Measuring Up

Jenna wants to trade lunches with Cici, something that had not happened until Cici started making her signature sandwich.

Cici remembers how she asked her mother to make American lunches and made a list of items for her to buy. Her signature sandwich has marshmallow fluff and peanut butter, and everyone at school likes it. Her parents find it odd though.

Flashing back to lunch at school, Jenna suggests trading desserts too. Cici reluctantly agrees, giving her friend A-má’s pineapple cake. It makes her think about how she needs money to buy the plane ticket. Cici’s friends suggest different ideas, and finally, Cici sees a sign advertising a kids’ cooking competition. She is torn, however, because she only cooks Vietnamese food. She decides to do it for her grandmother: The prize is $1000.

Later, as Cici and her mother pray to their ancestors, Cici asks her mother to sign the consent form so that she can enter the cooking competition. Cici promises to keep her grades up, and her mom signs the form. She immediately begins practicing by making dinner each night.