I was on youtube and found this video! It is so inspiring and if you haven't seen it yet, watch it, favorite it, like it, and share it!!! It's amazing!! It has inspired me to do something big, not sure what, but something to do with Hmong and all!! It's just so touching!!! :D Makes me so happy to be Hmong! The lyrics are just soo touching and strong. See for yourself!!!
Hmoob Yuavtsum Hlub Hmoob - Hmong Artist Collaboration (Official Music Video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RrFDKOgKFg&feature=player_embedded
Monday, June 6, 2011
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Patriarchy
The Hmong community, believe it or not, is a patriarchal society. Meaning, men dominate the women. Look at it how you want, but it's the truth.
I don't like patriarchy, in fact, I hate it.
I hate that men think that they have power over women, I hate that they think they have the right to disrespect us because we are different, or don't have balls.
Why? Didn't God make us equal?
But then again, even some Christians will say that men are more worthy than women.
I hate that some Hmong men still think it's ok to treat women with disrespect, treat her lower than dirt, and judge us like we don't belong or are unequal to them. Not all Hmong men are like this, but for those who are, I hope they learn that their way of thinking is wrong.
It is hard to switch someone's way of thinking, if it's something they have been taught ever since the day they were born, from the colors of clothing they wear, to the chores they do in the house.
Be open about it, look at it from a women's perspective, and I'm more than sure that we (women) look at it from the men's perspective too.
The bf always tries to make things equal, he never wants me to think that I am less than a guy or him. When I'm cooking, he cooks with me, when I'm washing the dishes, he's on the other side helping me. We do laundry together, just about everything together. He treats me with equality.
I don't know where he gets it from, his way of thinking that is, but I like it. I like that he can tell from right and wrong, how to treat a woman, and how to respect us even though we are different.
All men should be like that!
I hope that the Hmong men that are being born will not turn out to be brainwashed into the patriarchal society that we have, (not only Hmong society, American society, pretty much every society).
Let's try to stop that from happening, by educating them!
I don't like patriarchy, in fact, I hate it.
I hate that men think that they have power over women, I hate that they think they have the right to disrespect us because we are different, or don't have balls.
Why? Didn't God make us equal?
But then again, even some Christians will say that men are more worthy than women.
I hate that some Hmong men still think it's ok to treat women with disrespect, treat her lower than dirt, and judge us like we don't belong or are unequal to them. Not all Hmong men are like this, but for those who are, I hope they learn that their way of thinking is wrong.
It is hard to switch someone's way of thinking, if it's something they have been taught ever since the day they were born, from the colors of clothing they wear, to the chores they do in the house.
Be open about it, look at it from a women's perspective, and I'm more than sure that we (women) look at it from the men's perspective too.
The bf always tries to make things equal, he never wants me to think that I am less than a guy or him. When I'm cooking, he cooks with me, when I'm washing the dishes, he's on the other side helping me. We do laundry together, just about everything together. He treats me with equality.
I don't know where he gets it from, his way of thinking that is, but I like it. I like that he can tell from right and wrong, how to treat a woman, and how to respect us even though we are different.
All men should be like that!
I hope that the Hmong men that are being born will not turn out to be brainwashed into the patriarchal society that we have, (not only Hmong society, American society, pretty much every society).
Let's try to stop that from happening, by educating them!
Friday, May 6, 2011
Burden
I feel like being a woman in the Hmong society is more difficult than being a man.
You get less opportunities and more responsibilities.
I am so stressed, the men in my family are being so immature. Not stepping up and being what they are supposed to, or being there when my parents need them most.
I am so sad that I am so far away, I have to try to work things out even though I'm millions of miles away. I can't wait to go home and fix things and make it all better, so my parents will appreciate the girls more and stop expecting from those who can't attend to their needs.
I'm tired of being treated like a kid, I am a grown up now and just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I can't do things that the Hmong society expects me to. I am so much better than those men, I can prove myself and have gone so much further than they have.
Don't worry niam tias txiv, I am here to help you!
You get less opportunities and more responsibilities.
I am so stressed, the men in my family are being so immature. Not stepping up and being what they are supposed to, or being there when my parents need them most.
I am so sad that I am so far away, I have to try to work things out even though I'm millions of miles away. I can't wait to go home and fix things and make it all better, so my parents will appreciate the girls more and stop expecting from those who can't attend to their needs.
I'm tired of being treated like a kid, I am a grown up now and just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I can't do things that the Hmong society expects me to. I am so much better than those men, I can prove myself and have gone so much further than they have.
