Vibrant Vignettes by Lola, Ellie, Caris, Tiana, and Bella

Vibrant Vignettes

By: Lola, Ellie, Caris, Tiana, and Bella

Every time I wear my bracelet it feels like a betrayal, even though it is meant to pull me closer to my culture, it does the exact opposite for me. I have a Chinese jade bracelet that was given to me at birth, the delicate Chinese writing engraved on the side and the cool jade color. I wear it on special occasions, and I have always wanted to know more about its significance to Chinese culture. I feel detached from a huge part about what makes me, me. My bracelet represents a part of me I have yet to discover and a part of me learning about my family's history.

The bracelet watches me from my jewelry box with a puzzled look as if finding me unrecognizable. I take the bracelet then pause, wondering if I should put it on or not. Hand hovering over the shiny jade, heart racing, mind wandering. "Do I even deserve this?" I wonder, maybe if I bridge the gap between me and my culture with knowledge and not material objects. The bracelet signifies my bond with my culture but without knowing my culture I cannot wear it. I think back on the stories my grandma used to tell me of great emperors and the beautiful monuments and nature. I finally realize that another person's story does not count as my own and I need to learn for myself.

I am currently taking French at school and every time I tell someone that they go "Oh really, I thought you took Chinese or Japanese or something". I felt that by hearing that it was wrong of me to turn away from the language of my culture. I felt even more disconnected, as if I didn't belong in my family. I realized how much I relied on other peoples' opinions and knew I had to put a stop to it. My journey is my own and I can choose my own destiny. I can choose when I learn more about my bracelet's significance and more about my culture. I choose now.

The Jade Bracelet

By: Lola

My Home

By: Caris

My home was not always a home. First it was a house, a building full of plaster, wood, paint and cement. Clean and new, without nicks, stains, or broken parts. We moved in our huge rug, fluffy blankets, desks, chairs, and trinkets, and this home was filled to the top with love and memories. A place of rest and fun, where I watched movies, did homework and hung out with friends.

I had woken up to my mellow yellow walls and my bright posters everyday for the past 14 years. My comfy chair that sat in the corner greeted me as soon as I walked in the door. Soon I would have to rewire my brain and learn how to live in a different room and house. It had become such a big part of my life, I realize, as I watched videos from when I was a baby in that same house.

Moving out is harder than you think, watching the big trucks come to take away your furniture and everything you hold dear. Touches of memories are scattered throughout the house, for example, the faded sharpie stains on the leg of our table from when I was a child. Or the tiny holes in the walls where we hung pictures and artwork, the door that sticks, and the too loud doorbell. All these things made our home, home, and without these touches of life it would be a house. While moving out all our furniture, tables, chairs, dressers, I watched our home slowly become a house. One by one, inch by inch, the home I grew up in and loved turned into a house.

Against the Current

By: Tiana

It was a beautiful Saturday morning in Hawaii, and the sun was shining in the bright sky. The ocean was calm, and the waves were small, which made for perfect paddling conditions. I was excited to participate in a paddling race that day, and my team and I had been preparing for weeks. I had trained hard and felt confident that we would do well. We began settling ourselves into our boat so we could begin paddling up to the start line. As we arrived at the starting line, we were anxiously staring at the guy in the escort boat holding the flags. Boom! The red flag went up, waving in the sky. Then the yellow flag, then the green flag, and we were off!

As the race began, I paddled hard and fast, trying to stay ahead of the other boats. As we paddled further out, we encountered some obstacles. The wind started to pick up, and the waves grew larger and more choppy. This made it very difficult for me to pull my blade through the water due to the resistance in the water. My teammates and I had to work even harder to keep our canoe moving at a good pace and a straight line by keeping our timing together and putting power into our strokes. Even though I was facing a lot of challenges, I never gave up because I knew what was in front of me and knew my teammates were going through the same thing but still pushing through. So I pushed myself harder than I thought was possible. I could feel the adrenaline pumping through my veins as I paddled with everything I had left. I was determined to finish the race, no matter what.

As we got closer to the finish line, the waves and wind backed down because we were now in the marina. I realized that we had more strength because there was no pressure from the water that was holding back our blades, so our paddles could fly smoothly through the water. This was our time to put in all the power we got and pass the two boats in front of us. Once all of our paddles synced together, our boat started flying through the water, passing the two boats that were in front of us. Boom! Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, we crossed the finish line placing first in our division.

