Bus Snobs

(In case you can't read it...)

Kent: "The behavior of our classmates is rahther abhorable."

Kayla: "mm'Indeed."

Also, 'abhorable' is a funny word which spellcheck doesn't seem to like. But it's still a real word...right?

The Temple

So I’m a month late....and the event actually happened over a month ago, but I'm finally going to write about it! I’m going to break from my usual....kentiness(?) and write a touching emotional sappy entry, like a normal person! Okay...maybe all the kentieness won’t be gone. But still, the last time I wrote an entry like this was Mason’s birth. So grab your tissues, and lets get started. :) 

It all began when Davic came to stay with me for a weekend in October. As you already know, we spent the first day exploring Pike Place Market. But on Sunday, we had plans with a heavier tone to them. Since the following day was Davic's dad's birthday, he wanted to use his last day in Seattle to visit the temple which holds his dad's remains, and I was more than happy to go with him.

We found a bus that would take us there, and I saw a whole new side of the city that I didn't know existed. Honestly if I was alone I would have been scared out of my mind. But then again I'm a wimp when it comes to shady areas. 

When we arrived at the temple, I realized it was different from what I had always imagined. There was an ornate yellow fence that seemed to fit what I'd expect, but the temple itself was just a regular old house. When we found our way in, a nice older woman gave us a glass for our flowers, while the young monk girl gave me weird looks as she asked "...your friend?" 

We entered the small shed that housed the ashes of all the people who have passed away. Papa Do was front and center, the first clear photo I've ever seen of him. It made me realize how much my friends resemble him, especially Davic. 

As Davic began the ritual and lit the incense, I stood quietly taking in my surroundings. I listened to the music that filled the room, I smelled the incense sticks as they burned, I looked at the picture staring back at me, feeling as though I already knew him. Davic finished his prayers, and began to cry. I could feel a lump in my throat as I teared up a little myself. 

He turned around and introduced me aloud to his father. "Dad, this is my very good friend Kent." And call me crazy, but as soon as he said that, I felt as if his dad was smiling back at me. The warm feeling you get when you meet someone and they're  welcoming to you. It was like he was officially accepting me as part of his family. :) 

When we went to meet  Ba noi (who is their grandma, as well as the head monk) we had no idea that we were walking into the middle of a Sunday service! Davic sat in the nearest seat while I went wherever the elders ushered me. I had no idea what was going on and couldn't understand a word. A little boy stared at me as I sat down, probably thinking "What in the world is that white guy doing here?" 

I tried my best to follow along, mediating with "no eyes" as Ba noi told us. Flipping to the correct pages even though I could only understand maybe 2 words. Standing up or bowing when everyone else did. It was all an interesting cultural experience that I was glad to be a part of, until the longest meditation happened....I swear that one lasted at least 20 minutes...My back started to ache and my body started to twitch. But I survived. 

When the service was over, everyone gathered their money and gave it to Davic. He tried to turn it down, but they were not having it! Ba noi put it in his shirt pocket and insisted he take it. People who we had never met were coming up and treating us like family. I couldn't even communicate with them and they were comfortingly putting their hands on my arm the exact same way my own grandma does. I definitely wasn't used to the level of kindness.

We ate a meal with them there at the temple, and talked more with a woman named Lan who spoke the best english. She was one of the sweetest people I've ever met in my life. The two of us had a heart to heart with her, relating some of of the hardships in her life to our's. After we were done eating, she gave us a ride so we wouldn't have to take the bus again. She even forced MORE money on us. 

That whole day was really emotional for me, and that doesn't happen very often. Mylinh and Davic are the two closest people to me in the world. I've only known them for 2-3 years, but they've changed my life. I always knew their childhood with their dad was an important part of their lives. And through this experience, I felt like I was able to go back in time and connect to it in a way. It's hard to explain, but it makes me feel...important? Like I'm loved enough to be a part of their most treasured memories. 

And the people at the temple took it to a whole other level. Ba noi telling me to always stay together and take care of Davic was adorable, it was nice to be seen as good enough to take care of her grandson for her.

 Thank you, temple people and my Viet family for the experience that I'll never forget as long as I live. <3 I know I'll be back again some day.

Summer Days

And oh those summer nights~   Oh wait no, this isn't going to be that song...

But since summer is coming to an end, and it officially becomes Autumn next week, I thought I'd take this opportunity to reflect on my best memories from summer 2011. Possibly the very last "real" summer of my life. It might not have been my very best summer, but looking back a lot more happened than I originally thought.



I reconnected with old friends, people that I hadn't truly hung out with in a year. I saw my first big scale concert tour. I got to help take care of my god-son and watch him grow, at one point I was even seeing him every day which I've wanted for a long time.



I went out on spur-of-the moment adventures, which I didn't even realize I missed until I was dragged along this summer. I introduced my best friend to my family, which is something that has only happened about 2.5 times in my life. For the first time I had people read my blog other than my friends who I force to read it. (I even got a follower!!) And most recently I made brand new life long friends and got involved in a program that meant a lot more to anyone than I expected.


I'd say overall, even with some bumps in the road, this was quite the successful summer. :)
I'd like to thank everyone involved (what is this an award speech?) and I hope that everyone else's summer was as good, or even better than mine. And hopefully by next summer, I'll be writing about how spectacular my school year was.