Image by “Can I also have a can of orange soda?” Armei says to the kid behind the counter, who looks like he’s hardly out of high school. Armei can’t even remember the days when she’s out of high school. That’s so long ago and she’s growing old.
“You mean the ‘San Pellegrino’.” The kid says with a thinly veiled amusement. He actually pronounces “Pellegrino” with a Latin flair and emphasis on certain syllables. He must have learned it from his Italian grandpa at home. What a show off. Armei thought. And he stares at Armei as if he’s waiting for her praise. She knows she should praise him, just to be social, but at the moment she doesn’t feel like it. Here she struggles to speak her accented English while he speaks his perfect American English and his perfect Italian without showing any effort–can life be more unfair?
This is in Panera Bread, the chain coffee shop with a big sitting area in Menlo Park Mall, New Jersey. Armei doesn’t want to come, but Lulu drags her over.
When they sit down and Armei relates her orange Pellegrino story, Lulu laughs and says, “we do need to learn to pronounce those Italian names. Let’s go to Olive Garden or Maggiano’s to bother those waiters with pronunciations.”
“Lulu, give me a break. English is enough of a headache for me. Now you want to learn Italian? Haven’t immigrants suffered enough?” Armei whines.
“Look, we can study the menu online so that we can ask educated questions when we arrive.” Lulu scrolls her phone to show the menu. “I wonder what Fritté is? Rigatoni looks like pasta. Or we can try parmigiana. What is Mozzarella? I heard of this word before somewhere.”
“Lulu, please don’t torture me. My head starts to spin right now.” Armei says.
“Armei, promise me when we go there this time, you will not bring your chopsticks, like what you did two years ago. It is so embarrassing.” Lulu pats on Armei’s hand to warn her.
“How can I eat noodles without chopsticks?” Armei asks.
“Goodness. That’s not noodle. That’s pasta.” Lulu says.
Haoyan Do 
That was a nice story🌹🌹🌹
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re most welcome!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s one thing I have noticed as difference between Asian and Western cultures. For the most part, most Asian cultures tend to be mono-cultural more often than not whereas countries like the US and UK tend to attract many different cultures to a point that they get assimilated as part of American or British existence.
My siblings and I, growing up in the US, are a lot more comfortable in a Chinese restaurant than my parents and grandparents from India.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, some of the conservative Asians can be extremely conservative. And very opinionated against anything they are not familiar with. Living in the U.S. actually increased these people’s feeling of insecurity and they become even more conservative.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha! The blurring lines of different cultures. So relatable and really interesting. Well written! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for commenting. Yes, learning from other cultures is not so easy but it can be done. I really want to show the fun of doing it, although I often fails to reach my aim. LOL.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Such a whimsically charming little story! “We’ll read the menu online so we can sound educated.” Lol. And the chopsticks thing. 😂 How cute! 🥰
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOL. Thank you for your praise. Love your comment, always.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Same here with me 😉🤍 I love your comments and how you considerately take the time to read everyone’s works and encourage them. That’s what every good artist does!
LikeLike
You are a great storyteller. I enjoyed this one just a little more because I have spent much of the last 12 years listening to conversations in Panera franchises from New York to Washington DC to Seattle and beyond.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you for your praise. Hahaha. Panera Bread is the best place for conversations and bagels. Now that you mention it, I remember I love their black bean soup (a little too salty though) and I will need to get one of those. LOL.
LikeLike
I love your stories
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. I am glad you like it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, all of them 😁
LikeLiked by 1 person
lol. That was a good one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, always.
LikeLike
Now this makes me smile 😃
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you 😊😜
LikeLike
This story was funny. I’m italian do i’m pretty curious to know how people talk about my country.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for visiting and commenting. Yes, in New Jersey and New York, there are many Italians. I even regularly hear them dropping one word or two in Italian. LOL.
LikeLike
I mean people of Italian descent. They are native English speakers, but they do sometimes have one word or two popping out in Italian. LOL.
LikeLike
It doesn’t end for immigrants does it? An ongoing saga of adjustments!🙃
LikeLiked by 2 people
That’s so true. We all learn continuously in our life, regardless being immigrant or not.
LikeLiked by 2 people