A new page in my Seattle life!

So I never knew how much time I have for Seattle, until this past Monday-I got a job with the Seattle Parks Foundation (SPF). It happens so fast. As soon as I confirmed the job offer, I quit canvassing, and gave myself a week for transition. I didn't really do anything special, but just climbed, read, and caught up with some friends. Time for myself was all I need for celebration.

I've been going back and forth about staying in Seattle, or the US. For the past year, life has been so transient since graduation in June. I applied for 130 jobs, was offered a few second interviews in January, and got rejected by all of them in February. I made plans to travel or leave the country in March, while still applying for a few jobs that I meet almost all qualifications. Then I got interviews in April, and finally landed an ideal job in May.

Throughout the whole time, one thing I never stop doing is climbing and making/sustaining friends. Since job market has been giving me so much frustration and insecurity, I found climbing as the best activity for commitment, and friends that I share interests with are easier to stay in touch and give each other emotional support.

But I really, really never commit to anything but climbing. I moved around places, lived in different neighborhoods, changed several jobs, and was never ready to invest in stuff that I might not be able to take away if I were to move-like furnitures, outdoors gears, or relationships blahblahblah.

To work in the US as a foreigner is not easy. As currently I am on my student VISA, I can only work in my related field of study for a year. However, for those who study STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) we can apply for an extension to work for another 17 months in the US. As for now I have found an employer that offers me a full-time job with benefits, I can work till January 2015 as a science major graduate.

In April next year, the employer would have to apply for a work VISA for me, and that will give me a few more years to work in the US. I was lucky enough to be chosen out of 289 candidates for this job with SPF,  an extremely forward-looking non-profit conservation organization based in Seattle. I was especially thankful because they have to go through an "e-verify" process with the immigration service to hire me. Obviously this is not a company like Microsoft and Amazon who have money and resources to hire foreigners.

The timing of this offer is great. I have worked for Environment Washington as a canvasser for two months, and was never sure how long I could stay working that job though I tried to stay positive. A week before I quit I cried after a frustrating day fundraising, I hated it when I tried to connect with people, and they just shrugged you off and told you they don't have money or time to protect forest.

I told the employer that I would love to have a job that put all my skills together-a job that involves creativity, interpersonal skills, working outdoors, and data management/project organization. Canvassing is more just interpersonal skill, while in grad school it was all about research/data. I used to intern for a conservation non-profit, while waitressing and doing a research assistant at the same time. Now I have it all in ONE job!!!

So yeah, commitment to Seattle. I never thought about it seriously before it happened. I remember when I first moved to Seattle from Taipei, a Korean girl sitting next to me on the airplane said "this will be your second home." I love Taiwan and have strong connections there, so I just smiled and said "ha, maybe". But who knows- about three years later I AM STAYING IN SEATTLE!

This is a big deal, eh? Getting your first real job in life in a place that you thought you'd never call home. After all, Seattle does have good things to offer besides the rain:

-Diversity: Seattle embraces diversity. It values multicultural communities to co-exist and live in harmony with each other. I enjoy the cultural life in Seattle where I can write for a bilingual newspaper, interview Asian restaurants, filmmakers, and actors, and attend concerts or film festivals that feature Asian themes. I can also make friends that value our cross-cultural friendship.

-Progressiveness: Seattle is very forward looking for sure. For a while I was joking about marrying someone so I can stay and go on adventures in the US. While relationships with boys can get complicated these days, I might as well marry a woman cuz it is LEGAL in Washington! But professionally, if you look at the numerous Seattle non-profits' websites, you can tell they are using facebook, twitter, multimedia extensively, and are constantly assessing if they are communicating information effectively. They also encourage a healthy lifestyle where employers, while interviewing, would ask you what do you do for fun.

-For the most part, I was just stunned by the fact that a local non-profit with only seven staff members would hire a non-US citizen to work with communities in Seattle on park projects. They are thrilled to offer me the position and are very willing to go through the complicated hiring procedures with immigration service. I don't know if this would happen outside of the conservation-focused and open-minded Northwest.

