My community Anonymous

“Eww, what is that?” were words I remember as I brought out the bento box my mom had packed for me.

My middle school lunch consisted of typical Japanese cuisine, and I didn’t see anything wrong with it when I was 13 years old. Hurt by those words, I didn’t understand why my friend would say such a thing. Because my parents are Japanese immigrants, I grew up with the culture of my Japanese parents as they raised me to be the first Japanese-American in my family. However, when I realized that I was different from the rest of the kids at the predominantly Caucasian middle school, I hid my Japanese characteristics as much as possible to fit in.

That changed in high school. Again, I was in the same situation where I brought out my bento box lunch. Instead of disgust I was met with curiosity. Akash exclaimed, “Woah! What is that?” Uncertain of how to answer, I asked, “You wanna try some?” Beginning with that bento box, Akash embraced my Japanese culture and later on became one of my closest friends.

Unlike the monoculture of my middle school, I was a part of the diverse International Baccalaureate program with students from all over the world. I learned to embrace my differences as they made me unique, and I became proud of whom I...