I was very exhausted but also excited. I had done it! I had finished the race, despite all the challenges we faced along the way. As I looked back at the ocean, I realized that the challenges I faced during the race had only made me stronger. The key was not giving up and fighting till the end. I was so proud of my teammates and me for pushing through even if we like we were going to die. Even after that race, I was honestly pretty excited and ready to do another race.

Tick Tock

By: Caris

The Filthy Table

By: Tiana

My stomach grumbled when I walked up to the round cement tables under a firm grey tent in front of the snack bar. Most tables were taken, forcing me to take the last one. Unfortunately, it was the grossest. The seats were small, round, made of cement, and some wobbled every time you would make a slight movement. Random nastylooking stains were spotted all over the seats. The table, on the other hand, was even worse. The table was covered in many sticky unknown substances, making it even more sickening. Right when I took another glance at a different spot on the table, I spotted what seemed to be some remains of a dead bird. These small grey fluffy feathers were marinating in this sticky yellow puddle. After seeing that I had suddenly lost the appetite, I had just seconds ago. My last meal almost came traveling up my throat and onto the table.

The Table

By: Ellie

The Arm Breaking Anecdote

By: Lola

When I was in 4th grade, gymnastics during recess was somehow very popular. One of the coolest moves that everyone was doing was a backbend.

A backbend is basically going from standing, into a bridge, bending your back backward. And, obviously me, someone with no gymnastics experience at the time, thought it would be easy.

I practiced up a hill, and with a lot of practice though, eventually I got it and wanted to show my mom after school. “Hey Mom, look what I can do!” I said as I ran to a grassy spot.

I still remember. The feeling of going backward, and hearing that awfully loud sound Crack!

It felt as if a hammer shattered my arm.

The next thing I know, my mom is panicking, and calling 911, and an ambulance literally pulls up to the school.

Then I finally noticed that my bone is quite literally poking out of my arm, but it didn’t break the skin at least lol.

Everyone who was there after school was looking at me, and it was super annoying so, I started crying, and teachers had to guide students away since they were crowding around me.

When the ambulance came, I got a splint, and they drove me to a hospital. During the drive there, my mom told me, “This is going to be the fastest drive of your life” Well, it wasn’t. They didn’t put on the lights and flashy things because apparently, it wasn’t that big of a deal.

Once we reached the hospital, I was put in a different splint and told to go to another doctor. They said that I would probably just need a cast for a little while and sent me to a different doctor the next day.

Well, nope, it wasn’t fine, and I needed surgery. I got an x-ray, and my wrist fractured in 3 different places. The whole recovery process took about the rest of the year, so I couldn’t really do gymnastics as much, but eventually I was fine.

Currently, I am doing cheer, so hopefully I don’t hurt it again.

Broken By: Caris

Don’t Forget!

By: Lola

6:15:

I woke up to someone yelling "Lola get up it's already 6:15". My eyes are black and fuzzy, and struggle to check my alarm clock. It was indeed 6:15. Oh great, it was my dad, and my alarm clock conveniently forgot to go off. I leave the house at 6:25 to go to school and normally get up at 5. I get up and brush my teeth, then try to pack my bag. Should I eat? Will I have enough time? Well, whatever i'll just bring a banana muffin.

6:20:

Grab my bag and head downstairs. My bag feels oddly lighter than normal, did I forget something? I checked my bag and saw that my computer and math binder was missing. "OMG, where is my math binder??" I ask my mom. "How am I supposed to know, look for it yourself" she responds. I found it on the ground right by my bag actually . Anyways I grab it and then rush out the door.

6:23:

The wind chill hits me as I go outside. "Come on Lola we have to beat all of the traffic!" yells my dad from the car. "Okay okay geez," I say. My dad is so obsessed with being early for everything. I normally get to school at 7:00 anyways so whatever. I hop in the car, and my dad drives off.

6:26

We made it to my friend Trislyn's house to pick her up. We take her almost every day, or she takes me sometimes too. "Good morning," she says. Throughout the ride, we talk about school and incoming cheer tryouts. Then I get a text from Ellie saying, ”Lola did you do the vignette?" Oh no. Are you serious? I forgot about the vignette.

6:58

My dad interrupts saying, "Okay well good luck at school today bye". And now we are at school, and I didn't do my vignette. I text Ellie:

"Wait, is it due today?"

