Culture Shock

There is no reason to doubt that placing myself in a totally different culture really challenges me. This is my second life. The most important task I need to do is to make myself fit in this culture as soon as possible. Before I came here, I was afraid of being regarded as an alien with my strange clothing and strange behaviour. I dare not imagine how I'm embarrassed when somebody laughs at me. When I smell the coffee every morning, how I wish I had brought a carload of food here to satisfy my taste bud. Food is a important part of my life. It not only fills my stomach but also gets family closer.





When I got here, I realized that most of my favourite food had disappeared in my world. The food in the refrigerator changed a lot as expected. What a pity! When I was still in China, every morning my mother had prepared a bottle of soybean milk and hot steamed bun before I woke up. Soybean milk and steamed bun had been on my breakfast list for years. These two kinds of food are white. When I was just a little girl, My mother told me if you persist in eating soybean milk and steamed bun, you'll have fair and healthy skin. I learned that know it was not the truth when I grew up. However, I have kept this habit. What a wonderful thing to enjoy this wonderful breakfast in such a wonderful morning. But the truth remains that soybean milk and steamed bun are gone from my list. In the US, it is not easy to get them. Instead, coffee and donut break into my life. Coffee has a strong flavor and it wakes me up from dreaming. Gradually, I've learned to like it. I neglect the different food trends in this different culture. I miss Chinese food. Not just the taste catches my attention. Moreover, it reminds me of the happy time when I shared food with friends and relatives.




A traditional home-cooked meal always gather family together. We were always expecting dinner's arrival. With the tasty smell and nice dishes, we immersed ourselves into the atmosphere of getting together. My mother was responsible for cooking. The other members in my family were not idle. I usually helped prepare the materials needed. My brother's job was setting the table with bowls and chopsticks. When all the dishes were ready, my father would enter the house from his day at work. Then we had a sweet dinner. During dinner, we shared what happened to us during the day and laughter went with. After we were done, we washed dishes together. Food is not simply food to Chinese. It makes us closer. Now, like that kind of home-cooked meal is becoming a rarity. We do not have time to waste on cooking. Regrettably, we have lost something. There is a saying that the US is a great place for digging gold. So people transfer their most of time to work to make more money. Nevertheless, family is no longer in regular contact.




In Chinese traditional festivals, special foods are often served. We make them by ourselves. For example,during a birthday meal for a elderly person, long noodles and bread in the shape of a peach are must-have. These mean long life and good health. Red candles are usual in that situation. Light the candles, close your eyes, then make a wish. It is said if you can blow out the candles that represent your age all at once, you can realize your wish. It is a beautiful tradition. As we Chinese know, behind special food, there is its own particular history and significance. Nonetheless, typical traditional food is not very common here. Maybe in the US, we just hold a birthday party and invite many friends and relatives then celebrate in a western way. During the party, we sing and dance. So the birthday is not that authentic any more. Although traditional customs do not exist in our present daily life, I think we have kept them in a safe place.



Many years have passed since I ate the soybean milk and steamed bun. Now, I adjust myself to the new life well on the whole. Even though we are not in China, we still need to hold and develop our own culture. Chinese culture has a long history and is worth studying in a deep going way . I'm proud of who I am and our diverse culture. It is my duty to pass our culture to the future generations. In addition, I will never take the happy times of my China life out of my memory.



Posted by Carol