Sherry

=Sherry=

Interview Podcast
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BIOGRAPHICAL/GEOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Sherry Liu was born in Wulu MuQi, China. She has lived on China and North America. She lived in Virginia and Ohio. She came to the U.S. when she was 23 for studying purposes.

Her hometown’s taditional dish is Nong, which is called “Chinese Pizza”. She will also tell us about other traditional foods in her hometown, specifically a favorite for boys (men), and a favorite dish for girls (women). She talks mostly about food specifically popular in her hometown.

She will also explain what she did when in her childhood, her family, and how she feels being in America, or if she wants to go back to Wulu MuQi, China.

She will tell you what she wants to share, specifically her culture, and a message to Chinese citizens

Creative Writing Vignette
**Sherry Liu**

Sherry Liu was born in Wulu MuQi, China. She has lived on China and North America. She lived in Virginia, and currently living in Ohio. She came to the U.S. when she was 23 for studying purposes.

 // “We serve more hot than cold.” //

__“Cool Jelly”__ By Ayana May

I hear the bustling of people; hurrying about like they were all late for something. I am in Wulu MuQi, China. I am in the marketplace, where people sell fruits, foods and fresh vegetables. Today it is very hot, since it is the middle of July. I came to buy Liang Feng, Liang Pizi. Liang Feng, Liang Pizi is called cool jelly. It is made out of green bean powder. Liang Feng, Liang Pizi is also made out of some flower. Mostly girls like Liang Feng, Liang Pizi because they put chili and a lot of Chinese sauce all together. Since Liang Feng and Liang Pizi are cold, it tastes delicious especially in the summertime. I cannot wait to taste the coolness of the jelly on my tongue. I run to one of the stands which sell Liang Feng, Liang Pizi. “May I have Liang Feng, Liang Pizi?” I ask. “Sure, little girl,” replies the man. As I make the payment, the man hands me the Liang Pizi, Liang Feng in a plastic container, filled with ice. “Thank you,” I say. I part from the man and head home. I will eat it at my house, even though I am tempted to eat the Liang Feng, Liang Pizi now, which would soothe my burning body from the hot summer sun.

__Nong__ By Ayana May

Nong is pizza. Chinese pizza. It is both American and Chinese. They both have a round, thick, ring around the pizza. The crust. Crispy, thick, crust. But the topping is the difference between Nong and American pizza. Like white and black. Nong has nothing but seasoning, but pizza has pepperoni, pineapple, mushrooms, almost anything. Nong has a beautiful flower pattern on it, even though there aren’t many varieties of toppings. First, Chinese people dig a hole inside the earth. Next, they put a fire inside. Finally, they put the Nong inside. The people cook the Nong in a very natural environment. Even though these two taste differently, are cooked differently, and look differently, they are both pizza.

__Common noodle__ By Ayana May

Lao Mien, Tao Mien is a very common noodle. I can find LaoMien and Tao Mien at any store in China. Today for lunch my family is having Tsao Mien, Lao Mien. Everyone in my family puts all kinds of toppings on theirs such as meat and vegetables. “Why don’t you like plain noodles?” They answer, “Well, don’t you think if there are more toppings, wouldn’t it taste even better?” I do not understand. I continue eating my plain noodles thinking, wouldn’t the toppings hide the delicious taste of plain noodles?

INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT
Ayana: What could have been done to keep you in your home country? Who would you miss?

Sherry: My family. My friends.

Ayana: So how many people were in your family?

Sherry: Five. Total of five. There are five people in my family, but not a big family because my sister and brother all have their family and they have kids so big family now.

Ayana: So how big was your family when you were small?

Sherry: Just five people. My parents, my sister, my brother, and me.

Ayana: Were your sister and brother close to your age?

Sherry: My sister and my brother were very close, just 2 years old difference, but I was 5 from them because I am the youngest one. My sister old than me, just 2 years old. My brother is like 8 years old than me.

Ayana: How was the transition? Like, did you have trouble at the airport?

Sherry: I don’t think so. I am very lucky, when I go to the airport, the people there is very nice there, and I give the tip for Chinese money, but I don’t know that. Anyway, I don’t think so, it’s difficult. Everything smooth.

Ayana: So they helped you, even though-

Sherry: (Exclaims) I don’t ask any help! I think everything’s okay.

Ayana: How many customs have you adopted here, what kind of customs?

Sherry: Christmas, Easter. Festival, like—harvest?

Ayana: So, Thanksgiving.

Sherry: Yeah, Thanksgiving. I like all of them. They are difference China’s but Chinese has the spring festival.

Ayana: We learned about that in Chinese. Like, Halloween is like the Ghost festival or something?

Sherry: We don’t have the Halloween in China. We got from here, America. But actually, we do have the Spring Festival, I talk with you, and we have Moon Festival. And the other one is called New Year’s. Yeah, we have.

Ayana: So, do you still celebrate the ones in China?

Sherry: Yeah, we still celebrate in China today, and we celebrate here, too. Just not like China, you know, but we gather, like we go to church, dumpling, we eat dumpling for the New Year Eve, and we eat the ratapack for the new year and, and dry nice, clean clothes for the New Year’s…

Ayana: So you don’t go back to China, but you still celebrate it here.

