People of Fenton: sophomore Mai Nguyen

%E2%80%9CI+celebrate+Christmas%2C+but+not+in+a+religious+way%2C+and+we+don%E2%80%99t+get+together+with+any+family+because+we+don%E2%80%99t+have+any+in+America.+It+kind+of+in+a+way+assimilates+us%2C+not+to+Americanize+us+necessarily%2C+but+to+help+us+fit+in.+I+guess+the+Buddhist+holiday+similar+to+Christmas+is+the+Lunar+Moon+Festival.+It%E2%80%99s+in+mid-Autumn.+I+haven%E2%80%99t+celebrated+it+in+a+while%2C+but+I+remember+we+would+have+lanterns+and+little+pastries+that+had+egg+inside+and+were+shaped+like+pretty+flowers.+We+would+go+to+our+church%E2%80%93which+is+a+temple%E2%80%93and+we+would+celebrate+it+there.+It+was+a+way+for+me+to+relate%3B+the+Christians+celebrate+Jesus%E2%80%99+birthday+during+Christmas+while+I%E2%80%99m+here+celebrating+my+religion%E2%80%93Buddhism%E2%80%93who+I+am%2C+and+how+I%E2%80%99m+unique.%E2%80%9D+-+sophomore+Mai+Nguyen%0A

“I celebrate Christmas, but not in a religious way, and we don’t get together with any family because we don’t have any in America. It kind of in a way assimilates us, not to Americanize us necessarily, but to help us fit in. I guess the Buddhist holiday similar to Christmas is the Lunar Moon Festival. It’s in mid-Autumn. I haven’t celebrated it in a while, but I remember we would have lanterns and little pastries that had egg inside and were shaped like pretty flowers. We would go to our church–which is a temple–and we would celebrate it there. It was a way for me to relate; the Christians celebrate Jesus’ birthday during Christmas while I’m here celebrating my religion–Buddhism–who I am, and how I’m unique.” – sophomore Mai Nguyen

Cameron Carlson, Writer