so much so that even the Ainu women tattoo mustaches upon their face to mimic the facial hair of men.