Personal Narrative: Zachary Higa's Culture

I, Zachary Higa, live in a world that contains a rich culture that spans to a variety of unique traditions. Although I would be categorized in the Asian ethnic group, my culture does not exactly align with that of this particular group. One specific example that conveys my particular lifestyle is my family’s New Year’s celebration. To begin our spectacular New Year’s celebration, I will start with the food, a mandatory necessity on our checklist. The food is always one of my favorite parts on New Year 's because I love to eat, and each course on the New Year’s menu has a story behind it. We have our Asian inspired dishes that are symbols of good luck, so even though I do not like to eat the daunting black beans, I brave through the bite in order to have a good year. Also, my grandmother would always make turkey because it reminds us of Thanksgiving, and it shows my grandmother’s way of thanking God for the amazing year that we had. I feel the importance of having every single ounce of food with meaning behind it, and this phenomenon has been ingrained into my own culture. In addition to the outstanding

Listening to the fireworks booming in the background, our family holds each other close as we begin a prayer. Most prayers involve talking to God, but this is not the way our family does it. To sum the prayer up in a nutshell, we pray for the prosperity of each family member in the upcoming year, but most importantly, we promise that no matter where we are on this beautiful day, our hearts will always stay with each other on New Year’s. Each of these aspects of my family’s New Year’s celebration has made a profound impact on my culture. Although our traditions may seem a bit odd, I would trade any of it for the world. As I transition to the future ahead, I will take this experience with me, and I hope to pass it on to