Sherry: Yeah. Yeah.

Ayana: Can you describe how it was like when you first came here?

Sherry: Yeah, when I just come over here, I was just like little kids go to the new world, I had no idea, but, there were a lot of things very exiting, very curious, but a little scared.

Ayana: So, can you tell me more about the food and fruits you were talking about, in your hometown?

Sherry: Oh, sure. We eat a lot of spicy food because my country, hometown is a few nation country, just like America, a combination, all kinds of different people, local people live there. It’s like a veque, or all kind of different kinds of culture, dress different, and they eat different food, but my favorite one is called “cool jelly”. It’s Liang Feng. Um, Liang Pizi. L-i-a-n-g Liang, F-e-n-g Feng. Liang Pizi. L-i-a-n-g Liang, p, p-i-z-i. These two were, is my favorite one. It tastes different, like Jell-O, like Jell-O, like cool Jell-O, but the difference, American Jell-O is fruit, but this Jell-O is from the bean, it’s green bean powder, they made it. And the Liang Pizi is made of some of the flower, it’s kind of a – it tastes very delicious, and special.

Ayana: So, is it traditional?

Sherry: Yes, it is a tradition for my hometown, not Chinese people, and I like dumpling, dumpling, we eat dumpling. Yeah, I sometimes still made here, yeah, I eat dumpling, fried dumpling.

Ayana: So, the Liang Pizi, do Chinese people normally don’t eat it?

Sherry: Yeah, only my hometown mostly. Girl, actually most of the girl like that food. Yeah, because little chili, sour, it tastes special, because they put sauce, some Chinese sauce, all together. Tastes very special. So, most of the girl like that food. Like hotpot, I talked about the hotpot, little bit spicy there, it’s hot, Chinese food, most them is hot, only Liang Pizi, Liang Feng is cold. Other food most of them is hot food. We serve more hot than cold.

Ayana: So, is your hometown a big population?

Sherry: Yeah, but compare land, not really because for my hometown, is 1/6 part of China, but compare, average people have the mile, like 3 miles, something like that, compare the peaking, of Shanghai, it’s not really, but actually, there are a lot of people there.

Ayana: About how much population do you think would equal one of the cities in Ohio? Like Cincinnati or Columbus.

Sherry: Probably like, Ohio.

Ayana: So, do a lot of people visit, are there a lot of tourists there?

Sherry: It is. That’s a toured city because they’re very special location, and special food, special culture, every year; many people from different country come to visit because lot of things is very different to the world, so people like to visit it. It’s very mystery, for the people who go there because looks like desert, but still there tree, big city where they have, so people very curious to go visit.

Ayana: So, the Liang Pizi, is that the traditional food for your hometown?

Sherry: Yeah, for the lot of the tower, you know to go to the trip, you go to the travel there, the people sells it like that.

Ayana: So there are a lot of stores that sell that?

Sherry: Yeah. You can even go to the street, and get it from the individual people who sell from home, something like that.

Ayana: Do a lot of people like the Liang Pizi?

Sherry: Yeah, most of the female, the most of the female like that food, especially in the summertime. Yeah, in the summertime, it is very good. It’s cheaper, it tastes delicious, and nutrition.

Ayana: Is it really healthy?

Sherry: Healthy? Not really (laughs). Because, it’s compare fruits, and fresh food, yeah.

Ayana: A lot of girls like that food. So, is here any food that mostly boys like?

Sherry: Another one is called Yang Iou Chuan. It’s very good too. It’s made from the lamb. Roast lamb. It tastes different because they use different way too cook. Difference the season, so it tastes very delicious. Very famous in China. Maybe the whole world know that. Just like chicken teriyaki, but they use the lamb, different season, uses diffent cooking wing, and it’s very good. And the Nong, is another one, the Nong, it’s like pizza, but difference with pizza that’s called a Chinese pizza, but it’s very different because the cooking the difference where they not cooking for the traditions though, they cooking with made earth, the earth, they dig hole, they put the fire inside, and then put the Nong inside the hole. It’s called Nong Kung. So it’s different. It’s very good. And very famous in China. Everybody like Nong Kung.

Ayana: Is that a traditional food in your hometown? Does everybody in China eat it?

Sherry: It’s a traditional food in my hometown. Not everybody in China eat that because that’s only from my hometown because they need special cooking stove, and do it themselves. Not the steel one that we use right now, electricity no, they use the made of earth. They dig the hole, set fire inside hole, they put the food around the hole. So it’s very different. It’s very natural, exactly.

Ayana: What do you put on the Chinese pizza (Nong)?

Sherry: They put nothing, they only put the seasonings there, but they gather the flower, I don’t know how they do the different flower, the pattern on the top, it’s very beautiful.

Ayana: There’s a flower pattern?

Sherry: Uh-huh. But they use different toppings, to make a flower on the top. Like pizza, but they don’t have anything, like pizza you have pepperoni, all the topping, but they don’t have anything.

Ayana: No toppings?

Sherry: No, but it tastes delicious. They are very special cooking, natural, and I think nutrition.(Laughs) It tastes very good.

