1. Everyone is ‘auntie’ ‘cousin’ or ‘uncle’

The first 12 years of my life, I did not really know who my actual aunt and uncle were.

2. The universal jobs are: Doctor, lawyer, and engineer

You could be a global music producer making millions of dollars and that will not matter to them.

3. Religious service is an all-day activity

You keep some snacks and extra clothes in your parents’ car because this is going to be a long day.

4. Sundays were cleaning day

Get out your dustpan and brush, Kid!

5. The house usually smells like spice or some form of rice

My mom is a big fan of cooking. Especially with certain spices. So whenever she is making food, the whole kitchen is consumed with spices and it smells wonderful. It may smell kind of weird to your friends, but to you, it smells like home.

6. No shoes on in the house

Those floors were steamed clean so no sneaker prints should be on the ground. As soon as you step into the house, the shoes come off. At my house, we have a shoe rack by the front door to put our shoes. It is strange when I go to other houses when everyone can walk anywhere with their shoes on. I just stare at them weird honestly. Same to your friends. Unfortunately, with that being said, the smell of feet probably gravitate throughout the front of the house.

7. Your parents automatically like your other friends with foreign parents

It is all one giant community to them.

8. You are always a part of Culture Fest at school

Plus your mom’s rice has to be better than the other ones.

9. Your friends want to try your food all the time

Sometimes I feel like they like me solely for my food.

10. Every other joke turns into a 3-hour lecture

You totally walked into that one.

11. If you make plans with friends, at least a week in advance

This is a very common sign for many families. When I was in high school, if I wanted to hang out with someone (even my best friends) or go somewhere that was not the grocery store or school, I had to notify my mom at least a week ahead. This annoyed me quite a bit especially when some of my friends would want to hang out that night or the next day. But now that I am an adult,

12. Your parents are not afraid to wake you during the night to clean

Sleep? What is sleep? That is not a thing when the dishes are dirty.

13. Constant update of where, when, what, who

Might as well put your location on….no, do not actually do that.