Here is a blurb of introduction written by my new employer, I am sooo excited to officially be part of the conservation community in Seattle!

"I’m delighted to share that we’ve just hired our new Foundation Coordinator, Kelly Huang.  We are super excited to welcome her to the SPF team. Kelly will be filling the shoes of Greta and will begin her fulltime position on Monday.  Kelly grew up in Taiwan where she received her BS in Geography. She moved to Seattle 3 years ago and received her MS in Environmental and Forest Sciences at the UW in 2012.  She’s been extremely busy over the past three years working and interning for many organizations including Environment Washington, Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition and Forterra.  She’s also been doing feature writing for Seattle Chinese Times.  You can take a peek at one of her stories here: shark fin soup and shark conservation

 We look forward to introducing you to Kelly at our upcoming meetings and events."

Many many thanks to all my friends in Seattle. I couldn't have done this without your support. And yeah I will finally be able to visit home later this year!!! Can't wait to see all my friends and family back home!!

My late night encounters in rainy Seattle

"Are you Ms Seattle?" Clay called me up while I was hustling from door to door in West Seattle. It was a chilly evening. He hung up the phone, got out of his car, and walked up to me like a big surprise. "Man what the heck! Why are you here?" "And why are you here?" We both laughed. This is the second time I ran into Clay outside of the climbing gym, where we became friends.

We both work non-office jobs. He's interviewing workers in fast food restaurants, and I'm canvassing-going door to door doing fundraising for Environment Washington.

I talk to an average of 40 people a night. I've walked on streets in Madison Park, Magnolia, Alki Beach, Capital Hill, and Madrona. When I started, I was the only girl in the office. It was very easy to get frustrated by roughly 35 rejections a night, but all my coworkers are surprisingly positive and encouraging. 

It was also very cold that you would lose the momentum to keep going. But my coworker Ross said "Cold is not an excuse." And then he would light up a cigarette and chill out about the roughness of the job. To experienced canvassers like him, weather, rude people, shitty work hours (1-10 pm) have become normal. 

A month later, I became a field manager. I draw maps for myself and others, and encourage new canvassers when they are frustrated. I joke about the rain, rude people, non-solicitors signs, and all sorts of excuses people come up with when they don't want to give, but still wanna be nice. 

I see all walks of life. In a minute or two, you gotta engage others in a conversation, even when they are confused or disturbed. To not seem as intrusive as the nature of soliciting, I smile, genuinely ask people how are you, and politely respond to their expression and reaction to my rap. I have a million ways to interact with a million people in different situations. I speak Mandarin to new immigrants, and turn down American accent when I talk to foreigners. I am making an instant connection with people. 

I don't know if this is a cultural thing. In Taiwan I was taught to be listening and understanding as a good communicator, and always be gentle and soft-spoken as a woman. In America I learn from my peers to be confident and even a bit cocky and straightforward to get your idea across. I also found myself being a bit more playful and flirty with men.  

I ask people questions to make them feel like I don't just talk to them for money. This is owing to my waitressing experience when I would get more tips by being friendly. But it also creates value in each conversation I have with others, and it definitely makes work more interesting. 

Here are some of the most interesting encounters:

*CLIMBERS!! I signed up at least three contributors that climb at the climbing gym that I go to, and have literally ran into two of them in the gym. I got a big check from a middle-aged climber who retired from being a climbing bum with his wife, and is currently working and raising kids, who seem like future climbers as well. 

*ASIANS It depends. I had a conversation with a Japanese girl about how weird it is to go door to door. In East Asia everyone lives in apartments, and we barely talk to strangers. Not many countries in the world are like America, where people have houses. American culture is also more conversational where people ask how are you all the time, and are constantly having conversations with strangers in restaurants, bars, elevators, gyms and such. Man Asians are (usually) shy! 

*HOUSE PARTIES! I've been invited to parties at the door twice. It was actually kinda fun that when people are happy and drunk and enjoying company, and see me as a friendly harmless young lady, they'd engage me in their fun time. 

*TEENAGE BOYS They liked me! There's this cute young man who wanted to help the environment (or help me?) that convinced his dad to give. There's also another time when two boys' parents weren't at home, but they said "we would take whatever you want to leave for us." 

