This Blog belongs to the students of ESL Integrated 100.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Changing Lifestyle
Changing Lifestyle
Nowadays, many young Chinese people worship western culture. They think that living in the United States must be wonderful, but I didn’t think so at the beginning. I had lived in China, spoke Chinese and accepted Chinese education as a norm. I came to the United States three years ago, and as an adult, I needed to spend much time to accept this new culture. I was confused about many things at the beginning, especially manners, transportation and food.
At first, I found one difference between China and the United States, which is manner. When Americans meet you on the street, even though they don’t know you, they will say “Hi” to you. I had never greeted someone who is stranger in China. When I just arrived here, I was confused when a stranger greeted me. I just responded to them with a smile, but I found that Americans didn’t have feedback for my smile, so I had to speak out to them. This situation forced me to accept this new culture. I quickly learned that I had to do as the Romans while in Rome.
Anther thing Iacceptedwas that driving to anyplace, although you only need to work ten minutes to arrive. When I was in China, I always walked any where I wanted to go even if it took me ten or twenty minutes. Although some Chinese people have their own car, they also like to walk. You can see many people walking on the street in China. They think that taking a walk is good for their body. However few people walk here. You cannot always see many people on a big street. If the weather is cold and snowy, you only can see cars on streets. Living here has made me became not enjoy taking a walk.
Food culture is also one of the new things that made me felt unaccustomed. I also didn’t enjoy eating food here. I enjoyed eating food in China. I always went out to find different kinds of restaurants, and I always got great surprises from many dishes. I never though this surprise would stop one day. I was disappointed about food when the first time I was eating at Chinese restaurant here. The way of cooking food and its taste are almost opposite with the dishes in China. Every dish was too sweet for me. After that time I tried to eat at many restaurants in Chinatown, but I couldn’t find good surprises any more. I was sad that I felt I lost one of my big pleasures in my life.
Living in a new placealways makes you uncomfortable at the beginning. People’s manner, transportation and food are always the first thing to making a newcomer feels unaccustomed. I was confused and sad when I had to change my lifestyle in America. No matter how my Chinese culture and American culture have clashed, I realized that I have to adapt everything here, and then I can have a better life.
hi! Hi! I absolutely agree with you when you say that living in a new country cab be difficult. I remember when I came cak from Mexico I used to struggle with the language and it was something that frighten me. I would not talk to my classmates, order food on restaurants or go out alone. This tooled me a while to overcome ..Also, when I was in Mexico my mom used to make the Mexican tortillas by hand but when we got hear she began to buy them. I miss the food from Mexico.
After reading your essay, i think that adapting in a new society isnt a easy thing. In fact, i believe time is the key for everything. I was like you, when i came here i felt so different from my home country but time made everything to get me adapt to this new society.
Hi Tiffany! I find some similarity with China and Poland. In Poland also when you great stranger, they give you bad look. But I like that people are so friendly in U.S. Same about cars. In Poland people have cars, but gas is very expensive and everybody is using public transportation. They drive a car only on weekends: to go to church or go shopping.
after i read your essay, it looks you talking my feeling.haha~~ i also have that situation of chinese food in here too. i can not found the chinese taste anymore. even if have chinese restaurant but all the food are very strong taste..
I think everything is about adaptation. When i first came I wasn't used to not even the weather, since in my country the weather was always beautiful. imagine having summer for four seasons for sixteen years and then you move to a new country and suddenly there is such thing as fall and winter. I had a hard time adapting too since the food is totally the opposite. most things are instantly done here and in Venezuela everything is made from scratch.
Up to now, if strangers or someone I know but is not very close say "hi" to me, I still feel shy and embarrassed. And, I am also like you, give them a smile, and then walk away.
ip western culture. They think that living in the 
I enjoyed eating food in 
hi!
ReplyDeleteHi! I absolutely agree with you when you say that living in a new country cab be difficult. I remember when I came cak from Mexico I used to struggle with the language and it was something that frighten me. I would not talk to my classmates, order food on restaurants or go out alone. This tooled me a while to overcome ..Also, when I was in Mexico my mom used to make the Mexican tortillas by hand but when we got hear she began to buy them. I miss the food from Mexico.
Hello!
ReplyDeleteAfter reading your essay, i think that adapting in a new society isnt a easy thing. In fact, i believe time is the key for everything. I was like you, when i came here i felt so different from my home country but time made everything to get me adapt to this new society.
Hi Tiffany! I find some similarity with China and Poland. In Poland also when you great stranger, they give you bad look. But I like that people are so friendly in U.S. Same about cars. In Poland people have cars, but gas is very expensive and everybody is using public transportation. They drive a car only on weekends: to go to church or go shopping.
ReplyDeleteafter i read your essay, it looks you talking my feeling.haha~~ i also have that situation of chinese food in here too. i can not found the chinese taste anymore. even if have chinese restaurant but all the food are very strong taste..
ReplyDeleteI think everything is about adaptation. When i first came I wasn't used to not even the weather, since in my country the weather was always beautiful. imagine having summer for four seasons for sixteen years and then you move to a new country and suddenly there is such thing as fall and winter. I had a hard time adapting too since the food is totally the opposite. most things are instantly done here and in Venezuela everything is made from scratch.
ReplyDeleteUp to now, if strangers or someone I know but is not very close say "hi" to me, I still feel shy and embarrassed. And, I am also like you, give them a smile, and then walk away.
ReplyDelete