Stories of Hospitality

1.

Not going to lie, I have the gift of hospitality. If I have ever hosted you, you know that I genuinely love bringing people together to play games, celebrate birthdays, or just hang out. I love that this is how God has made me, and I try to use this gift to bless the people that God has brought into my life. Last Thursday was such an occasion, since a) my friend Kevin was moving to Folsom, b) it was another friend’s last day of work, and c) it was another friend’s birthday. I had only planned dinner and games to celebrate (a), but was so glad we got to celebrate (b) and © as well. We had an awesome time eating Korean fried chicken and playing board games, and I can’t wait to do it again.

2.

It has been said that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. As an Elite Yelper (’10-’17) and person of Asian descent, I would add that this goes beyond romantic love and extends to a general sense of being well cared for. My retired grandparents know this, and were amazing hosts when my cousin and I visited them in Florida last month.

Upon our arrival, they immediately took us out to eat at Linger Lodge, which lived up to its billing as “an exotic dining experience,” made memorable by the many preserved snakes, alligators, and other taxidermied creatures placed throughout the establishment. At home, my grandma took breakfast requests, cooked a delicious meal for us, and even refreshed our towels daily. My grandpa drove us around and also took me for a quick gym visit at the local YMCA. It was a low-key and restful vacation, and ended on a high note at Cracker Barrel, one of my favorite places for comfort food.

3.

Last weekend my friend Thien and I went to Salt Lake City to watch #3 BYU Men’s Volleyball play #1 Long Beach State, and boy did we get our money’s worth. Not only was the volleyball top-notch, the energy from the more than 5,000 screaming BYU fans was incredible, and made for a truly special experience. I literally can’t describe in words how much fun it is for a volleyball fanatic like me.

What made the trip even better was being hosted by my BYU friends Tiffany, Kim, Wally, and Jon. (I met Tiffany and Kim at the 2014 NCAA Men’s Volleyball Championships, and basically see each other once a year at random volleyball matches.) On Saturday we went to hang out at both Tiffany and Kim’s homes before having dinner together and going to the match (~2 hours early, I might add). It was really nice being invited to their homes, and super fun getting to know them more. (Side note: houses in Utah are a lot bigger than houses in the Bay Area.)

Another highlight of the weekend was when Wally secured both Thien and I a bottle of “grandma juice” before the match began. (This is typically reserved for the players, as Grandma Sander makes a cooler-full of “grandma juice” for every home match.) I felt like a true VIP drinking the limited-edition beverage, which actually was just an extension of how I felt the entire weekend. It was my second trip there in as many years, and I am determined to make it an annual tradition.