*ATTRACTIVE WOMEN I had a night when all my contributors are attractive women. One is a ski instructor, a blond lady who moved from Michigan. Another one is an exotic woman who was so pretty like a model and convinced her husband to give. Then there's this girl who moved from the South and was preparing for nursing school. And finally there's a dancer who was heading to a show with her husband. 

*STONERS I've never run into any but apparently they're pretty common in town according to my coworkers.

*RICH OLD WHITE MEN When I started as a rookie canvasser my field manager Miles would always want me to "friend" them as the goal he set for me for the night. I asked my coworkers if they would become rich old white men one day, cuz I sometimes hate them when they're rude to me and reluctant to give. Miles said he might and he doesn't want me to hate him as I shouldn't.

*MUSICIANS I ran into an established Taiwanese young lady who is the director of PhilharmonicaNourthwest. She invited me to a jazz concert they're hosting! On the same day I ran into a jazz musician who plays stand-up bass and was teaching a lesson in a big gated house. I ran by their house again that night, and was stunned at the moment that I saw and heard them playing through the window. It was so private and yet the music was so contagious that totally captured my wandering soul. 

*BIKERS HIKERS KAYAKERS FISHERS HUNTERS are our friends. It's very easy to make connection with people who do outdoors cuz they usually love the environment and could tell you what they're up to for the weekend. I've signed up an old lesbian couple who are kayakers for 30 years. It was a very special moment. 

*RACISM and SEXISM don't really exist in Seattle, at least not against Asian women. I actually found that as an advantage as I've encountered people that said they've never seen girls going door to door at cold nights in the rain. Especially cute ones. 

A Harvard business school graduate told me on Saturday after I convinced him to contribute that I should take this job as a valuable learning experience. He asked me a bunch of questions that makes me think about life, work, future from a new perspective. He complimented on my "sales" skills, and told me I should acknowledge that. 

I'm definitely happy that I now have a full-time paid job, but what makes it worthwhile is the conversations, learning experience, and peer support. Ms Seattle is a Taiwanese girl who wanders on late night streets knocking doors and talking to folks. She's all over the place, and yet centered.

Not all who wander are lost.

Am I "Americanized"?

I have never had identity crisis until recently my Japanese friend Yoshi ran into me on campus when I sneaked into the forestry building to play piano. 

"You are Americanized!" He shouted out loud as I showed off my long dark hair that had not been trimmed for a year and a half. "Your hair is just long, but not stylish" Coming from Tokyo, Yoshi couldn't help but commented on my hair.

I was stunned. For the past six months, I have been hanging out with mostly Americans since I graduated and started rock climbing like crazy. Nobody would comment on my hair except saying that it's cute and pretty. I have totally forgotten how Asians would perceive me differently if I am just who I am.

I went to the barbershop the next day and got a haircut immediately. I also got red highlights and weirdly enough, I felt super "me" after I got the cut, though it was a wake-up call from a friend.

So how else am I Americanized? And is being Asian or being American more like being myself? I am confused. 

I looked at my old pictures and found a group photo of my girl friends and I 2.5 years ago when I first got my bob haircut and red highlights, I was a senior in college. 

(June, 2010, Taipei, Taiwan)

I was extremely adequate. I had several solid friend groups that share different interests with me- outdoors, arts, environmental issues, life...I had my family around, a boyfriend, and a cat. I got my college degree, traveled around the island, volunteered, worked and yeah, 

I was ready to explore the world. 

But little did I know that I am also exploring myself in a different culture. I love connections, and growing up in a gregarious culture I always come to know myself better through relating to others. This is very different from a lot of people I met in the US, where people tend to find themselves through solitude-doing things by themselves. 

I friend people that have similar pursuits in life. As it turns out, most of my friends now are predominantly white Americans (It's Washington). The more I hang out with my friends, the more that I adopt some of their values as we share thoughts on various things. I am confident as who I am, but I open myself to others and allow myself to be shaped.  