"Yes, I did it late last night because I forgot to"

"Well at least we have it later today"

"Yea but it's due at 9"

"Oh no! I'll start now"

7:33

I finished my math homework and started my vignette. The topic is time running out. Kind of reminds me of what was happening this morning to me. I woke up late, and now I have a lot of homework that I forgot to do. I'll write about that.

7:50

"Lola want to go get breakfast," asks Trislyn

"Sure, I have to do this but whatever I'll finish later" I respond.

"What are you doing?"

"Writing a vignette, it needs 500 words."

"Well, how many do you have so far?"

"Uhm like 100 but it'll be fine, let's go!"

During the walk, I realize, wow I am such a procrastinator and I need to do my homework on weekends or at home rather than before school.

8:01

I make it back and say bye to Trislyn since she has a class at 8:00.

8:21

As I finish writing this, relief washes over me.

Time is Ticking

By: Ellie

The Painting on the Wall

By: Ellie

My grandparents' house is like my second home. Me and my brother go to their house before school to eat breakfast and to get ready. In my Grandparents house, my grandmother has a large painting of workers represented in China. She had bought this painting off an auction in Europe when she and my grandfather traveled there. The painting covers most of the wall that it sits on by the dining room table. Within this painting, there is the lower class and the upper class represented. The lower class is doing field work and trying to pay for and find food for their families. Meanwhile the upper class is in palaces, ordering servants, and relaxing. Not worrying about where or when their next meal will be and not working.

This painting represents an old China feeling of what life was like back in the day for the fortunate and not so fortunate parts of China. It also shows how there are different sides to places like China. It shows what a day in the upper class may be like in comparison to the experience of a day in China in the lower class and in their experiences. The painting allows viewers to see two sides to a story. Two different perspectives on a topic.

I am Chinese. I get my Chinese heritage and culture from my dad's side of the family. My grandmother is mostly Chinese with a little bit of Irish blood in her. My grandfather is fully Portuguese.

My heritage and culture also comes out in the large painting. This is because this painting helps me to understand and get a know of what a day was like for the people of China and what it was like for many Chinese townspeople.

The style of painting can also showcase my Chinese culture due to the creative way of portraying a story through art and stories. The art gives off a calm feel from the way the lines are drawn to the faces and emotions of the people. I particularly like this style of painting because it feels very calm and relaxed unlike other paintings with stiff lines and sharp edges.

Although this helps me feel connected to my Chinese ancestors, sometimes I feel less connected to my Chinese heritage and more connected to my Japanese heritage. I feel more connected to my Japanese heritage because many of my friends are also Japanese, and I am around my Japanese relatives more often. This has an effect on how connected you are to your heritage and culture. This also shows how many can embrace one side of their culture and not the others.

Time is Almost Up

By: Ellie

It was a scolding hot Sunday afternoon. The sun was right above us and was as hot as a frying pan. It felt like it was 100 degrees that day. My team was playing one of the best teams on the island. We were losing but all we needed to do was to score one goal. No team had been able to score on this team yet throughout the whole tournament.

It hit half time. We were still losing and still hadn’t scored yet. The sun was parallel to us high up in the sky. We moved the ball forward but kept having to defend when we lost it.

There were 10 minutes left in the game, we were tired, and we needed to score. We were playing really hard, but we could not seem to get the ball in the back of the net. We had many tries where the ball would go over the goal or the goalie would stop it. We were beginning to give up and just accept that we were not going to score. Our coach really wanted us to score because that would be a negative point against the team we were playing, even if we were already losing.

At that moment we had given up all hope of scoring. But then, my teammate Juliah kicks the ball. It soars over and lands in the back of the net. YES! In a flash, we had scored. We all ran to her, ecstatic. It felt like an eternity playing that game. When she scored it felt like a big weight had been lifted off of my body. I was so glad that we even got a chance to score. Everyone was so happy even though we were still losing. Both the team, coaches, and parents were joyful but shocked at the same time. No one expected us to score. Especially in the last couple of minutes of the game when we are most tired. We felt accomplished. We were running against the clock to score, and we beat it.

After the game, we still lost but we scored on the opposing team which gave us a point. My team was very proud because we had worked together to score a goal just in time. When the game was over, there were smiles all around and everyone was happy that we at least got a goal in the last minute.

