Hailey Huang

ESL 100

Final Draft

February 26, 2015

Losing Feeling

       I like shopping, and I think most women are like me. In my dictionary, shopping doesn’t only mean buying things, but it is a good way to relieve stress. When I feel unhappy or bewildered, I go shopping. Shopping helps me a lot, even just walking around. For me, shopping in China also was a good way for gathering with my friends. When I was unable to get over something, I used to go shopping with my friends. After that, things seems to come around. I have been in the U.S. for five years, and there are great stores. However, every time I go shopping, I could find what I want and like, but feeling of shopping that I had in China still missing.

       The shopping environment in China is unique. I liked to shop at Shang Xia Jiu and BeiJing Road in Guangzhou. They both are vehicle-free promenade street. They are bright, capacious and beautiful with many different styles of stores. Private clothing stores, megastore, restaurant, and desert store are all gathered together. In the middle of the road, people can also enjoy some historical heritage. I can walk wherever you want even if I am daydreaming, and I won’t be woken up by the suddenly vehicle sounds. The first day I arrived in Chicago, I went through a small tunnel before I got to Chinatown. I was totally shocked by what I saw. There was a rusty pier and bridge girder. It was dark and old, like it was abandoned for years. I was afraid some pieces of its skin would fall off while I walked under it. Stores in Chinatown were narrow and dirty. There were lots of commodities and the boutiques were old, and clothes were outdated. I would never shop in a place like this in China. Later, I went to another store and shopping mall, which were bright and cozy, but every time we needed to be hurried because the stores closed early. I didn’t like that rushed and tired feeling.

       In addition, stores business hour is flexible in China. Stores business time is more adaptive for people who like hanging out with friends. In America, most stores opened from ten to eight and close at six-thirty on Sundays. People can’t even go in half hour before the closing time. I used to go out with my friends after three o’clock in China. If I went after three o’clock here, it means I would only have four hours left because I needed to drive forty-five minutes or one hour to get to the shopping mall. If I want to look around at more stores, I had to rush. I still remember the first time I went to an outlet mall to shop. Similar to when I was in China, IO left home at three o’clock. After the traffic, I arrived there around five o’clock. At first, I just walked around one store and enjoyed the pretty stuff. When I Went to another store, the seller told me that they are going to close. Gosh, it took two hours to get here to shop in just one store!

       Furthermore, outdoor shopping has a special trait in China I enjoyed outdoor shopping with my friends in the evening when in summer time in GuangZhou. My friend and I used to watch the sunset. As darkness fell, there were gentle breezes, and walking around in the night fair made me feel relaxed and comfortable. When the night falls in China, more and more sellers come to the sidewalk and sell their items. People can buy clothes and accessories at a lower price than the regular stores. My favor part of the night market is different kinds of yummy food, especially, the barbecue chicken wings, beef mutton, fish and eggplants. I couldn’t stop feet from going into these stalls. After this, I would have a bowl of cool and refreshing desert. Gratification would come through the whole body. Most people enjoyed eating while they were walking and laughing. In American, people might think it is discourteous behavior, but Chinese people think it as free. In Chicago, I haven’t seen many people eating ate the street, but it’s common in China.

       Since I moved to Chicago, I have forgotten the feeling of eating on the sidewalk and laughing while I was shopping. I haven’t found a shopping place like BeiJing Road and Shang Xia Jiu. Now, I prefer to shop online more than going out, but I am still looking for a place that I can relax and relieve my stress. 

My Name: Adriana Solis

                                                                                     
                                                              MY NAME

I was almost born when my mother decided my name. She was doubtful about it because I was her first daughter, and she wanted a beautiful and meaningful name for me. She thought about a name that would make her proud. She asked my grandmother and her sister auntie Ana for ideas, and both gave her some options. After thinking about it for a while, auntie Ana said: "What about Adriana? Do you like it?" My mother thought that it was pretty and strong. She was thinking for some minutes and replied that she liked Adriana for her first daughter. I was born some hours later.

In Italian, my name means "Darkness" according to some websites. Other websites indicate it means "Born in Adria, a city in Italy that gave its name to the Adriatic Sea".

Now, I´m proud of my name. It´s a genuine name, and nobody in my family has the same one. Most importantly, I like how my name sounds.