(December, 2012, Aspen, Colorado)

So I am "Americanized". I picked up American accent, I bike, I go out, drink and dance, I do outdoors, I grill food more than I steam or stir-fry, I am hugely happy for Sally Jewell to be nominated as Secretary of Interior, I wrote, advocate and fundraise for Washington's great outdoors, I party I bullshit I flirt with boys and gossip with girls.

I work American jobs. I have taken on a job with Environment Washington to do door to door canvassing. All my coworkers are boys and four of them are around my age. I gradually picked up the way they talk as everyday they walk into the office ("What's up dude?") and would occasionally fight/play with each other (and with me?) and make stupid jokes. I am part of the crew now. 

“Culture is an identity of any person, if you lose your culture there’s no identity of you,” said Shamim, a 24-year old girl in Kalasha village, a minority tribe in Northern Pakistan. 

I skype my grandma in Taiwanese. I make Asian food and I never buy cheese and drink smoothie. I love looking at pictures my friends posted on FB of the mountains they climb, the rivers they trace, places they travel to and people they are dating or even when some of them are having babies. I work hard, save money, and maintain a good relationship with my mentors, family, and friends in Taiwan. I cannot afford losing these connections.

So if keeping my Taiwanese identity and becoming more American is not a conflict, what does that entail?

My room is adorned with posters of Taiwan and Washington, and postcards from my Taiwanese and American friends. I read both Taiwanese and American news articles. I enjoy both English and Mandarin books. I talk to myself sometimes in English and sometimes in Mandarin or Taiwanese. I wear Asian-style clothing in a casual way that blends into the Northwest fashion. I listen to Taiwanese folk/pop/rock and various American music.

"Becoming Americana" is a book written by a Mexican woman who immigrated to America as a kid, grew up in an immigration community, and went to UCLA where she became friends with middle-class white kids and eventually dated and got married to a white boy. She diligently pursued an "American life", broke through obstacles and struggled to meet expectations from two cultures while being and finding herself.

But she immigrated, by default she had to go through "Americanization". So far America has not given me a choice, and by the end of the year I have to decide to leave or stay. This is a country of opportunities and uncertainties. Pursuing dreams is challenging, but fun, and I like it. Continuing my exploration of American life and outdoors does not mean I have to be American, but it seems to come hand in hand as I gradually realize it. 

I wanna continue my exploration of the world and myself. The world can wait, but mid 20s is when I'd like to have an idea of where I'm going later in life. I embrace all the opportunities I have in order to break through my transition. At the same time, I want to have the biggest fun with those that share a moment, a summer, or perhaps a lifetime in the beautiful American West.  

What were you doing when you were a kid?

Celebrating New Year skiing in Aspen is awesome, and it's my FIRST TIME skiing!! 

I talked to my friend Diana about my holiday trip. She told me it's pretty common in the US, especially in the northern states. 

"Yeah, lots of kids do it. We'd have at least two big buses filled with people; it's pretty common, I think."

When it comes to skiing and climbing, kids are fearless and restless. You wonder how this country is home to many explorers and adventurers; you can easily tell from the kids' up-bringing and what they grow up doing-being exposed to outdoors and having a backyard of snowy slopes, rivers, or simply expansive wilderness.

So what do kids do in Taiwan?

I grew up in Taipei City where there are 2.6 million people, and almost everyone lives in an apartment cuz there aren't enough space for houses.

 (looking out from the window in my parents' apt)

I live very close to a volcanic national park, so we'd have field trips to visit hot spring sites, learning local history, culture, and geology. In rural areas, kids are taken to rice paddies, temples, and old trails.  

Almost all outdoor experiences we have are not just about being in nature, but having a better understanding of history and culture. I came to love the cultural part of wilderness experience. As I joined the mountain climbing club in college, one of my favorite trips is to visit historical trails that native Taiwanese hunters and Japanese soldiers used before WWII, and during Japanese colonial era in Taiwan (1895-1945).

(Kids in the rice paddy)

Some of the most interesting field trips are definitely those you can do things that are nostalgic, things that our parents or grandparents do when they were kids. Harvesting rice, picking oysters, or praying in a temple are all fun events that can engage kids in our culture. 

