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Ashley CP #5

This conversation partner meeting was with Bao Han from Vietnam. Our first couple of meetings were held on campus, but this time we thought it would be more fun to branch out and go out to eat somewhere off campus. I decided to take her to the restaurant called Good Berry. It is a popular local restaurant known for its yummy acaii bowls, a new and trending American treat. She said they didn't have these kinds of food creations in Vietnam and was excited to try something new. When it came to ordering food, I found it interesting how I got about 4 toppings and she only got one. I know they say American's like to indulge, and in comparison to Bao Han I really felt like I was living up to the American reputation... Anyways, when we were eating we talked about a number of different topics. The Vietnamese New Year had just past and she was venting to me about how it made her miss her family back home, how she celebrated it here in the US, and when she plans on seeing her family again next. This conversation reminded me how holidays such as Christmas and New Years aren't totally universal and celebrated the same way everywhere. Its kind of crazy the way we organize our years based off of these holidays, and how different cultures are organized on a different schedule based off of their specific holidays, definitely an important factor to think about when planning on working abroad. We met right after Valentines day, another typical American tradition, and turns out she had a secret valentine. It was fun to see her engage in an American tradition and get so much out of it. I was happy to see her embracing American culture and enjoying the newfound delicious acaii bowl, a delicacy I'm sure she'll be getting again soon.

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