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   Adrianna Tan (skinnylatte@hachyderm.io)'s status on Wednesday, 12-Feb-2025 16:26:47 JST Adrianna Tan

   I’ve really enjoyed showing my parents (who are visiting for a month from Singapore) the different parts of the west coast. Before I moved here they had never expressed or had any desire to ever visit the U.S. It was just so faraway and it was so foreign and they just never really considered it. They were far more comfortable going on regional travels.

   Now that I’m here, they have come here more than they expected. And I think they’re enjoying it more than they thought they would.

   They’re extremely comfortable in San Francisco and Oakland: they speak Cantonese and they find it easy to get around, find food they like, talk to people.

   They speak English, but they’re more comfortable in their other several Chinese languages. They’re not super familiar with many American phrases or accents or ways of speaking.

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     Adrianna Tan (skinnylatte@hachyderm.io)'s status on Wednesday, 12-Feb-2025 16:31:23 JST Adrianna Tan

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     What was really special this time is I now work and spend part of my time in one of the most beautiful places in California, in Monterey.

     I don’t think aquariums of this size and scope and type of mission (conservation) exist back home (I can only think of a poorly run casino gimmicky aquarium), so they really hadn’t been exposed to that.

     While they were shocked at the ticket price (I got them free tickets of course but they were still surprised at how much it costs to visit my place of work as a guest), after going on a behind the scenes tour they were really impressed. I think it spoke to the science-y bits of what they used to do. (They were both in healthcare) seeing the extremely professional vet clinic and hospital behind the scenes helped them see how incredible this whole operation and mission is.

     They’ve always advocated for me to find work that aligns with my values so I think they were happy to see this side of my life here now.

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     Adrianna Tan (skinnylatte@hachyderm.io)'s status on Wednesday, 12-Feb-2025 16:36:36 JST Adrianna Tan

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     My coworkers were really awesome and they arranged for my parents to see a giant pacific octopus behind the scenes and talk to the aviarist who works with them. We also go to visit the jelly lab to see how jellyfish are cultivated there; and learn as well about how the sharks and giant sea bass get fed.

     They were in awe of the amount (and expense) of how much we feed the sea otters. And at the many kitchen facilities behind the scenes that make the shakes and other foods for all the animals.

     My mum asked me what do you do here actually? I said fish need websites. Otters need emails read.

     I feel stupidly lucky that I get to be surrounded by people who care for the world and the creatures in it. And to be able to show that to my parents.

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     Adrianna Tan (skinnylatte@hachyderm.io)'s status on Wednesday, 12-Feb-2025 16:39:23 JST Adrianna Tan

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     • Frank

     @vwdasher https://hachyderm.io/@skinnylatte/113630637111918841

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     Frank (vwdasher@masto.nu)'s status on Wednesday, 12-Feb-2025 16:39:25 JST Frank

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     @skinnylatte Wait, you get to see otters every day? OMG I am so jealous.

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     Adrianna Tan (skinnylatte@hachyderm.io)'s status on Wednesday, 12-Feb-2025 16:48:15 JST Adrianna Tan

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     I took them to brunch in Seaside, a neighboring city, to a Filipino American brunch spot (Butter House). Pancakes and fried rice are what they do there, so it totally hit the spot of core needs. We went to Bixby Bridge, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, and Nepenthe. It was a perfect day, not terribly cold, not foggy, just perfect.

     They’re not old, but the weird thing with living 8800 miles away from them is I feel reasonably certain the next time we have a big chunk of time together like this again, there may be mobility or other travel challenges.

     Later this week we go to LA. I hope what they’ll see if that the life I’ve built for myself is equal parts new things and diversity and opportunity, which is what I love about living in California, and equal parts I get to be who I am, have my people, and my food when I need it.

     I’m putting us in LA near where there’s congee as good as the best in Hong Kong, soy milk and youtiao as good as Taiwan, mole as good as in Oaxaca, and kway teow goreng as good as Jakarta. I don’t feel I can share many parts of my life linguistically or culturally with them, but I can share the food that means something to me. That in a foreign land, this is how I anchor myself and give myself the courage and fuel to go out and do things I could have never done back home.

     It’s a terrible time to be an immigrant, but I am so proud and happy to be here.

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     Adrianna Tan (skinnylatte@hachyderm.io)'s status on Wednesday, 12-Feb-2025 16:56:07 JST Adrianna Tan

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     My housemate was telling them and showing them the pictures of how last week they found a baby sea otter and had to rescue and rehabilitate it.

     The aquarium’s otters work as surrogate moms until they can be released.

     My life here is very different from the life I had for the first 30 years of my life. There has been so much more range, variety, opportunity, and kindness.

     At least in my corner of it all. Or maybe it was the life I was determined to find, create and nurture.

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     Adrianna Tan (skinnylatte@hachyderm.io)'s status on Wednesday, 12-Feb-2025 17:24:57 JST Adrianna Tan

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     • Frank
     • Patrick

     @patrick @vwdasher I think he’s seen as an early version or prototype of the career and an instrumental figure even if of course a lot of the work he did would not be done today (selling animals)

     More than a tourist figure, but maybe more mythical and important but also less of a direct scientific ancestor in some ways. I think his passion and education and advocacy are things that have very much influenced the field and the area

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     Patrick (patrick@social.seattle.wa.us)'s status on Wednesday, 12-Feb-2025 17:24:58 JST Patrick

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     • Frank

     @skinnylatte @vwdasher I am curious - how is Edward Rickets looked upon these days by marine biologists, especially where you work? Is he just a tourist T shirt popularized by Steinbeck or a respected historical figure in the field? I read Sea of Cortez in high school and bought a nice edition of Between Pacific Tides back in the day. Live in the Puget Sound area.

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     Adrianna Tan (skinnylatte@hachyderm.io)'s status on Thursday, 13-Feb-2025 11:00:42 JST Adrianna Tan

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     • JeanVengua

     @JeanVengua they sell merch. Tshirts like the FRIENDS logo but it says LUMPIA

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     JeanVengua (jeanvengua@sfba.social)'s status on Thursday, 13-Feb-2025 11:00:43 JST JeanVengua

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     @skinnylatte I live in Monterey but never heard of the Butter House! Thanks, I will check it out.