Querencia Essay.

    When I woke up, I start heading for the bathroom. Brushing my teeth and washing my face with a face towel soaked with steaming hot water. " Wow did that felt good! ", I said to myself. As I walked out the door, I heard my mother yelling and lecturing about my grades, getting me all frustrated that I couldn't stand anything anymore! All I needed was to get out, have some peace and quiet just to think. I rushed to the door, put on my shoes, opened the door and ran straight outside just to get out of the house.

 
   Walking up that tiring hill just to get to my special place was much more worth it than that loud voice in my ear and also, it was a good exercise. Step by step, I kept telling myself that I can do better and have more quality work. Feeling that breeze on my face felt super good helping me relax. Finally, after all that walking, I could hear the crickets chirping with the birds and the rustling sound of the wind rushing through the leaves and the branches, while I was going towards those small stairs to sit and calm myself down. It wasn't that quiet, but it helps me relax and it takes away my stress and whatever that's in my mind just by enjoying this sound of nature. 

  
   Sitting for minutes and hours, I could never get bored of that place. That smell of the grass, the feeling of the wind blowing through my hair, it just makes me smile by how I can be alone with nature and lets my thoughts run free. Before I leave, I would always take one last deep breath of that grassy scent and remembering the leaves and branches rustling with the birds singing everywhere. Being in that place makes me feel like it's my own fantasy, I could do whatever I want whenever I wanted too. After all of that, I thought it was time to go back to the mess that I left at home.

Querencia

                                                                                                                                   

My special place is this place that's up the hill from
where I live, behind the building. This place helps me
calm down from things that brings me down. I can
concentrate much more better than I do at home.
Hearing the birds chirping in the trees with crickets
chirping, hiding in grasses where we can't see.
The winds blowing so hard through the tree's leaves
and branches making those whoosh sounds. The nature
around me helps me relax and calms me down. So,
whenever I want to run away from home because
of " things " I would go to my special place.(:

Roots and Recipes. ( Rough Draft. )

I saw my mom coming home, seeing her with grocery bags. "I wonder what it's inside." I thought to myself. My mom walks through the door, setting the grocery bags down, I snatched the bags to see what it was. "I SEE CHARSIU!" I yelled out. I also saw mooncakes! It was the Moon Festival week and we would always celebrate, then the next day we go to the festival. I love helping my mom make Charsiu fried rice. It was my favorite dish to eat everytime we celebrate. It was my mom's recipe. She loves making them.

I ran to the sink as fast as I could just to wash my hands to make fried rice. I got the rice and started washing it, then cooked it. I was so impatient for the rice to be done, I just want it to be done so I could actually start making it. I could just smell the charsiu, waiting for it to be with the rice. As I heard the rice cooker ding, I had to wait a few more minutes just to make sure it's fully cooked. When that few minutes past up, I immediately ran to the rice cooker, opened the lid and grabbed the rice pot out of it. I could feel the steam going through my face and the pot burning my hands, so I put the pot on the table.

I opened up my fridge, got the carrots, choy sum, green onions, and eggs. My mom was skinning the carrots and washing it with the choy sum and the green onions, just to make sure it's clean. I always chop the green onions, but it makes me tear up just by cutting it. After, my mom would cut the choy sum and the carrots because I would always mess up, I just couldn't cut it that small, but the green onions were just okay when I cut them. We were done cutting up the ingredients, so we put it all in strainer, washed it again, and mix it all together. Last, we chopped up the charsiu to little tiny cubes.

I got the frying pan out for my mom, she set it on the stove and turned it on. I took steps back before she pour the oil in, just to make sure it won't pop out and land on my skin. My mom puts the charsiu in and stirs it for a bit, then adds the eggs and mix it. When she's done with it, she puts it in a plate and puts it aside. I was next to the plate, tempting to have a piece, mouth getting watery, just wanting to eat the whole thing, but I controlled myself and stayed calm. She washed the pan, then puts it back on the stove and puts oil. She dumps the rice and vegetables in, slowly, and just hearing the popping sound. My mom asked "Do you want to stir it?" "Of course!" I said. While I was stirring it, my mom added the charsiu with the eggs again. There was a lot of stirring to do. I love the sizzling sound when I stir the ingredients together. I always ask my mom when it would be done, she says 'till it looks golden. The smell of the charsiu and the green onions really made my mouth watery and just pig out from the pan. Also, we added a little bit of seasoning, a teaspoon of salt, and two tablespoon of shoyu. In my mind all I could think about was the food, smelling it just made my stomach empty, so all the fried rice could go in.

Lastly, when the rice is golden, I stoped the fire and brought out a big plate to put the fried rice on it. Putting my face over it, having the sweet scent of the charsiu going through my nose, dreaming about eating it right now, but sadly I got to wait 'till everyone is here. Knock knock was the sound I heard that got me excited because it meant that my family is here! Popo (grandma) brought mooncakes, which is my favorite. Yiyi (aunty) brought duck and chicken. Everyone gathered around the table, smelling the food, cousins and sister saying "Yumm, I can't wait!", adults saying 只要耐心等待。(just be patient). We sat around the table, getting our utensils and our plates. When everyone gets settled, we all say 中秋節快樂(happy moon festival) and starts pigging out. When everyone's done eating, it's time for mooncakes! My favorite thing to eat when it's around. I could just eaet a whole bunch. The sweet taste of the inside, soft and chewy, chewing it slowly likes it's the last piece, saving the taste in your mouth. Everyone just talking all together, enjoying the time we spend together on special occasions, brings the family really, really, close. I love special days when you get to make your favorite dish and spend time with your family.(:

Ingredients ::
~ Charsiu ~ Rice
~ Eggs ~ Green onions
~ Carrots ~ Choy sum
~ Salt ~ Shoyu
~ Seasoning ~ Vegetable Oil

Preparation ::
1) Cook the rice
2) Wash all the vegetables
3) Skin the carrot
4) Diced the carrots, green onions, and the stems of the choy sum
5) Put the vegetables in the strainer, washed them and mix it.
6) Chop the charsiu
7) Put the oil in the pan and spread it around
8) Add the Charsiu in then the egg in the pan and mix it all together. After put it in a plate
9) Dump the rice in the pan then dump the vegetables on top , and mix it together.
10) When it looks a little bit golden, add the charsiu and the egg in and mix it.
11) Add Salt, seasoning, and shoyu. Then stir.
12) When it's golden, then it's ready! :D
YUMMM!<3