Safe Spot
Again, I'm sitting in the same Chinese Restaurant for the third time this week, supposedly the first ranking Chinese restaurant in my city. The worn out Chinese red decorations hang unbalanced on the entrance door, as always.
In freshmen year, a Chinese student invited me to a Chinese meeting spot, where we spoke in Mandarin. Our interests and complaints were all similar. I began to think that it was a safe corner for me. Preferring to be with people of a common culture and language, I started to isolate myself from other students. But soon I realized that all I'd learned was where to get the best Chinese food, buy Chinese groceries, or meet more Chinese people.
One cold winter day in San Francisco, my friends and I were in Japantown, and of course, we were speaking Mandarin. A friend made a joke that "we don't even need to speak in English in parts of San Francisco." Everyone laughed at his comment, but something in this simple sentence clicked for me. As I scanned the shopping center, I saw mostly Chinese speakers, including my friends. I realized how narrow this environment I'd wedged myself into was. …show more content…
I saw photos of my other classmates: they were hiking, camping in a gorgeous forest and enjoying their hobbies. They were people from different ethnic groups, and different backgrounds, all of them smiling the same way for the camera. I realized that I had lost myself in the comforting bubble of my Chinese friends.
I wanted the colorful life that I used to have. I started to open up to more opportunities. I found my first job and went for beach walks. The Chinese meeting spot ceased to be special. There was no more "safe spot."
Now, I wait in line in a pizzeria, with friends from all over the world. We put behind our first language and speak in English, laughing at jokes we make in English. We embrace our culture, yes, but we also embrace
Again, I'm sitting in the same Chinese Restaurant for the third time this week, supposedly the first ranking Chinese restaurant in my city. The worn out Chinese red decorations hang unbalanced on the entrance door, as always.
In freshmen year, a Chinese student invited me to a Chinese meeting spot, where we spoke in Mandarin. Our interests and complaints were all similar. I began to think that it was a safe corner for me. Preferring to be with people of a common culture and language, I started to isolate myself from other students. But soon I realized that all I'd learned was where to get the best Chinese food, buy Chinese groceries, or meet more Chinese people.
One cold winter day in San Francisco, my friends and I were in Japantown, and of course, we were speaking Mandarin. A friend made a joke that "we don't even need to speak in English in parts of San Francisco." Everyone laughed at his comment, but something in this simple sentence clicked for me. As I scanned the shopping center, I saw mostly Chinese speakers, including my friends. I realized how narrow this environment I'd wedged myself into was. …show more content…
I saw photos of my other classmates: they were hiking, camping in a gorgeous forest and enjoying their hobbies. They were people from different ethnic groups, and different backgrounds, all of them smiling the same way for the camera. I realized that I had lost myself in the comforting bubble of my Chinese friends.
I wanted the colorful life that I used to have. I started to open up to more opportunities. I found my first job and went for beach walks. The Chinese meeting spot ceased to be special. There was no more "safe spot."
Now, I wait in line in a pizzeria, with friends from all over the world. We put behind our first language and speak in English, laughing at jokes we make in English. We embrace our culture, yes, but we also embrace