Viviana english blog

  A food-related custom I grew up with is saying “thank you” after eating dinner. In my Guatemalan culture, showing appreciation for the food is important. After eating, I thank everyone at the table to show that I am grateful for the food.   This custom reflects my family's values of respect and appreciation. This tradition has taught me to be grateful for the food I eat and the people who prepare it. It also reminds me to respect my family and appreciate the time we spend together. I believe this is an important tradition because it shows love and gratitude.

  One time I realized my opinion about food was based on a stereotype was when I thought sushi would taste bad because it contains raw fish. I believed this because I was not used to eating raw fish, and it seemed weird to me. I thought I would not like it without even trying it and just from looking at it.   My perspective changed when I learned that sushi comes in different types and can include rice, vegetables, cooked seafood, or raw fish and realized that not all sushi is the same. Learning more about it helped me understand that sushi is an important part of Japanese culture. This experience taught me not to judge food before trying it or learning about it. I learned that people have different foods and traditions depending on their culture.

  One dish from my culture that represents Guatemala is pepián. It is a traditional Guatemalan stew made with meat, vegetables, spices, and a thick sauce made with roasted ingredients. It is often served with rice and tortillas .   Pepián is one of Guatemala’s most traditional dishes. It combines Mayan and Spanish culture  and is known for its rich flavor. Pepián is significant because it represents Guatemala’s history, traditions, and culture. It reminds me of the importance of family and sharing meals together. This dish keeps Guatemalan traditions alive and a way to share my culture with others.

 Some emotions I experienced while writing my story was sadness. While I was writing my story, it made me feel like I was in that moment again and I could hear the words that were said to me. The part that affected me the most was the words the person said that I had to write. It made me feel sentimental but im glad that person is not in my life and I moved on from what they said. I chose to ignore it because I know what was the actual truth behind it.

 A conversation that changed me was when someone had brought up my religion while talking. My friends were planning a party but I told them I couldn’t go until someone said that I was “too christian” I couldn’t go. This conversation had an impact on me because I respect my religion and they dont know how we each have our own beliefs. It made me feel annoyed that they assumed it was because of my religion and could have said something else. I lost contact with them and learned words have more impact than what you think and always be careful in what you say. 

 Something that I believed as a kid was if I swallowed gum it would be stuck inside my stomach forever. My would tell me this because I had a habit of swallowing gum. She would always tell me if I continue to swallow gum, it will be stuck in my stomach. I then found out later that gum can be digested but I had grew out of that habit. Swallowing gum does not get stuck in ur stomach like I thought when i was little but it did scare me so I stopped but it was a good myth.