My first Halloween in generous, abundant America was such a treat

Oanh Ngo Usadi is the author of the memoir “Of Monkey Bridges and Banh Mi Sandwiches: From Sai Gon to Texas.”

Holidays are windows into a new culture. When my family arrived in Texas 40 years ago, we learned this firsthand as new immigrants. The adults loved Thanksgiving, a day of gratitude centered on food and family, but for us kids, nothing compared to Halloween, a night of knocking on doors and getting candy, sometimes even a homemade cupcake, almost always offered with a smile.