Ever since we were little, our amah and angkong had taught us to put family first no matter what. Whether it would be playing mahjong together or celebrating a Chinese custom. They’ve always found a way to keep us grounded to our roots.
We owe it all to them for keeping the culture alive. And for passing on wisdom and knowledge down to the next generation. Even the little things, such as being respectful to others, having patience, and a lot more.
Every grandparent is different and unique in their own way. So, we asked 9 Chinoy students to tell us about the habits they’ve picked up from their amah and angkong.
Danica Ngo
“My grandparents taught me to finish every grain of rice on your plate. Ironically, 1 grain of rice left = 1 palo to us.”
Cedric Choa
“I picked up different mannerisms how I carry myself from my grandparents. This includes greeting other people, and also drinking tea.”
Mika Lee
“Growing up, my amahs and angkongs would always mutter ‘aiyo’ when something took them by surprise. Now, I always say “aiyo” out of habit. Another habit I picked up was knowing what to spend on and what not to. This kind of habit saved me from purchasing impractical things that I would definitely regret in the future.
Ethan Cheng
“Some habits I picked up from my grandparents is [laying mahjong every Sunday and going to temple during Nov 1 and 2.”
Renee Lauryn
“Playing Sodoku, saying the phrase ‘Hay Nako’”
Ponce Licup
“I picked up the habit of offering food to the guest first when it comes to dinner celebrations. I’ve also grown fond of babies since my grandparents loved seeing them.”
Adrian Dee
“I picked up my taste for (Chinese-style) adobo from my Amah. She was the only one in my family who cooked it, so that’s where I learned to enjoy adobo.”
Christian Pua
“A funny habit I picked up from my grandparents is always asking for a discount. And if they don’t offer it, you can pretend to walk away and not be interested so they get baited.”
Ethan Albanza
“A habit I got from my grandparents is to eat using a bowl. I also tend to say ‘hai yah’ when I’m disappointed.”
