I'm babbling about immigrants, and I gather from what you said that your character was born and lived her life in China, which is of course a very different thing.
The character was born in China, but had to leave (for reasons related to magic) and she did live her life, after about age 2 or 3, in America. So she's definitely become adapted to American life.
Your insight is valid, but at the same time? Your friend's experience doesn't represent the experience of all people like her, nor am I saying that my character eats ALL Chinese ALL the time. I'm just saying that this character may not automatically hold American comfort foods to be her comfort foods, because there is a part of her history that is definitely *not* American.
You're absolutely right. Food and ethnicity connect in complicated ways. If I came across sounding like it was a simple concept, I'm sorry for that and will try to correct it. Please feel free to tell me, as well, if I am waving around without my pants on. Like you said, it's complicated.
Of course, I feel bad, because we're two white people trying to talk about the experiences of other people as though we have any clue, and I certainly know that I'm still mostly-clueless and this is why I usually try to read and listen to PoC voices on this matter more than I post. But I will be thinking carefully and considering your comment and keeping it in mind.
Re: eating from your culture
The character was born in China, but had to leave (for reasons related to magic) and she did live her life, after about age 2 or 3, in America. So she's definitely become adapted to American life.
Your insight is valid, but at the same time? Your friend's experience doesn't represent the experience of all people like her, nor am I saying that my character eats ALL Chinese ALL the time. I'm just saying that this character may not automatically hold American comfort foods to be her comfort foods, because there is a part of her history that is definitely *not* American.
You're absolutely right. Food and ethnicity connect in complicated ways. If I came across sounding like it was a simple concept, I'm sorry for that and will try to correct it. Please feel free to tell me, as well, if I am waving around without my pants on. Like you said, it's complicated.
Of course, I feel bad, because we're two white people trying to talk about the experiences of other people as though we have any clue, and I certainly know that I'm still mostly-clueless and this is why I usually try to read and listen to PoC voices on this matter more than I post. But I will be thinking carefully and considering your comment and keeping it in mind.