Ayana: Is the Chinese pizza shaped the same? (Like American pizza)

Sherry: Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. But difference one is the edge, they are extra thick. The edge is extra thick. But for pizza, it’s all same level. But that one, the age is ringed there, a big ring around a circle, and thick, but yeah, tastes good. Very good.

Ayana: Do most of the people in China know that food?

Sherry: Yes, I think right now, because the city is open, you know the traffic is very convenient, so the people could order anytime, and from the airplane, the fresh one, but it is very expensive, but if you buy it from my hometown, it will be very cheaper, but if you go different place, it will probably be expensive.

Ayana: Is there a lot of roads in your hometown?

Sherry: Highway. You are talking abut highway. Today, it is a complete different story, like American. They have highways, they have very convenient. They have bridge, highway bridge, and they have all kind of traffic, so it’s very convenient. Even the airplane, Airport, enlarge the airport, right now they have 2 or 3 airports around my hometown. They go international airport.

Ayana: What’s a traditional food in China?

Sherry: For Chinese people, you’re talking about? Yes, we eat a lot of chicken. We eat a lot of, are you talking about Jennotaun chicken? In America, they changed the ingredients. But they eat noodle, all kinds of Lao Mien, Tsao Mien noodle, it’s very popular in China.

Ayana: Do people sell that in a store?

Sherry: (Exclaims) Yeah! They have all kinds of restaurants that you can go, you can find that anywhere.

Ayana: Do a lot of Chinese people put seasoning on their chicken?

Sherry: Yeah.

Ayana: Is there a popular type of seasoning there is?

Sherry: White pepper. Chili pepper. White pepper and Chili pepper. Oh-Cinnamon, Cinnamon powder.

Ayana: What is an easy Chinese dish that you make here?

Sherry: Noodles. Yang Chun Mien. We eat at every lunch. Easy. Just put noodle in water, put some onion, that’s it.

Ayana: Is there any other toppings you put on?

Sherry: Depends on the people. Some people put meat, if you’re a vegetarian, you don’t need to put anything. Just onion and salt.

Ayana: Can you teach me a little of your language?

Sherry: Sure! Ni hao, hau chao bu Chen, which means I haven’t seen you in a long time. Just like old friend, they didn’t see each other long time. Ni hao is just hello, to everybody. Thank you. Xie Xie.

Ayana: What items did you bring to America?

Sherry: Clothes. Picture of my family, and I bring my jewelry from my parents. All from my family.

Ayana: Do you still have all the things you brought from China?

Sherry: I have some of them. Some of them, I gave to my friends, and some I can keep them for my kids, very few, so I keep it for my next generation.

Ayana: Are all those things passed down, generation to generation too? Di d your parents just give it to you?

Sherry: Yeah, my parents give it to me, yeah, so maybe I could give it to my kids. I think they passed me the value too. Like you respect older people, taking care of old people, care younger people. Kong zu su chan. Confusion, similar as Christian, but different. It’s the value of an educator in China.

Ayana: Is there anything you would like to share, since we still have time?

Sherry: I think one thing I would like to share is the people whose in China, they need to know God, they need to know Jesus Christ because this is more important than anything because it leads to the internal life, in the future. I really think about the selfish over there, because a lot of people never heard that. No Jesus, this is very sad, so I’m happy when I hear that from the network, people working there right now. Because when the people live in the dark, I know what that mean, because I have experience with living in the darkness. So, I want them to have freedom, true freedom, and then they can live in he light, it’d be really great, but it’s not easy, it’s not easy because when you do it, it’s very difficult. Because if they got freedom, they don’t know the truth about Christianity, they would misunderstood for whatever reason, they limited the people, they would worship God, they would be persecuted.

Ayana: Is there anything else you want to talk about?

Sherry: Because that it’s very good, in America, there aren’t people that are really selfish in America, same in China, but if people love your neighbor as yourself, because then, society would be better. Neighbor help neighbor, I like my neighbor, but everybody busy, but I like my neighbor. Very good.

Ayana: Do you still visit your family?

Sherry: Yeah, I sometimes go back and visit, but my parents are old, and my husband’s parents, especially his father is sick, he got cancer; we really think about them and miss them.

Ayana: Do your go back every summer and visit them?

Sherry: not really because it is very expensive, so every 2 or 4 years, depends on the situation, so if we could, we try to visit. I think family is more important than money. I still keep contact. Every week I double check, to make sure their okay.

Ayana: What is your maiden name?

Sherry: Li. I didn’t change, for my friends who call me, I still keep that name.

Ayana: That was the end of the interview. Thank you for your time.

Sherry: You’re welcome, it’s my pleasure.

ANALYSIS
I learned that when any immigrant that comes to America, they have to learn a new language, which means they have a language barrier. They could have trouble making friends and communicating with them without being misunderstood. They might feel as they want to go back to their home countries.They are also unfamiliar with America, which means they have trouble with everyday things.

My interviewee had trouble with the language barrier, and still does have some trouble with the vocabulary. She was living in China, and then immigrated to the United States.

She immigrated to the U.S. when she was 23.