David (Irvine, California)

I look about as cultured as Ronald McDonald… but my Dad is Romanian. Every Saturday, Dad makes me practice Romanian verbs. “A învăța,” he says, meaning “to learn.” I roll my eyes but secretly like it. We cook sarmale together, stuffing cabbage leaves while he tells me stories of Bucharest. “Culture is like a tree,” he says, “its roots keep you steady.” Speaking Romanian, tasting the food–it’s my way of growing strong, staying connected.