Whenever I see my friends from China post pictures of food in We Chat (China' equivalent to Facebook), I want to fly back to China right at that very instant. It's not just about the food only, it is also just a much about the dining experience and connection with friends and relatives. It brings a feeling of warmth, homey – relaxed and comfy.
I never really knew how much I would miss China until after we returned from Guangzhou to Seattle after living in Guangzhou for a good six years. It's easy to miss the times when girlfriends can get together almost any time before picking up girls from school or after dropping them off at school, birthday parties, at the salon, meet for coffee, food or simply for no reason. Life was more relaxing, flexible and enjoyable.
It may sound odd to people in N. America -- but there, one does not have to worry about making appointment way ahead of time. When going out to eat, one does not have to wait in a crowd waiting for seating in a few very limited option of restaurants. Also, a person does not have to keep your voice down even though others might talk loudly.
I miss China because I feel well connected with the culture, the language and the people. Being a mother, I have done my best to invest my time and energy for my children by bringing them to China to learn Chinese and take them back to the US for a “better” education for their future. Like most Americans, I only want to be part of their lives for a period of time and then I like to live in my country, even though it is still developing. If you ask me, what is the real difference between China and America? I would say, being born in China, I still found “East or West, home is the best”.
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