Tell us a story that helps us better understand a person, place, or thing you find inspiring. (250 words)
The sandwich felt heavier than usual, wrapped in shimmery foil. I unfolded the pieces of aluminum and let out a groan. The boy sitting next to me instinctively turned his head. "Ew - What is THAT!?!" he shrieked. Suddenly, the loud voices of the cafeteria disappeared and twenty curious ten-year-old eyes were fixated on my lunch box.
My dad had spun out another new sandwich recipe. That day, my sandwich was peanut butter and ham, complete with pepperoncini and a drizzle of honey. It wasn't the taste that bothered me - the flavors were strange but almost exciting - but the stares from all the other kids were strange and definitely not exciting. Despite only moving to America three years before with five words in my English vocabulary, I was fluent by this point and fitting in pretty well - that is, until my daily sandwich adventures at lunch.
I was confused: my dad's sandwich creations were neither Chinese nor American, nor any other cuisine I could identify. But it made sense, as my dad was always venturing into the unknown. In America, I drew my courage from my dad right from the start. I embrace my dad's boldness and find new worlds to explore, one sandwich at a time.
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