Lowell Excursions, Pt. 2

One of the things that helps distinguish Lowell is how so many different cultures come together to form Lowell’s culture. Since coming to Lowell, I have explored the city both on and off of campus to get to know the city and get a better sense of what Lowell is. One of the places we visited was a Cambodian restaurant, Simply Khmer, which is run by a Cambodian couple, one of whom is a refugee of the Khmer Rouge. A few friends of mine also took me to a Mexican restaurant where we had the unique experience of listening to a mariachi band play for the patrons of the restaurant. Lastly I went to a South Indian restaurant, Udupi Bhavan, where I almost felt like the food I ate at home, and it was a welcome change from the school dining hall food. Because food is such an essential aspect of a culture, each of these three restaurants gave me a small glimpse into the lifestyles of people from the different cultures, which gives an understanding of how they assimilated to life in Lowell without leaving behind their traditions and lifestyle.

When we went as a class to the Cambodian restaurant, Simply Khmer, one of the first things I noticed about the restaurant were the Asian accents around the place, like the tall bamboo stalks in every corner, the artwork on the walls, and even the giant fish in the fish tank added to the restaurant's ambiance. Two tables had been reserved for the class and after everyone had been seated, the restaurant owner and his wife came out to speak to us about his story and experience in Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge. The owner, Sam, started off by explaining that he was only a child when the Khmer Rouge was in power. The Khmer Rouge was a communist party, aided by the Vietnamese, that rose to power as a result of the French's attempt to colonize Cambodia. Nearly two million people were killed under the Khmer regime for anything that could potentially associate them with rebel groups, such as being educated or gathering to hold discussions. Sam explained how when he was a boy, one day his dad came home and told them they had to leave home and that they had to pack up their essential belongings and evacuate their village. In particular, he touched on how they used to have a dog and that they had to leave the dog behind, but that his father would still go back every so often to check back on their home and on the dog. One day, however, his father did not come back, and up until today, it is still not completely certain what happened to him, but it is highly likely that like so many others who disappeared, he was executed. Sam then explained how he was able to get a foster family and eventually he opened up Simply Khmer in Lowell because cooking was one of the skills he had a knack for and had had to have when he was younger. Today, he is the main chef in his restaurant and he and his wife both successfully run the place together. One thing I got out of this visit was that after coming to America, Sam did not lose the traditions and values of the country he came from, rather he brought his culture to Lowell and while bringing a piece of his old home with him to share with others in the area, he made it a part of Lowell's diverse culture as well.
My second excursion took place a week ago when my friends surprised me and took me out for a birthday dinner at a local Mexican restaurant called El Potro, which translates to "cowboy" in Spanish. When we arrived at the place, it took me a moment to locate the restaurant 's small sign amidst the other shops lining the block. We entered the restaurant and were greeted by a friendly waiter who, after seating us, handed us the menus and gave us a few minutes to decide what we wanted. Instead of looking at the menu, I spent a good amount of time just observing the surroundings. The restaurant was a small and cozy place, with a bright red orange and yellow color scheme and frames/artwork lining the walls and booths, that gave it a very Latino ambiance. Most surprising was that there was also a live Mariachi band performing for the patrons--many of whom appeared to be Hispanic or Latin American, which was a very unique experience; I had been to Mexican restaurants before, but this was my first time listening to a Mariachi band in one. It so happened that when the waiter came back out to take our order, I was not ready because I had spent the past five minutes admiring the restaurant's design rather than looking at the menu. When I finally did look at the menu, I decided on a vegetable enchilada and my friends decided on fajitas, a burrito, and nachos, which may be considered "tex-mex" food, but is still prepared in Mexican style. The food came within ten minutes, freshly cooked and hot. Each dish came with a side of either beans or rice or both, which is typical since beans and rice are both typical Mexican foods. What stood out most to me about this restaurant was the mariachi band, the Spanish-speaking staff, and the mix of different patrons eating there. Just like with the Cambodian restaurant, eating at the Mexican restaurant gave me a glimpse of Mexican culture, especially because of the Mariachi band, and it was interesting to see how well the Mexican culture was accepted and integrated into Lowell's culture as a whole.
The third place I went to was Udupi Bhavan, a South Indian restaurant located past South Campus off of Pawtucket St. Normally I do not enjoy--or used to not enjoy--eating out at an Indian restaurant because the point of going out to eat is to have something different for once, and my mother already makes Indian like nobody else can, so why pay someone to make something that my mother could just make at home? However, now that I do not live at home, the dining hall food gets repetitive and boring, especially for a vegetarian like me, and all of a sudden Indian food is the closest thing to "home away from home" in terms of food. I took a few friends with me for dinner and when we arrived at the restaurant, were seated at a small table in the corner. The seating area was not very large, but the place was clearly popular because once 6:00 hit, the tables filled up quickly and there was even a fair sized line of people waiting to be seated. The whole place reminded me of India itself, from the designs on the wallpaper to the paintings of various Hindu gods and goddesses framed along the counter tops. This time, I could relate to how Indian culture was brought to Lowell and that it became a part of the Lowell community. This restaurant was clearly a popular place to eat at for Indians in the area because it was just like eating home cooked food and its presence and popularity shows how Indian customs and traditions were accepted into Lowell's own culture.
By visiting three restaurants, all of which can be found withing a two to three mile radius of each other, of three different countries, I was able to see how prevalent Lowell's cultural diversity and acceptance is. Food is a large part of a country's traditions and values and if a counry's food has been accepted as a part of Lowell, it is fair to say that those cultures have become a part of Lowell's as well. Despite representing three completely different cultures, by bringing a part of their respective cultures to Lowell, they have added to Lowell's overall culture as a whole.