Lydia Likes It

The volunteering life {in-between times}

For the first time in six years, except for the months when I had to take some time off in early 2020, I found myself between ESOL classes in February and March. I've been volunteering as a teaching assistant in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes at several levels, in-person and on Zoom, with the very beginners in programs for refugees -- learning the alphabet, how to write their names, how to tell time -- up to MD/PhD international research fellows at local hospitals, who need more practice with spoken English in professional and social settings.

The only thing these classes have had in common -- other than highly motivated students -- is that, for the past few years, they've both met on Tuesday, one in the morning, the other in the evening. 

The class for the hospital researchers ended in January, and the next session hadn't been scheduled yet. And I'd decided at the end of last year to leave the beginner class, and focus on finding an opportunity to lead a conversation group for beginner or advanced beginner English learners. (If you've read my book, The Galactic Frying Pan, you'll understand my decision.)

So, after a month of waiting, earlier this month I spent a few days putting out feelers with several agencies -- including one I worked with for a few years pre-pandemic -- and as a result, several opportunities have come through. Spring looks to be very busy! The moral of this story is Don't be afraid to ask for what you want.

In the meantime, I'm working with the postcard group and the new Chinatown advocacy project, and another book idea is percolating. Stay tuned for updates.

Let's get saucy

My name is Lydia, and I'm an addict. I admit it; I'm addicted to Japanese barbecue sauce, to this one in particular. If you haven't tried Bachan's, be warned: this is the stuff of which the most yummy dreams are made. Bachan means "granny" in Japanese, and that's the first hint that this is a tried-and-true family recipe. Judy Yokoyama, known as "Bachan", was born in California, sent to an internment camp as a young girl, and worked on an apple farm. Later her family ran a landscaping business, and every year at the holidays, they would brew up a batch of her barbecue sauce and gift it to their customers. By 2019, they turned that sideline into a business, which now sells four sauces: original (salty with lots of umami flavor); hot and spicy (oh yes, it is -- we often mix it 50/50 with the original); yuzu (salty and citrusy); and a gluten-free version of the original recipe. Bachan's contains authentic ingredients, no preservatives, and is non-GMO certified. It's available in Asian markets and some supermarkets, and online, in various sizes. Stock up now; later this month, I'll share a super-easy recipe, using this sauce, that I make every week.

Is it a postcard, or is it art?

Do you like surprises? Do you like to discover the undiscovered? Do you love art in all shapes and sizes? The Art Post, based in Sheffield, England, is a community of art curators, showcasing emerging artists and their iconic work, on postcards! Four times a year, they send four postcards to subscribers in a wax-sealed envelope. You never know what you'll get, or who the featured artists will be. Use the postcards as birthday greetings, as thank-you notes, as small framed pieces of art, or simply collect them. After a few years of operation in the UK, they're now expanding to the US and welcoming early US adopters. Along with the postcards, you'll get a booklet with information about the art and the artists. Try one quarterly shipment for $12, or a year's subscription for $46. What could be more fun?

Watercress

When a children's book wins every award -- Caldecott, Newbery, New York Times Best Children's Book of the Year, APALA and dozens more -- you know it's one to add to your grownup library. Here's a note from the publisher about Watercress, by Andrea Wang: "While driving through Ohio in an old Pontiac, a young girl's Chinese immigrant parents spot watercress growing wild in a ditch by the side of the road. They stop the car, grabbing rusty scissors and an old paper bag, and the whole family wades into the mud to gather as much as they can. At first, she's embarrassed. Why can't her family just get food from the grocery store, like everyone else? But when her mother shares a bittersweet story of her family history in China, the girl learns to appreciate the fresh food they foraged — and the memories left behind in pursuit of a new life." Author Andrea Wang calls this autobiographical story “both an apology and a love letter to my parents.”  It’s a bittersweet, delicate look at how sharing the difficult parts of our histories can create powerful new moments of family history, and help connect us to our roots. Jason Chin’s beautiful illustrations move between China and the American Midwest, and were created with a mixture of traditional Chinese brushes and western media. I'm planning to pass this book on to our two-year-old grandson, to read with his parents, but I want to live with it for a while longer. 

Loose Ends

Nothing compares to a handmade gift. I remember every afghan my grandmother crocheted for me, and the sweater my mother made to match my Brownies uniform, and the variegated scarf with a pocket in one end that my husband Ted knit for me. What happens to projects left unfinished when the maker passes away or becomes too disabled to get the project done? Loose Ends, founded by two women who are lifelong knitters, finishes projects loved ones left behind, by matching all kinds of fiber projects with volunteers who will finish them. Here's how it works (from their web site): "When Loose Ends receives a project submission, we look through our database of finishers to find a good match. With an eye toward geography, skill level, and druthers, we will identify a good fit based on the information volunteer finishers submitted in their profiles. The next step is running this by the finishers themselves to find out if they’re feeling it too. Once a finisher says yes to a project, we make the connection by introducing the finisher and project holder in an email. Then… we step away and let the project evolve within this new connection. We are always here to troubleshoot, advise or reassign if needed." There are volunteer finishers all over the US, plus the UK, Canada and Australia. For more about Loose Ends, check out their FAQ page.