41. Culture

My roommate here at Ohio State is a friend from back in Cincinnati. She is half Asian and half Caucasian. Her father who is Chinese grew up in India. Every time I go to her house I either try some new Indian or Asian food that I probably wouldn’t be able to pronounce. Now at school I live in the international dorm. There are girls on my floor from Sweden, Russia, and also China. The Chinese culture has always fascinated me. On Chinese New Years which is on a different day than it is in America, a girl named Summer who lives a few doors down came to my room and started dumping handfuls of candy and chocolate on my desk. She told me that they would bring me good luck in the coming year. I have learned many new customs and traditions from the Chinese culture by living in this dorm. This year on November 11^th (11/11) I was talking to Tom who lives on the floor above me. He seemed a little down and when I asked him why he explained that it was “Singles Day.” It is a holiday for people who are still single to celebrate. He was sad that he did not have a girlfriend and that he would be celebrating this holiday. Many girls on the floor wash their clothes in the sinks in the bathroom and hang them up in their rooms to dry even though there is a laundry room downstairs. Although they now live in America, They stay true to their culture. I think it is important to be diverse, to be open to other cultures and customs and to learn as much as you can about them!