My two weeks vacation back in the good ole’ reliable U.S. of A. proved to serve a purpose other than some quality relaxation time away from chaotic Chinese life. The trip facilitated some worthy reflection time and helped me realize how living in China has impacted my life. First things first: culture shock, which definitely caught me by surprise. The abundance of white people, actually to be more precise, an abundance on non-Chinese people surrounding me was startling. I failed to realize until this point how accustomed to living amongst a nearly homogeneous Chinese community I had become. So much so that in my eyes, each Chinese person undoubtedly has their own unique and distinctive features. I was quickly reminded of everyday American fashion: the college girl, the southern boy, the business man. Waiting at the airport for my flight from Newark to Nashville I felt like I was in an American sitcom, which is understandable considering TV and movies were my escapism destination of choice over the last 4 months. The availability of food that I recognized was startling and the selection in the grocery store was utterly overwhelming. Driving was an adjustment, but not the driving part. The isolation and peacefulness of driving in a car, alone, without people touching me or spitting on the floor next to me was awe-worthy. I was so alone with my thoughts my mind almost didn’t know what to think.
After a week of adjusting, I had a week of feeling comfortable living in the convenient and quiet life I once led not so long ago in America. I was sucked back into the fun and exciting, yet dramatic and stressful social circles of the summer and re-realized how many people in Nashville I share commonalities and common interests with. I, for some odd reason, began to act like a true 22 year old and neglected to take care of responsibilities by allowing my free time to be consumed by worrying about petty and unimportant banalities characteristic of young adult life. The lack of an inclination to over-think and overanalyze these very banalities is one thing that I have come to love about living abroad in China. Life here is simple. I have my friends here who I share commonalities with, but on a completely different level than my friends in the States. I spend my days trying to be productive and even though many days I don’t reach my goals, I am nonetheless at least 3 times more productive that I would be if I were living back home. I use my nights to do crafty things and try to nourish my creative streak or to socialize with friends over dinner, drinks, or laughing in Chinese clubs. Weekends are reserved for days of exploring and familiarizing myself with this ridiculous city I am living in. My thoughts and anxiety about the future are quieted by the loudness of the present and I am finally able to live during the day and leave the dreaming for the night.
In college, in all my misery, I often pictured that I would have to live somewhere completely different for me to overcome my personal strife and finally appreciate life. However, I always pictured this imaginary place I would live to look more like the bush in Africa or South America, in a community where the frivolous worries that consume my American self will be washed away from the realization that there are so many more important things in life. I never pictured living in China, at only 4.5 months so far, to be that experience for me and to help me see how much time and emotion I have been wasting. While China is rapidly industrializing, and the culture is slowly being consumed by the same frivolous things that I am attempting to rid myself of, the foundations are still present enough to have an impact. The importance of family and friendship is as bright as ever and the entrepreneurial attitude of nearly every person you encounter on the street is inspiring. Chinese people stop and watch the most ridiculous things (most often some form of construction project) and I didn’t understand it until a friend of mine stated, “If your country was rapidly transforming before your eyes, wouldn’t you watch?”. I found this observation to be astounding. Life for the Chinese is exciting and vibrant, they see everyday as an opportunity to stride forward and get closer to achieving their dreams.
I read an article a month ago in the NYT that was quite fantastic entitled “The Nation of Futurity” by David Brooks. Brooks compares Chinese society today with American society in the time when the American dream was at its brightest and claims that we should, in America, look to the Chinese to remind us of how passionate and entrepreneurial we once were. Today’s America is increasingly becoming more and more negative. We are focusing on our problems and rather than trying to do something to fix them, we are relishing in them and looking to the higher-ups to take responsibility. In China, you cannot rely on anyone but yourself. The government will not protect you, let alone help you. Strangers are not accustomed to helping out strangers. They have themselves, their families, and their determination to see them through. We can learn from the Chinese. Just because we are nearing the end of the era in which America was on top doesn’t mean American is ending. We all have to fight to keep what our parents and grandparents have worked their entire lives to build.
Here is a photo I snagged under a bridge in Shanghai. The most adorable migrant children and their mothers, who very well could be living under that bridge. They were quite the pose-ers.
Bluegrass Boots 