That is perhaps what we have in Taiwan, and what American kids don't have. I love learning about the Native American culture simply because they are the first people in America that have strong connection to the land. I get excited about petroglyphs, just like when I encounter an ancient ruin when I was mountain climbing in Taiwan. 

(Petroglyph in Taiwan)

And everything the kids do in Taiwan is safe, no risk taking, no injuries allowed, and no more sports if you get hurt. 

No extremes. I remember I went on a hike with my mom and she stopped me when I tried to explore a hidden trail that is off the beaten path. I was not supposed to be adventurous cuz I'd get hurt and I should just go for moderate exercise like swimming. 

Then I see American kids doing crazy stuff and get hurt, and their parents would just help them recover, tell them to get stronger, and keep doing it. "No big deal, just a broken bone," that's how an extreme sports person would say.

However there's a changing tide for school kids in Taiwan nowadays. The Western style outdoor recreation is bringing in sea kayaking, climbing, and river tracing/canyoning.

The cool thing is that the environmental educators are relating these activities to our culture, especially for sea kayaking, a tradition of a Native Taiwanese tribe in Eastern Taiwan.

In terms of pursuing extremes and getting strong, I am not sure if that fits into the Eastern philosophy of moderation. As I see myself participate in sports like climbing and skiing, I am very cautious and would only challenge myself step by step. That said, I am not ambitious in "getting strong" but simply enjoying the indescribable ecstasy being active in the outdoors. 

I wonder how I would be different if I grew up in the States. 

  

Tipping demographics

The waitressing job has been interesting, if not exhausting. 

I have always been a full-time student till this past June when I officially came to the working world. Till now it still seems like a bad timing to enter the job market, but I just gotta keep trying.

I try everything. I work three jobs-an unpaid internship, waitressing at a restaurant, and a part-time research assistant. It is more than just paying my rent and climbing membership, but to make the most out of my travel-living in a foreign country; I wanna see a different world.

From serving sushi to drinks, I learned how to suggest food for folks who are visiting, on a date, or soaking wet from the rain. People who start to speak Japanese to me always want sake or sapporo, typical NW looking guys 20s-50s usually want IPAs. Ladies like wines and cocktails. Folks that don't talk much order Whiskey drinks.

I always chat a bit with customers. It's fun to see where people are coming from in terms of how they carry themselves, what they order, and how they tip.

Overtime I realize those that tip me the best are men in their 20s-50s, especially when they come with their buddies or themselves, not with a woman. It indeed feels like selling my smiles, but also being quick-witted-knowing what to ask to let people talk about stuff they are most comfortable sharing with you.

For whatever reason women are tricky. They'd call me "sweely" when I serve them well and have good conversations with them, but they'll never tip me as well as men would. On the contrary, our other male server/cocktailer "Kelly", a cute gay boy, always get great tips from women and gay men.


(Kelly & Kelly!)

From time to time I get flattered when professional looking men or cute boys tip me well, and tell me things like "You have a great smile." However the most rewarding thing is perhaps interesting perspectives I can share with them or gain from conversations with people.

I learned about "MRE" (Meals Ready to Eat) from a guy from California who came to Seattle to do business with shipping companies. He was in the marine and was working on a boat for a few years. A MRE has 1200 calories and the US boats traded that with Philippinos for fresh shrimps. He has a son and a daughter of my age, and he kept telling me his son is athletic and has a nice body. But then he told me not to be too physically intimate with guys too easily cuz they get what they want and would just run away. He had 6 beers.

Met a school teacher teaching geography in Southern California who came to Seattle for a social science conference. A geographer and social scientist myself, I chatted a ton with him about culture and science, and then outdoors cuz it turned out he's a surfer. I had just written a review for "Chasing Mavericks" and got all excited about surfing culture and the sport itself. He was surprised how a server at a restaurant could know a lot about stuff and is actually a writer. I gave him my number and said if he wants to surf in Taiwan he should contact me cuz I have surfer friends in Taiwan. Yeah and of course, he's cute.

