Culture Training

 The Bubs received his first set of chopsticks a few months ago. He's had a few opportunities to use them already. Yesterday, while his mom and I were having lunch with him, he showed us that he understands how to use them. His motor skills just have to catch up. This kid has already tried a few non-American dishes like kimchi and sushi.

I think I was an adult the first time that I used chopsticks. The first time I was introduced to sushi was in Huntington Beach, California - at 30 years old. Pathetic. However, it was worth the wait. I actually got a job in a sushi restaurant, serving sushi in HB. I was serving sushi before I even tried it. I had no idea what I was serving. I used to bring home an old poster from the kitchen, which had the pictures and names for all sushi. I, and the rest of the English-speaking wait staff, was hired for our ability to speak clear English. We (wait staff) were also hired for our experience in restaurants. The owners did not want to deal with the customers. We basically ran the place and that made it a fun place to work. I soon became a want-to-be expert on sushi and even expanded my limited knowledge on sake. This restaurant is where I was introduced to many of my good friends. I still keep in touch with many of them out there (east-coast speaking). 

The Bubs is going to surpass my "global-ness" by decades. He will even be visiting Japan within the next couple years. I bet the Bubs will be shocked to learn that his old man had neither tried sushi nor knew how to use chopsticks until later in life. This stuff will be already "been there, done that" to him. His mom and I hope to raise him with an understanding of the world outside of his own. This will hopefully reduce his beliefs in any stereotypes that he may hear from others. 

This is good preparation for our future world leader.