The Soccer Game

By: Tiana

From anyone, my name can be thought as basic, every other girl has my name. It doesn't translate to anything, not in the ethnic groups I am a part of. It's not long and hard to pronounce, like the names of people I know. Although, it has a significance. My first name is the name of the city of which my two great-grandparents met in the Philippines. Which eventually led to their immigration to the states, and led me to the place I am today. They left their homes for a better life and sacrificed for their families. They may have passed on but their stories are carried throughout my whole family. My middle, "Maria," originates from my great-grandmother. Her first name was "Maria." Many of my cousins, including me, have the middle name "Maria." However, my great -grandmother was a strong woman of perseverance, she immigrated from Philippines for a better life for her children. She worked backbreaking hours to keep food on the table for her family, and she birthed 7 children, one of which is my grandmother, and passed away at the age of 104. So the name "Isabella" or "Maria" may not be long or hard to pronounce and may not come off as beautiful to many, but it's where the name comes from that makes it meaningful to me.

Bella #1:

Isabella By: Lola

Everyday I pass by frames filled with memories of what is my family history. My grandpa's and grandma's during their younger years. As I look at that photo, I wonder if their life had turned into everything they had hoped. If they could go back to the exact moment what would they change? I am half-samoan and half-filipino and barely know enough about both of my cultures, I feel as if I am not a part of them. How can I call myself samoan or filipino without truly knowing what it means to be one.

I have spend enough time with my filipino side to understand traditions and immerse myself with enough of the culture that I know my way around a filipino party. However, I don't feel like I belong there. I am too tall at the parties that you can spot me amongst the crowd in an instant. Everyone there has the same body type and I stand there looking around and wondering if I am truly filipino. I don't know the language and some of the food is questionable in my opinion. I stand there questioning, "Is that what a filipino would do?," second-guessing every step I take because the wrong one can lead me into a lecture about life with drunk uncles and even drunker grandpas. Well, how about samoan? Am I samoan enough? Hanging out with my polynesian side doesn't make me feel any more samoan than me hanging around my filipino side to feel more connected to who I am. I get lost in the crowd at samoan parties being filled with people over 6 ft vibing to the beat of the music. I couldn't fit in with the polynesian club at school how am I supposed to at this party. So where do I fit in? I am so lost. Am I the object in my house that wants to know more about its culture. I sit there at parties laughing never truly understanding why I am there and who I am there for.

Someone is always throwing a birthday party and someone who is related to me is there. How am I related to you, I ask myself as I enter every doorway to a party that I was dragged in to. I question every move I make before it too late. I shouldn't be here, I should have stayed home are the thoughts that run through my mind at every party I attend. I never feel as if I should be there. Someone is always critiquing me, looking over my shoulder and judging my every step, as they watch, I stand there in fear. I don't know where I belong, but I want to know. But the more I learn the more I question myself. How can I stand there and call myself samoan-filipino without being able to blend into the parties and know what's going on. I feel like a fraud, a fake who doesn't belong. Yet I still stand there, with paralyzed fear of my next move, I smile.

Bella #2

Out of Place

By: Tiana

My two vignettes contain many literary devices and strategies. In my first vignette, “The Painting on the Wall”, I use a lot of imagery to describe the painting and many of its features(Vieira, The Painting on the Wall). I also go deep into the story of the painting and how I interpret it as a viewer. In my second vignette titled “Time is almost up”, I use many literary devices such as imagery, similes, and interjections(Vieira, Time is Almost Up). There are many signs of imagery such as in the beginning when I am explaining to the reader what my surroundings are and the weather(Vieira, Time is Almost Up). I use a simile in the beginning when I am talking about the sun, and I am using an interjection when we score. I go deep into the aspect of time and how it can affect something.

My two pieces of art really reflect the vignettes they were written about. The first one is of an alarm clock but with many clocks inside as the times. This piece of art was made for the vignette about the composition of time and how it's running out. I chose to portray time in this way so that it would be interesting to the reader's eye and kind of hard to figure out. My second piece of art was a photograph of the scene the author was talking about in the vignette. The picture is of the table that the author talks about, and I chose to portray that in a black and white photo to set it apart.

Authors Statement:

-

Ellie

For my vignettes, I wrote about my experience of breaking my arm and a morning in a rush to finish homework. For my vignette about breaking my arm, I used figurative language with an onomatopoeia when describing how my bone sounded when it cracked(Nomura, The Arm Breaking Anecdote). I also used a simile to say how the pain felt as well. For my second vignette about running out of time, I used a metaphor by saying “Relief washes over me,” explaining how I feel relieved, but I'm not actually washing myself in relief (Nomura, Don’t Forget).I also used personification when saying how my alarm clock “forgot” to turn off, because alarm clocks don’t forget, I just forgot to turn it on (Nomura, Don’t Forget).