It never hurts to talk about my travel experiences, passion for outdoors, and career aspiration cuz those are the things I can connect to people the best. If that aligns with their interest, they'd most likely share insights with me that inspire me in unexpected ways.

I told a man and woman at a table about the story of chopsticks. In China woods are being chopped down to plant banboos for making disposable chopsticks. In Japan and Korea they are using cornstarch and make them into biodegradable chopsticks. I told them in Taiwan we are bringing our own chopsticks so we don't use disposable ones which are bleached and could be bad for your health.

They were amazed by how much I know, and I exchanged numbers with the man, who seemed to be the woman's friend/brother cuz he told me I had a great smile. He's perhaps in his 40s but is attractive.

A couple weeks later I had a phone interview with a young professional-the executive director at Audubon International. It might be cuz we're of the same generation, I feel comfortable sharing personal anecdotes with him. I shared with him my waitressing experience and that particular conversation I had with the customers to demonstrate my understanding of environmental issues in Asia, and my ability to communicate those issues cross-culturally.

Most recently I had a conversation on sustainable practices and government incentives with the NW regional director of an architecture consulting firm. He's in town for a meeting on providing sustainable building consulting services for public schools, who receives zero incentive on federal tax deduction for conducting sustainable practices with their buildings, cuz they don't have to pay tax. I was surprised to learn about that specific field of expertise he has, and he gave me his name card and 100% tip.

This past Friday I served a table of four guys my age. Bartender Kelly winked at me right when they walked in cuz they are all kinda cute and seemed straight. The guy who wore plaid had two gin & tonics and closed his tap earlier cuz he didn't want to spend more money. He even took away the quarters from the change and left me $2 for $18 bill. His friend is cooler, he ordered his friend another gin & tonic, and tipped me 50%! He's cool.


(Kelly and Lily are both bartenders and I'm the server who just started to learn cocktails!)

It's funning that people are constantly checking each other out at bars and gyms and such. At waitressing job in particular you cannot avoid that. But what people don't know is that we are also checking our customers out, especially when Kelly and I work together-we have the same taste;)

Overtime you learn how to read people, and how to invite people into your world in a safe and fun way, like checking women's ID cuz they like to look young. Or challenge men in an inoffensive but fun way, like telling them they should get at least 4 stars out of 5 for Pad Thai, cuz there was a girl laughing at her date who got 2 stars and she said "what's the point eating a non-spicy Thai food?"

For Christmas dinner I'm invited by Greg B., the County GIS professional whom I had a coffee with for professional connection, introduced by Jim B whom I served at the restaurant.

It's more than tips and money, and I'll see how things lead me to different people and their world!

Spying on outdoor activities in the USA.

I am a spy. In case you haven't had that figured out, here are some evidence that Kelly's staying in the US on a highly debatable status:

1. Kelly came to the US for the wilderness and meeting wilderness friends. A Washington topographic map is the first thing she bought when she arrived at Seattle in 2010. While she was legitimately a student, she is now a semi-employed climbing bum seasonally adopted by friendly Americans of different regions.

                                              (Kelly and her Whidbey Island adoptive family)

2. Acknowledged at Hannah Litz.'s house party, Kelly has obtained her US citizenship by winning her first flip-cup ever in 2011. However since then she hasn't had much luck with the game-->a threat to maintaining her citizenship.

3. Kelly is officially and professionally adopted by Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition and has been spying on conservation and recreation projects in Washington. Two weeks ago she sneaked into REI headquarter to participate in a meeting with folks representing outdoor gear businesses, hunters and anglers, and recreation groups in Washington.

She discovered some interesting facts about the outdoors culture in the US that relates to her personal experience traveling and meeting outdoorsy folks across the country:

#1. What is the most physically active region in the US?

Hey Northwesterners don't be too proud! The Mountain region is the champ with a 61% outdoors participation/population rate. The NW is just above the national average of 50%, still behind the West North Central and East North Central regions with 54% and 52% respectively.

Most people I met who moved to the West Coast came for a job opportunity with high-tech or bio-medical company. It is definitely a hub for some of the country's most intelligent people like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. It is generally a region that provides new opportunities and connections with the other side of the Pacific-Asia.

