Becoming Chinese

It may sound odd to hear me say I don’t feel like I live in China. Interacting on a daily basis with other expatriates and daily conversing in English often leaves me in a Western mindset. Now that I’m eight months into my overseas experience, I often forget to realize that I’m living in a completely different place and culture. It sounds odd, sure. How can I not realize this when I see Mandarin characters, am surrounded by bicycles, and see vegetable sellers at every street corner. My interactions with the culture are really limited during the week as my week days are filled with work related activities and duties. It had been months since I ventured out into China on my own. As I was walking into the train station and found myself surrounded by nationals, I felt sad knowing that in the eight months that have already passed I haven’t been able to truly experience China. I often find that I enjoy running, although I don’t necessarily like dodging traffic, as it allows me to see people out taking care of their daily errands, living life and enjoying it. I often see little kids peering back at me from the passenger seats of their grandparent’s bicycle. Old ladies walking together, perhaps headed to the park for a group exercise session. Best friends, or a couple, sporting matching outfits and walking with their cell phones by their side. Life is in many ways the same here, but in so many ways different.