I made art for Bella and Caris’s vignettes. Bella's vignette talked about her connection to her name, and how it may be seen as “basic”, but to her, it is an important part of who she is. I choose to take a picture of a sticker name tag with her name written on it because. I thought that it was simple, and although people may not think that it has a deep meaning, to her it does. For Caris’s art, she sent me a picture of her holding her jade bracelet, and I thought of editing it and making everything else besides the bracelet black and white. What appears is a green jade bracelet, and her hand along with the background is black and white. I thought that this resembled her vignette because, she explains how she was given it at birth, but never really connected to it. It resembles the Chinese culture that she isn’t really connected with. I thought that depicting everything besides the bracelet in black and white would show the disconnect that she felt and the uneasiness of wearing it because of its reminder of her struggle with the Chinese part of herself. -

Authors Statement:

Lola

Authors Statement:

I wrote two vignettes, one about the dirty tables in front of the snack bar and one about a challenging paddling race. In my vignette about the dirty snack bar table, I utilized descriptive language to paint a vivid picture of the conditions of the table. For example, in my writing, I wrote, “These small grey fluffy feathers were marinating in this sticky yellow puddle.” (Winter, The Filthy Table) I also use sensory details to help the reader better imagine the scene and situation I was in. In my vignette about the challenging paddling race, I employed the use of metaphors to help the reader better understand the emotions and sensations experienced during the race. I also used dialogue to help the reader better understand the relationships between the characters, which was the guy in the escort boat controlling when the race began. As shown in my story, I wrote, “As we arrived at the starting line, we were anxiously staring at the guy in the escort boat holding the flags. Boom! The red flag went up, waving in the sky.” (Winter, Against the Current)

The first vignette I created art for was for Ellies. Ellie's second vignette was about how she and her team had a limited amount of time to score a goal for a soccer game. In her story, she described different events and moments that were happening during her soccer game in the story. That's what gave me the inspiration to create the art I created. For my art, I drew a big soccer ball. In some of the pentagons on the soccer ball, I drew some of the key moments/scenes that were talked about in Ellie's story in each of those pentagons to show that those were some of the most important events in the story. Now for Bella's vignette, I chose her second story. Her second vignette was about how she feels very guilty and confused that she is half Filipino and half Samoan but barely knows anything about both cultures. That’s what gave me the idea to take a picture of this brick step. As shown in the picture, it is a picture of a red brick step, but in the middle of the step, instead of the continuation of the red brick pattern, that pattern is broken with a more faded set of bricks that also have some cement around it. I decided to photograph this because I thought the different sets of bricks were a good representation of Bella. I thought this because, in her story, Bella talked about how she felt like an outsider whenever she was with either side of her Samoan or Filipino family.

- Tiana

Authors Statement:

My two vignettes used a lot of my personal experiences, for example in my first vignette “Home” I wrote about what emotions I felt when I moved out of my childhood home(Leong, Home). I added imagery to that piece so it is easier for the readers to imagine what the home looked like. For example, “I had woken up to my mellow yellow walls and my bright posters everyday for the past 14 years” (Leong, Home). In my second vignette “I choose now” I wrote about how disconnected I felt from my culture and the betrayal I felt while wearing the bracelet. This piece allowed me to write in a different writing style than I am used to and I was able to pour any confusion in my head about my jade bracelet into this vignette. I used repetition in this piece to accentuate a thought, for example, “ I can choose when I learn more about my bracelet's significance and more about my culture. I choose now”. The use of “I choose” helped to signify the turning point in the piece(Leong, I Choose Now).

My two artworks represented the two vignettes I chose. I chose to make artwork for Lola and Tiana’s vignette. Lola’s first vignette was about her experience when she broke her arm and the story of how it happened. I drew an x-ray of a broken bone to show what her x-ray looked like when she broke her arm. I titled that artwork “Broken” because I drew the z-ray of a broken bone and after her stunt her arm was left broken. Tiana's vignette was about the ticking clock while she was paddling. I drew a paddle to signify her paddling and a clock on top to show that she was on the clock and had the pressure to beat the other team in the race. I titled that piece “Tik Tok” because she had to paddle hard and fast because she wanted to beat the other team and to do that, they had to go faster than the other team. That therefore took time as the ticking clock determined their fate.

- Caris

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Vibrant Vignettes by Lola, Ellie, Caris, Tiana, and Bella