On the other hand, the mountain region attracts folks with outdoor opportunities. Young outdoor enthusiasts move to the region for an adventure lifestyle. The Rockies provide countless opportunities for hiking, backpacking, climbing, mountain biking, and skiing in different seasons of year; the Colorado River is world-known for canyoneering and white-water rafting.

#2. What are the most popular outdoor activities in the US (participation rate)?

1. Running, Jogging and Trail Running 18%
2. Freshwater, Saltwater and Fly Fishing 16%
3. Road Biking, Mountain Biking and BMX 15%
4. Car, Backyard and RV Camping 15%
5. Hiking 12%

As compared by states, I take a closer look at Washington(W), Utah(U), Colorado(C), and Montana(M):

Trails (hiking, backpacking, rock climbing): M-49%, U-43%, C-41%, W-39%
Wildlife Watching: M-48%, W-44%, C-33%, U-32%
Camping: M-46%, U-46%, W-36%,  C-28%
Bicycling: C-35%, M-33%, W-32%, U-25%
Fishing: M-27%, U-21%, W-16%, C-15%
Paddling: M-24%, U-15%, W-12%,  C-11%
Snow Sports: C-21%, M-19%, U-19%, W-12%
Hunting: M-22%, U-10%, W-4%, C-4%

Again while we think people use trails immensely in Washington, Washington is still behind Montana, Utah, and Colorado's in terms of participation rate in trail activities. It might be owning to the rain in winter. I also thought Washington would have more paddle sports because of the Puget Sound and the lakes, but I guess the Colorado River is providing better opportunities for that than the Sound.

Washington's lower participation rates in snow sports and hunting doesn't surprise me though. But not beating Colorado and Montana for biking does make me wonder why, as I've seen more bikers in Seattle more than places I've been in Colorado and Montana.

#3. Is outdoors a Caucasian activity?

78 percent of American outdoor participants identify themselves as Caucasian. However for young adults there's a growing Asian population participating in outdoor activities. Getting exercise and hanging out with friends and family is the top two reasons why Americans participate in outdoor activities. It is the same among all cultures I guess.

                                          (Mimi is my only Asian girl climber friend in the US)

However there is a difference for valuing fitness. Among my friends there are white Americans, Asian Americans, and Asians who participate in outdoor sports. White American boys and girls tend like to stay or get stronger, and would be flattered if somebody says they're strong. Quite oppositely, if someone says that I'm strong in Mandarin Chinese or in Taiwanese cultural context, there is a negative connotation cuz it is a complement for men, not women.

I have lots of female Taiwanese friends who love outdoor sports, but very few of them would appreciate it when people call them strong. Not even myself. Over years I realize when Americans say that, it is a compliment and to some extent it implies attractiveness. It takes me a while to explain to my Asian guy friends why Americans like girls to be strong.

          (One of my Taiwanese guy friends commented that I'm "too manly" in this picture.)

My ex-roommate Nai's Asian American. She and her boyfriend both embrace the value of fitness. It would sound extremely weird if I were to tell my Taiwanese guy friends that her boyfriend would ask her to lift weights to get her arms more muscular. Similarly, it would also sound weird to Americans that my ex would stop me from doing push-ups cuz he thought I'm already too strong, which is a bad thing for a girl.

The longer I stay in the US, the less tolerant I am to folks that criticize me for doing activities that make my shoulder, back, arms, or legs stronger and look like a dude. Though every once in a while, it is still a bit embarrassing imagining myself walking on a street in Asia. It's challenging and interesting to live in two cultures.

My brother took a picture for me when we hiked to a hot spring in Washington. He said: You look good, but  your arms are too big from the Asian's perspective. He also knows two cultures, and was telling me to be aware of judgment from my diverse facebook friends.

But I'm still doing whatever I want, and this is more encouraged in this country, and is perhaps why some of the most adventurous people are from this country because nobody would stop them from taking risks or getting physically exhausted or injured.