Don't worry niam tias txiv, I am here to help you!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
I Love Being Hmong
Being Hmong has given me a huge outlook on life, or just a different look at life and the world.
I listen to our language and it's really different from any other language out there, someone asked me, what is Hmong language like, and I had no answer to it. We are just that unique and different.
I am so proud to be Hmong, the struggles that we have gone through, and the accomplishments we have come to are great.
I love the Hmong songs that we have, some are so inspiring and touching that I am so thankful to be who I am and thankful that I can understand what these songs are saying because they have so much meaning to them. The way it's being sung, the way it's being said, and the words itself has so much meaning. Take the song by Bao Her called Tus Kuv Hlub Tshaj! That song is so great, I love it. I love the original more than any other version.
Hmong!!!!
Thank you God for making me who I am, and thankful for my family and friends. I can not thank you enough for everything in my life! I am so proud to be who I am and have accomplished what I have. Thank You!
I listen to our language and it's really different from any other language out there, someone asked me, what is Hmong language like, and I had no answer to it. We are just that unique and different.
I am so proud to be Hmong, the struggles that we have gone through, and the accomplishments we have come to are great.
I love the Hmong songs that we have, some are so inspiring and touching that I am so thankful to be who I am and thankful that I can understand what these songs are saying because they have so much meaning to them. The way it's being sung, the way it's being said, and the words itself has so much meaning. Take the song by Bao Her called Tus Kuv Hlub Tshaj! That song is so great, I love it. I love the original more than any other version.
Hmong!!!!
Thank you God for making me who I am, and thankful for my family and friends. I can not thank you enough for everything in my life! I am so proud to be who I am and have accomplished what I have. Thank You!
Friday, April 15, 2011
Our History
Being here not a lot of people know about my race. So of course I have to explain.
Explaining who we are and where we are from is so difficult because the story is so complex, you would never be able to tell it all in one sitting.
But even with that being said, those wonderful people are interested and want to know, they want to learn and know about who I am and my people's history.
I love that about some people, when they want to know you and understand you. When they are open to things that have happened and to how you are.
While telling stories of my parent's and grandparent's, I have realized that I need to do more research or ask my parents more about this. I want to know more than I do now, I know the main points, but I want to know all the details.
I want to know OUR history.
It's different from learning in class when the teacher just says, "there were Hmong people in the Vietnam war, they helped the Americans fight the Vietnamese." When my parents tell me stories, they are so intense and so heartbreaking, it's a whole story by itself. Each time they reached a certain point is a story to tell. I just wished I had time to write it all down for a real book to be published.
That will be one of my life goals to accomplish.
Explaining who we are and where we are from is so difficult because the story is so complex, you would never be able to tell it all in one sitting.
But even with that being said, those wonderful people are interested and want to know, they want to learn and know about who I am and my people's history.
I love that about some people, when they want to know you and understand you. When they are open to things that have happened and to how you are.
While telling stories of my parent's and grandparent's, I have realized that I need to do more research or ask my parents more about this. I want to know more than I do now, I know the main points, but I want to know all the details.
I want to know OUR history.
It's different from learning in class when the teacher just says, "there were Hmong people in the Vietnam war, they helped the Americans fight the Vietnamese." When my parents tell me stories, they are so intense and so heartbreaking, it's a whole story by itself. Each time they reached a certain point is a story to tell. I just wished I had time to write it all down for a real book to be published.
That will be one of my life goals to accomplish.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Being In a Whole New World Alone (WARNING: this is a rant so don't read if you're gonna think I'm being immature, because I am)
Being in a whole new world alone sucks, or sucks in general! Straight out going to say that it sucks! I'll give you a list! Not that it's not a good experience and that I haven't made good life-long friends or that this will be one of the greatest experiences. I know now what they mean when you come back you are a whole new person, a better and wiser person, you appreciate everything and everyone you have! When you leave you leave everything you know and are used to. You leave your life and try to start somewhere where you don't know anything and you are the dumb and ignorant person.
why being in another country alone sucks
1. no family or friends
2. can't go shopping enjoyably
3. can't stay up late with someone to just hang out
4. have someone to talk to
5. share your wonderful day with
6. brag about all the neat things you saw or bought to someone
7. have someone to cry to
8. you can't go out to eat with someone other than yourself
9. there's no one to take your picture
10. no one understands you
11. no one relates to your norms
12. don't have enough people you know of to hang out with a different person each day of the week
13. you don't have someone to watch scary movies with
14. no one to eat with
15. no one to cook with
16. no one to do laundry with
17. no one to sing with
18. no one that knows you
19. no one that cares as much as your friends and family
20. people are for themselves
21. if you don't know something you are straight up DUMB
22. you want to go somewhere but you can't get there
23. have someone to be your puppet and put makeup on them
24. vocabulary is different
25. you have to find shops that carry things you like and can afford
26. people judge you based on your country
27. you miss everything and everyone back at home
28. you can't speak Hmong to anyone because no one understands
29. what you wear is not normal
30. what you crave is really difficult to find/make because of the differences
AND the list goes on.......
