Dinner Experience

In my every day life, dinner for me involves a healthy Korean style meal. These types of food are very different than American foods and is therefore eaten in different ways. Styles of culture between eating and conversations greatly differ between Koreans and Americans. I have the great pleasure of being able to experience both quite often and I am able to immerse myself in two different cultures. However, with this information, I act differently depending on who I am with and the style of the meal. For example, in Korean culture it is considered polite and is suggested to slurp your foods because it suggests it is extremely tasty. However, in American culture, that is considered rude and you will be frowned down upon because of your lack of manners. I am proud to be able to experience multiple types of lifestyles and cultures.

Name

My name is Matthew, a common name that comes from the Bible. My family are Christian and I believe that is what ultimately influenced their decision. My original Korean name is Jin-Ho. It was originally difficult to have two name but I got used to it. I did feel insecure about my Korean name, and I remember in elementary school when attendance was called, Jin-ho was my legal name so I always had to remind people that I'm Matthew. However, I got used to it and did not find it as a big deal. My legal name is now Matthew and I don't care anymore if people know my Korean name either.

Gogul finds his name as a hinderance and is embarrassed because of the unconventional meaning it has. Not many families name choose different names for the children, however when people do it provides for a platform for bullying because of differences. Therefore, Gogul is insecure about his name and does not want people to know or call him by his difference. I can connect to this because of my first experiences. 

Family History

My grandparents are all Korean; therefore, my parents and I are full Korean. My mom is familiar with America but is not fluent in speech. She has lived in Korea most her life but went to America for college where she began her skills in English. On the other hand, my dad is fully americanized. He went to grade school in Virginia, because my grandparents moved from Korea in search of a better life and more opportunities. With hard work and dedication my dad  went to MIT, then went back to work in Korea where he met my mother, and then moved to California which is where I am now. I have learned Korean values throughout my life even though my first language is English. Because of this, my dad and I share more similar interests because of our cultural background. My mother's way of life is very different from ours because of how she was raised. However, everyone in my household share the same values because of the fantastic job my parents have done with raising their kids. I am proud of my Korean values and background but am also happy my my dad was americanized because I enjoy this culture more.