First Person: At “Home” for the Holidays

By Ji-A LEE
Manifest staff writer

Most international students live with host families. They share not only a
house but many cultural differences.

International students may have a hard time at first because they have to start a new life which is a totally different from their home country. Thus, host families are the important part of an international students’ new life.

In my case, I had two temporary host families. I moved about every two weeks. I became tired of moving. After that, I met my current host parents.

When I first came to their house, I noticed a dog and a cat, a lot of decorations around the living room, and the smells of baking. Also, I experienced many fun things about the American culture like picking strawberries, decorating Christmas tree, baking breads, grilling out, and making s’mores at the fire place. I also learned from them how to share with people; it was a very meaningful learning experience

My host parents, Jim and Germaine Vincent, are happy to share with everyone, and volunteer to help people in need. Because of this, they are quite well-known in the Marinette and Menominee area.

My host mother, whom I interviewed for this story, has gray curly hair and blue eyes. She is one of those people who live their lives with passion. She teaches rosemaling class at her own shop on her property along the bay. There are very many people who come to learn. When I asked her what makes her feel happy when she teaches people, she said, first, of course she loves
to teach, second, people seems to like to learn from her, lastly, they become friends so that makes being together more fun.

Mrs. Vincent started teaching rosemaling in the 1970s. One day in 1962 she went to Northeast Wisconsin Technical Institute, now Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, to see a presentation on rosemaling. She was impressed and began to learn, attending class once a week, while her husband cared for their five children.

After a few years, her teacher recommended that Mrs. Vincent teach some ofher students. This is the history between Mrs. Vincent and rosemaling.

My host mother is also a good cook. Her food always makes me forget about Korean food. The important thing is that all of her food is 100 percent homemade.

Her mother and grandmother were also good cooks. “I had a cooking family. My grandmother, mother, and aunts all liked to cook!” says Mrs. Vincent. She always likes to try something new. That is why there are always new recipes and cook books on her kitchen counter.

She cooks not only American but also Norwegian, German, Mexican, and Oriental foods and sometimes she cooks her own recipes, which we call “Germaine’s food.”

My favorite is her brown bread. It is an old recipe from her mother-in-law. I first tasted it last winter: I was happy to even smell it.

I have been living with the Vincents about one year. I am lucky to have met them. They always give to me and share with me what they have. Since living with them, I have never had a hard time.

Especially, those days, when holidays are coming, I could feel lonely and homesick, but I won’t be because I will be happy with my American family and mother’s fabulous food.

Oatmeal Bran Bread

1 cup oatmeal
one cake of yeast
1 cup All Bran or bran flakes cereal
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup shorting
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup shortening (butter)
2 tablespoons molasses
8 cups flour

Cook oatmeal according to directions. Add bran, shortening, sugar and salt.
Dissolve one cake of yeast or two packages of dry yeast in warm water and
add to the cooked oatmeal. Add the flour and other ingredients. Blend, and
place in a large bowl. Cover and set in a warm place and allow the bread to
rise until double. Divide dough into 3 loaves, knead lightly and put into
loaf pans. Let rise till double again, about an hour. Bake it one hour in a
preheated 305-degree oven.