My dad’s a cool guy. He has many unique hobbies that he picks up from time to time. He’s very smart, handy, and observant. He likes to figure out how things work and fix them when they don’t. His interests include film photography, vintage road bikes, calligraphy pens, and woodworking. He immerses himself in these hobbies slowly and gradually until they become part of who he is. Our house is flooded with bikes and cameras climb along our bookshelves. The basement is half a darkroom, while the garage doubles as a workshop.
I think my dad takes after my grandpa, who shared many of the same characteristics. They were both teachers back in Viet Nam — my dad Math and his dad Languages (English & French). They’ve always nurtured a deep love for learning, and it shows in the way they raise their children. My sister and I are both educated girls because of this. We don’t often say it aloud, but we really admire our dad and his cool ways. We feel it when we ride our road bikes through the summer fields, scribble away with our fountain pens, flip through pages and pages of black and white photos in the family album, and eat our homecooked meals at the varnished dinner table.