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Published: December 29th 2009
The city
is sooo bigZao Shang Hao 中国,
Six months China. I have been with you for over six months now. Has this been as good to you as it’s been for me? I’ve really enjoyed my time, I think we have looked good together. Half way through and you continue to etch permanent marks on my mind. And in some infinitesimal way I’d like to think I’ve effected you too, leaving tiny positive ripples of energy in my wake.
I went to a restaurant I used to frequent everyday years ago (4 months ago). Years past I was living in a dingy apartment in a different part of the city. The restaurant was good and cheap with large laminated picture menus on the walls that looked they were printed in the 80s. Located outside the old apartment and requiring no Chinese for ordering or traveling it became my kitchen.
The owners got to know me and kindly welcomed me with smiles and hellos everyday. Despite not speaking I considered them friends. We talked with our gestures and smiles. Some days I would walk in and point at the pictures and shrug my shoulders holding up my hands, as if to say
The lobby
stunning, right on the water “what should I get?”. They would point at something and I would nod yes, why not. They would feed me and I would give them two big thumbs up and smiles. The food really was delicious.
They even noticed I wouldn’t eat the chives in my soup, so one day when I sat down there was my soup but minus the chives and the server with a full faced grin. From that day forward I never had to pick around the chives again.
Time flies, lives change, and I moved away. I never went back to that restaurant. Always meaning to go but never going. As with many of us things get busy and we let life get in the way. Well I went back last night and it was like seeing it for the first time again.
I said hello and they immediately recognized me. I sat down and they brought my soup, no chives. I was at home. My adorable orange cat, slightly larger, was there in the corner playing with packaging just like before. The sound of kids pounding dough with the smell of peppers and sizzling beef in the kitchen brought back vivid
memories.
Only this time around I spoke Chinese. I asked them how they were and started praising them for how delicious their food was. You could tell they were surprised. Was this the same guy? Yup. They asked me where I went. I told them I had moved away to another part of the city.
We talked the entire time asking all the questions we could never say before. I told them about why I was in China, where I lived and worked, and we finally learned each other names. It was a beautiful little moment.
My time there was a reminder of how quickly life moves. Four months and two apartments ago I could barely say hello. I’m not exactly a Chatty Cathy now, but I can struggle my way around the basics. Six months hand in hand with China I’ve managed to pick up a few things.
I needed to celebrate. I havn’t had any fun on this trip and I wanted to get away for a couple days. I decided I would spend Christmas in Hong Kong.
Christmas in HongKong China looks a lot like Christmas in Madison Wisconsin. Well minus the
heavy duty boots, long underwear, and snow. The city was covered in feet of Christmas decorations. Christmas trees, twinkle lights, reindeer, snowflakes, and sound of Christmas songs permeated everything downtown. Santa even managed to stop by and take pictures with the kids, and I did some caroling in the street. The people of Hong Kong sing English better than I do.
I went swimming on Christmas on the rooftop of our skyscraper hotel overlooking the city. I felt on top of the world. Later I did some shopping and hung out on the beach. The whole trip was amazing.
Okay so full disclosure. I havn’t really spoken about it, but I do have a girlfriend. Her English name is Carmen. Her Chinese name is Huang QianWen. She graduated from college this year from Sun Yat Sen University in Guangzhou. She is a bright spirit and loves adventuring around. Next spring she and her family will be immigrating to Canada. She in the only person in her family who speaks English.
She has opened an entire world of Chinese culture and experience I would have never seen without her. As she and her family get ready to start
poinsettas
hey look mom! a new life in Canada she is under a lot of pressure, again she the only person in her family that can read or speak English. I understand a little of that stress and some of differences in our cultures but her experience is going to be unique from mine. I know she can do it, she is very bright and they will thrive in the new world.
For this time around I’ve included lots of pictures of Hong Kong and you even get to see the girlfriend. Thanks again for tuning in these six months. The well wishing and support I’ve received from the States is how, in large part, why this has been such a positive experience. Thanks again, have an amazing week. Zai Jian.
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pat
non-member comment
another midwesterner in zhongshan
hey nathan, just stumbled across your blog. Nice job. I'm a wisconsin-ite that's been in ZS for about 3 years. never had the ambition to blog, but enjoy reading yours keep it up. weather sucks now but better than the 5 degrees F back home!