Emilie Kim

“As a child, I learned the common dinner etiquette of waiting for your elders to eat first. I would sit at the table, legs crossed and hands together, and wait until my grandpa takes a bite before I ate a spoonful of rice. Later on, though, I tried to wait longer because my grandma would still be in the kitchen, getting another plate of side dish, by the time I ate. Eventually, my grandma realized what I was doing and she laughed. She found it cute that her six-year-old granddaughter was quietly waiting even though she was so, so hungry. She came over with a smile and told me to not wait for her. Just like my mom, my grandma felt full whenever she saw me enjoy her cooking.”