CUL•TURE

Laos Flag

Unbeknownst to many, I was actually "Made in Taiwan" but legally, my documents states that I was born in a small country from Southeast Asia called, "Laos" — which borders Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand. The reason behind this discrepancy is an intriguing story to say the least.

Once Upon A Time...

...I was conceived and born in Taiwan but my parents –like many of our immigrant parents, wanted a better quality of life and therefore, sought different job opportunities from neighboring countries like Japan & Laos.

Way of the Dragon (1972) — Bruce Lee vs. Chuck Norris

One of my father's first jobs was as an amateur journalist for a black & white news magazine in China — one of his highlights was chronicling the life and eventual death of theMan, theMyth, theLegend — Bruce Lee. Similar to today's Hollywood tabloids, he -too, would keep tabs of Bruce Lee's everyday life and track his every move. 

As much as my Dad respected Lee, he admittingly stated, 'Although Bruce Lee was an extraordinary martial artist (no question), some of his stories were myths — conjured-up and exaggerated by people which later became stuff of legend.'

[Note: 'Til this very day, my Dad still thinks Chuck Norris could have kicked Bruce Lee's ass not because he was more skillful but because he was bigger and heavier than Bruce — many would beg to differ as would Master Lee.]

Pots & Pans

While in Japan, My Dad went from a pot & pan washer to a waiter in a matter of months and quickly began learning to cook in a kitchen by studying and watching other chefs at work in the kitchen. He quickly rose through the ranks at a sushi restaurant but then, a better opportunity arose in Southeast Asia.

My family & I moved to Thailand when I was two years-old...it was there, where he continued learning the in's & out's of the kitchen and also on his way to becoming the table tennis/ping-pong champion of his country.

Unfortunately, I have absolutely no recollection (as a baby) of being in the Mother Land nor in Thailand but I do bear a reminder — a battle scar of my infant years. My Mom told me I was riding a tricycle and hit a door-way bump; causing me to fall head-first onto the concrete floor and splitting my eye-brow wide-open.

Ping-Pong table

My parents rushed me to the hospital thinking I cracked my head open because of the amount of blood that was gushing from above my eye area — eventually receiving 13 stitches across my right eye-brow...lucky, I guess.

Tricycle - three-wheeled bike

As fate, luck and miracles would have it...my parents made the decision to flee the country during the Laotian Civil War. 

During the internal fight, the civil war was also known as the "Secret War" — as secret United States bombing raids destroyed lives, homes, crops, villages, and towns — Laos became the most bombed country on Earth.

During our attempt to flee, the Laotian military officials were screening — only allowing refugees who belonged to business or military communities such as public servants, army personnel and their families of "Lao decent" to seek refuge in Thailand w/ many ending-up in the United States of America.

My Dad –being the bright & ingenious person that I love & respect, "G'ed-up" the Refugee Officials by telling them that we were indeed "Laotians" desperately seeking refuge from the horrific civil war and the country’s Communist regime but 'our birth certificates & pertinent documents were all destroyed when Vietnamese guerrillas set fire to our village — narrowly escaping their reigns and avoided being corralled or persecuted.'

God said, "Thou shall not lie" but that lie literally saved our lives.

West Sayville, Long Island - New York

My parents & I fled the land-locked, warring country of Laos and by God's grace, 'got-off-the-boat' and made it to America (when I was approx. 4 years-old).

We lived in West Sayville, Long Island w/ the financial help of my cousins (my Dad's younger sister's side) for over a year...I vaguely remember attending Pre-K & Kindergarten — I do remember being one of the few minorities in each classroom; as the majority were all white kids.

My Mom co-owns a hair salon in Chinatown

Interestingly enough, my Dad faced the same dilemma (while abroad in China), he was offered better job opportunities in New York City –as opposed to Long Island, and left his job at a Chinese-American restaurant for a better one in the city. 

He would take the L.I.R.R. to & from work while my Mom would watch over me and do 'hair' for family, friends, and random people from the small but growing Chinese/Laotian community.

After securing an assistant chef position in the Wall Street area, we packed-up our bags and moved to the Boogie Down Bronx. To make a long story shorter, we got robbed a couple of times including my uncle — who was asked to strip butt-naked while they literally robbed his apartment. 

[Note: I asked my Dad, "Why did they make him take his clothes off?" He told me that, 'It gave the robbers time to flee as most homeowners wouldn't chase bad guys down the street if they were naked...']

Welcome to New York City

[Please Note: My Dad – Mr. Moc survived both the 1993 & 2001 World Trade Center bombings — we were both fortunate and lucky enough to be World Trade Center survivors R.I.P. 9/11]

After these series of incidents, my Dad made the fateful and ultimate move to Brooklyn, New York and it's been our home ever since. I originally attended P.S. 192 from 2nd grade and partially-3rd grade; where I was introduced to kids of all races and ethnicity — mainly Jewish, Hispanics & Italians.

Honestly, it was a culture shock but it was something I didn't mind...in actuality, I believe it made me the person that I am today.

Although I did welcome the change of scenery, my parents begged-to-differ and transferred me to a Catholic School — St. Rose of Lima.

As a person who has probably experienced more than the Average Joe, I can firmly say that St. Rose of Lima from 3rd -to- 8th grades was Thee Greatest Years of My Life!

Even though we had thee ugliest uniforms in the form of ♫ Brown & Yellow, Brown & Yellow ♫ colors, my classmates & teachers eventually became my family & friends...it's an experience that could never be duplicated or replicated for as long as I am able to blog.

St. Rose Of Lima

St. Rose of Lima was more diverse  — thick cultured, good-willed/hard-working "happy-go-lucky" first generation immigrants —  it was there where I was introduced to the African-American culture (more so than public school — P.S. 192 in Brooklyn) and it was their culture & style that had a profound impact on my childhood — music, fashion, lingo, etc.

During my elementary and junior high school years, I would always visit my cousins in Long Island on the holidays and frequently request to stay over when we had off from school.

My two male cousins introduced me to hockey (New York Islanders), heavy metal (Iron Maiden, Mötley Crüe, Metallica, etc.) and rap (Fat Boys, Run DMC, UTFO, etc.) while my Catholic school opened the gateway to baseball/softball, football, and underground rap/hip-hop (Big Daddy Kane, 3rd Bass, Public Enemy, etc.)

18th Avenue Station (F train)
Brooklyn, NY

Funny thing I should mention, my parents moved from

4020 18th Ave.

-to- 

4022 18th Ave.

-to- 

4131 18th Ave. 

all within a decade's passing...inching closer and closer to the 18th Avenue/F-Train station...before finally purchasing a town house during my later years in high school.

How fortunate and proud would any first-generation immigrants feel after achieving the American Dream without any formal education?

Fleeing a a country in the midst of a civil war on the way to becoming a sous chef (Dad) in Wall St. co-owning a hair salon in Chinatown (Mom), send their only child to Catholic School, and finally buying a house of their own...not necessarily a rags to riches story but something to definitely be proud of.

I definitely owe it to both of my parents and the people I grew-up with — they all made me the person I am today...and for that, I am truly appreciative and grateful beyond belief. 

Culture is a powerful human tool for survival.

Being exposed to various cultures and their customs, races and their ethnicity is something you can't learn through television, movies or books.

Being able to adapt to different types of settings and situations is paramount in today's society.

Being able to relate & understand another person's culture & tradition is vital.

Being diverse, versatile and universal is something I personally strive for because it can only make you a more open-minded and — overall, better person.

~ The End ~