How a Lunar New Yr Journey to Richmond, British Columbia, Taught Me How you can Embrace Being Asian American

Rising up in California’s Bay Space within the ’80s, I used to be one among two Asian Individuals in my grade. Though I went to Chinese language Faculty on Saturday mornings and the nation’s oldest Chinatown was about an hour north in San Francisco, these felt like novelties. I felt like I used to be on the sidelines of each Asian and American cultures, having to cover my bilingual residence language and the very fact my household was extra snug with chopsticks as a substitute of forks. But after I visited Taiwan, my dad and mom’ residence nation, I used to be advised folks instantly knew I used to be American from how I walked. My ethnic id was a relentless push and pull, all the time feeling shunted by either side.

Paradoxically, it was throughout a visit to Vancouver for Expo ‘86 after we drove out to eat in adjoining Richmond, British Columbia, the place I acquired my first glimpse of how my Japanese heritage and Western upbringing might exist harmoniously. Right here, it wasn’t concerning the one Asian restaurant down the road or that singular kiosk that bought the Chinese language newspaper. Richmond was a complete North American neighborhood that hopscotched between English and Asian dialects — parts of each communities present collectively equally.

The transient go to left a profound mark on the early years of my seek for cultural id. Whereas southern California communities within the San Gabriel Valley (like Rowland Heights, the place I lived for summer season within the ’90s) additionally had that essence, it felt like two completely different worlds as quickly as I drove again to my job in Burbank.

So greater than 35 years later, in 2024, I lastly went again to the Canadian metropolis the place I had felt so accepted, throughout probably the most festive time of 12 months for the diaspora: the Lunar New Yr.

With roughly 74 % of the inhabitants figuring out as Asian — together with greater than 54 % Chinese language, in addition to main Filipino, Japanese, Korean, and Taiwanese populations — Richmond isn’t only a place with Asian enclaves right here and there. As a substitute, it is a metropolis that developed encapsulating each worlds that I nonetheless wrestle to bridge within the U.S.

Asian tradition is deeply centered round meals. A lot in order that “How are you?” is usually changed with “Have you ever eaten but?” So it is no shock that the second I touched down at Vancouver Worldwide Airport I began looking for my favourite Asian dish, smelly tofu — a fermented bean curd with an notorious scent that I discover crave-worthy. (To my delight, a restaurant was serving the aromatic dish inside strolling distance from my lodge.)

Once I entered Uno Beef Noodle, the workers in some way knew to talk to me in a Mandarin-English hybrid, precisely like I do with my dad and mom, so I knew this was the true deal. I’d been taught that the standard gauge of a Taiwanese restaurant lies in its beef noodle soup, so I ordered the trademark dish, which galvanized upon my first slurp.

Again at residence, an previous pal was shocked I didn’t get up pondering I used to be Asian each morning. However the reality is that at any time when I used to be in Asia, I used to be known as an outsider. But right here in Canada — a rustic that I had no ties to — I lastly felt seen. Right here, on a regular basis life felt like a slice of these two sides of my id. (And, in fact, that additional dose of Canadian kindness was simply an additional cherry on prime.)

With that newfound acceptance, I leaned in even deeper. One second I used to be in a historic district’s stylish espresso store and the subsequent I used to be ready for rice rolls and congee at Hei Hei Rice Roll inside Richmond Public Market’s Asian meals courtroom. Then I used to be touring the Gulf of Georgia Cannery Nationwide Historic Website to find out about Canada’s fishery previous within the seaside village of Steveston. A few blocks away, I used to be taking a chunk of fried smelly tofu (sure, extra!) at CHJ Bistro, so harking back to my favourite ones in Taipei’s Raohe Avenue Night time Market. Later, I used to be on a run in Vancouver’s Stanley Park, and never lengthy after, I used to be again in Richmond at Reminiscence Nook, the place its complete inside felt like Taipei’s oldest avenue, Dihua Avenue, the place my grandpa owned a cloth store.

On prime of that, Vancouver was proper subsequent door, and there was no imaginary border that made Richmond really feel like an enclave. In any case, in British Columbia’s largest metropolis, 13 % of the inhabitants converse Chinese language at residence.

I used to be taken by the variety of main landmarks in its Chinatown alone, together with the Chinese language Canadian Museum, Dr. Solar Yat-Sen Classical Chinese language Backyard, and Chinatown Storytelling Centre. I even went on a personal tour with Robert Sung who runs A Wok Round Chinatown excursions to grasp the context of the group. Every expertise enlightened me to the Canadian tackle Asian immigrants and tradition, in a method that felt easy and accepting. My go to even lined up with the town’s Lunar New Yr parade, as dragon and lion dancers took to the wet streets with a fearless spirit that enveloped me.

Returning residence to the U.S. after that 2024 Lunar New Yr Richmond journey, I felt a way of whole-hearted pleasure being Asian American, barely ironic having realized that lesson in Canada. However for the primary time in 20 years of dwelling within the New York Metropolis space, I threw myself into its Asian tradition greater than ever, going to Manhattan’s Chinatown Lunar New Yr Parade, in addition to making my first go to to the Museum of Chinese language in America, and capping it off with a dinner with my cousins over the nostalgic Asian decor and meals at Potluck Membership.

I by no means thought that it could take going to a rustic the place I’ve no roots to lastly see how the dueling sides of my cultural heritage might exist collectively, and educate me the true which means of being Asian American.