It makes a huge difference especially for girls like me. When my grandma tells me don't get too wild like a dude, or when my mom says don't go climbing every weekend, I know why I am in American, and will continue my spying mission of exploring the American West.

My American Thanksgivings:)

2010 Thanksgiving for the very first time

Meggers Macphaden is one of my first friends in Seattle. She is the first person that reached out to me when I was establishing a new life in America. As a local Seattlite, Meg has a very cohesive family and friend circle -a core that intimately provides her constant support.

(Meg's mom showed her turkey around the room.)

Meg is exceptionally willing to share her family love with me. What Megan has in her family is all that I have in Taiwan, hard-working and fun-loving parents, who are somewhat protective of their daughter and always have to deal with the girl's adventures that make them gasp.

                                                            (We are a pair of troubles.)

I imagined myself as the Caucasian newcomers that wanted to express my gratitude to the natives. I made Kimchi fried rice, and absolutely loved Meg's mom's Southern-style cooking with a Northwest touch. It was my first time having brussel sprouts, and I totally loved them! I also fell in love with American pie, which are not really good for your waist line especially when you eat it with ice cream, but yum.....!!

                                                                     (A table of yummies!)

I was shocked when Meg's dad volunteered to do dishes and her boyfriend at the time helped make food and clean up too. Coming from a traditional Taiwanese family, boys usually don't do kitchen stuff unless they are told to do so. Some women consider kitchen their territory that they do not want men to touch anything.

                                                 (Do I not look like an adopted daughter?)

I was pleasantly surprised by how American men are helping out in the kitchen, and is glad that my brother and some Asian boys in my generation are taught well in this respect. Still, I consider cooking as my pride of being a woman, just like how meeting other social expectations empowers me.

2011 Thanksgiving with Northwest Islanders

It took me a while to figure out what to make for Ellen's family. Ellen is another friend of mine who is also a Washington native, to be more specific, a native islander. She grew up on Vashon, a Puget Sound island full of hippies and rednecks.

                                                               (They raise chicken for eggs)

Ellen's family is absolutely hippie-ish, extremely liberal minded, health-conscious diet (local/organic), and have their own chicken and goats. I wanted to bring something they would surely eat, so definitely not some weird Asian food or Americanized Asian food, but baked yam chips, very basic and simple, catering to hippies of all regions.

                                           (We had a great dinner and a great hike the next day!)

We went on a hike the next morning with Ellen's lovely parents and puppy-super healthy activity right after Thanksgiving. Ellen's family is full of love as well, but not as expressive as Megan's. They're fun too, but calm and mellow, whereas Meg's family is more goofy and playful. It's great how family love is contagious and continue to warm my heart in my Seattle life.

2012 Thanksgiving with Japanese American family

My friend Mariko is a 4th generation Japanese American. It is impressive how they can stick to their cultural heritage for 4 generations straight in the melting pot. You'd think the family is full of traditions, but they are just as fun as other American families I've met.

                                                   (Mariko's warm smile and asparagus!)

Mariko has her Japanese and American elements. She's a small, friendly, and sweet Asian girl, and is also an adventurous, outdoorsy, and independent American young lady. Her parents are hardcore fisherman, and all of them cook fine cuisines.

                                                           (Another table of yummies!!)

I was expecting a ton of seafood but ended up having a lot of good meat and pies! There's also rice, sticky rice, and Asian-style pork and sweet potato. I made pumpkin ribs for them, modified from a Taiwanese dish-pumpkin pork. This is one of the few times I can make an authentic Asian dish without worrying that ppl won't eat it.

                                                      (Mariko's parents and friends)

I went climbing and hiking with my new Northwest friends on that weekend. It starts to feel like I am having my own circle and not always tagging along somebody else's family or partner circle. Transition is hard cuz you don't have a core, and at the same time you are not anyone else's priority. I'm glad my solid interest is making me a seemingly solid friend group that I can count on to hang out with.

          (Greg broke my stereotype of flaky Northwesterners cuz he makes things happen.)

And as always, always thankful to those that reach out to me and make me feel like home in my American life. That's what Thanksgiving is all about, sharing and giving, and love.