Monday, February 27

Quesadillas for my Korean parents

The 'rents hosted a dinner party over the weekend, and my mom asked me to come home to help. The weird thing is, she wanted me to make quesadillas as appetizers for their friends. I guess quesadillas shouldn't seem all that odd, but Korean parents don't normally think of serving them, and it's not a dish which exactly goes with the rest of their Korean-themed meal. I figured it wasn't my menu, so I didn't question the decision and simply offered my services.

"What time should I come over?"

"Maybe around 6. And make yourself pretty."

I was wearing my comfy and not so pretty clothes, in my glasses, sans makeup. I hadn't planned on dolling up. "Really?"

"Yes, I want all my friends to say that my daughter's pretty."

When I was younger, my parents wanted their friends to praise my brother and me because of our good manners and scholastic achievements. They didn't let me wear makeup nor did they want me to waste my time and money on shopping back then. I was well behaved, and I went to the right schools, so I guess those ducks were all rowed up. My mom now had new goals in mind. "Ok, I'll put on some makeup and change first."

"Oh, and don't wear anything beh-kohp bo-yeen nun-gut."

"What?" I didn't understand why my mom thought she had to instruct me not to wear an outfit that would show my belly button. I don't wear half shirts, and even if I did, I wouldn't do it in front of my parents.

"Do you know what beh-kohp is? It's..."

"Yes, umma, I know. Of course I know. My naval. When do I wear things like that?"

"Well, you know, that's the fashion nowadays."

It is? Where the heck is my mom getting her fashion cues? Can someone please tell me if I've missed an issue of Vogue or InStyle that I don't know about? And can someone else please tell me if my mom is normal?

2 comments:

Parisjasmal said...

ROFL! Hilarious. But you know where I come from it is just not a party without quesadillas and belly buttons!

Anonymous said...

You are absolutely hilarious!

Every story about your parents reminds me of mine!