My point is, don't go alone if you can't handle it (like me)! When I get back home, I am so going to hang out with everyone on my friend list!!! SERIOUSLY!!!! and I'm going to appreciate everything so much more!!! I miss my home so much!
why being in another country alone sucks
1. no family or friends
2. can't go shopping enjoyably
3. can't stay up late with someone to just hang out
4. have someone to talk to
5. share your wonderful day with
6. brag about all the neat things you saw or bought to someone
7. have someone to cry to
8. you can't go out to eat with someone other than yourself
9. there's no one to take your picture
10. no one understands you
11. no one relates to your norms
12. don't have enough people you know of to hang out with a different person each day of the week
13. you don't have someone to watch scary movies with
14. no one to eat with
15. no one to cook with
16. no one to do laundry with
17. no one to sing with
18. no one that knows you
19. no one that cares as much as your friends and family
20. people are for themselves
21. if you don't know something you are straight up DUMB
22. you want to go somewhere but you can't get there
23. have someone to be your puppet and put makeup on them
24. vocabulary is different
25. you have to find shops that carry things you like and can afford
26. people judge you based on your country
27. you miss everything and everyone back at home
28. you can't speak Hmong to anyone because no one understands
29. what you wear is not normal
30. what you crave is really difficult to find/make because of the differences
AND the list goes on.......
My point is, don't go alone if you can't handle it (like me)! When I get back home, I am so going to hang out with everyone on my friend list!!! SERIOUSLY!!!! and I'm going to appreciate everything so much more!!! I miss my home so much!
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Making Spring Rolls In NZ
Yesterday I made spring rolls and they were delicious, not as good as the ones I make at home but still good! The reason being for that is because at home I know what is good and what's not and where I can get everything I need, where as here I have to find everything that is somewhat similar and work with it.
In my usual recipe for a spring roll I add ham and here I couldn't find any chunks of ham so I just used chicken that I cooked with some oyster sauce, still good! And then I totally forgot to make some eggs and put it in there, but like I said, still good! lol
I'll post some pictures. Some of them turned out really good and then others I had a little trouble with because the wraps that I bought, if you soak them too long they rip like crazy, which I find is unusual because the ones I usually buy at home are not like that. All my flat mates were wondering what I was making and I wanted to share, but then I was thinking that it is expensive and so I decided not to.
I don't like not sharing, I feel so weird, but then they don't share so I don't either because I feel like, if I share then they might always want me to share or take advantage of it. They are really nice women, so I shouldn't even think that.
Anyways, I had made some peanut butter pepper sauce and it is so spicy and good!! OMG, the bf wished he was here to eat it with me, lol. He told me he was eating rice and noodles... The peanut sauce is his favorite, so he wished I had made it for him instead, lol and so did I!
All the ingredients
The chicken with oyster sauce and a little salt
The rice paper soaking in water
The peanut butter pepper sauce
The final outcome after the spring rolls have been rolled
In my usual recipe for a spring roll I add ham and here I couldn't find any chunks of ham so I just used chicken that I cooked with some oyster sauce, still good! And then I totally forgot to make some eggs and put it in there, but like I said, still good! lol
I'll post some pictures. Some of them turned out really good and then others I had a little trouble with because the wraps that I bought, if you soak them too long they rip like crazy, which I find is unusual because the ones I usually buy at home are not like that. All my flat mates were wondering what I was making and I wanted to share, but then I was thinking that it is expensive and so I decided not to.
I don't like not sharing, I feel so weird, but then they don't share so I don't either because I feel like, if I share then they might always want me to share or take advantage of it. They are really nice women, so I shouldn't even think that.
Anyways, I had made some peanut butter pepper sauce and it is so spicy and good!! OMG, the bf wished he was here to eat it with me, lol. He told me he was eating rice and noodles... The peanut sauce is his favorite, so he wished I had made it for him instead, lol and so did I!
All the ingredients
The chicken with oyster sauce and a little salt
The rice paper soaking in water
The peanut butter pepper sauce
The final outcome after the spring rolls have been rolled
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