Essay: Losing My Independence

  

                                                Losing My Independence

                                               

“Which bus do I need to take to go to the supermarket? Will it be a good idea to buy this purple blouse?” These and other questions began to show up in my mind a few weeks after I arrived to the US. I had been really excited about coming to this country. When I was in Mexico, as the independent woman that I used to be, I thought that whichever issue may arise, I could handle it. It doesn´t matter if were the language or my ignorance about American Culture. I minimized my change of residence because, as weeks passed, I started to have some experiences where my usual independence would be affected. Soon I noticed that the change entailed a process that I couldn’t avoid.            

                                             

  Reaching the U.S. meant that I needed to leave my job in Mexico where I had been working for five years. Although it was a very good job, I thought that the experience about learning English and American Culture would enrich me more than to remain in that job. All this was what I explained to my husband, and he agreed to support me. He has been really a great husband, but I was not used to not having my own income. I only realized this in the early weeks in the U.S. when I saw the nice stores on downtown with beautiful things that I liked and wanted to buy. These were simple things such a blouse or a sweater that if I had been living in Mexico and still working, I would have bought them. Now, I felt a kind of obligation to consult with my husband or simply I decided not to buy it. Then, I realized that those feelings were mine because when I told my husband about my experience, he asked me: “Why didn’t you buy it?” Or “Let´s go to buy it!” I wanted cry. My answer looked hard to explain.

                                   

If the U.S. would be my new home, I wanted to adapt as soon as possible with all the new changes. When I was in Mexico, I had my own car, and I could go wherever I wanted. Now, I wanted to know more places in the city, but I didn´t have car. My options to move in the city were the bus, the train or a bicycle. Those options sounded good because I like new experiences, but the issue appeared when I saw that I needed to learn how to use all this transportation. It was amazing because in Mexico if I wanted to take a bus, I only waited in the corner where the bus was going to arrive, and when the bus arrived I paid some coins to the driver. That was it. In the U.S., I didn’t know where the bus stops were, how often they arrived or how to pay to the driver. Later, a friend told me that all the information including routes, schedules and the explanation about a special card to pay for each trip on the bus, were on the internet. Something similar happened with the train and the bicycle. Although those activities sound easy to do, some days were really hard for me because I felt desperate. I didn’t have the independence of movement that I had in Mexico.

 Finally, I realized that I didn’t have family or friends in the U.S. more than my husband. Even though I saw and talked with my husband every day, and I was in constant communication with my family and friends in Mexico through the technology, I wanted to have friends in this country. I have been always a talkative woman, and I love face to face conversations. As my mother, I can start a conversation with anybody in whichever place as an elevator or the bus. I used to do this in my homeland, but in my new life, I had a limitation: the language. Although I knew a little English, I was afraid to start conversations with English speakers. I could say simple things or greet someone, but not more. I felt that I was losing many opportunities to have new friends.

  

 Currently, I accept that I don’t have the independence that I used to have in my country because this change is not easy. Is a turning point in my life with a long process that needs to develop inside and around me. Now, I can answer my early questions and leave some fears as to buy new gloves, ask somebody in the elevator about the weather or ask for the nearest Wal-Mart. Sometimes people understand me and sometimes they don’t. It doesn’t matter. Furthermore, I know that I will recover my independence someday although I know that it will be different. I´m sure that it will be more balanced between doing things alone and feeling good accepting help from others.

  

lost in translation.

               

Craving Pounded Yam.

Like every worthwhile endeavor, coming to “the best country in the new world” came with its price. Being from a country rich in culture, one very intrinsic aspect of our culture is the variety of dishes. In Nigeria there are many tribes, each tribe has its own special dish. I am of the Yoruba tribe located in the western part of Nigeria. Amongst the many dishes of the Yoruba culture Iyan (pounded yam) is my favorite. Iyan is a basic carbohydrate meal made from a tuber mostly found in Africa and Asia known as yam; this tuber is different from the yam known in the US. Accepting the painful truth of being unable to eat this meal like I used to, is the price I have to pay.

Although I am in a place enriched with a large culinary diversity I still crave my native meal Iyan. The US has a lot of different delicacies ranging from Italian pasta to Mexican tacos, from the Mediterranean shawarma to the Chinese ramen noodles, and even from Native American meals to African dishes. The US is a hub of diverse cultures, a melting pot of many different outlooks. The mixture of these different culinary perspectives has reduced culinary uniqueness to a compromise that suits the American multicultural palette. One example is Iyan, which is prepared in a way that involves compromises that help ease cost and save time.

The original preparation of this dish takes time, energy and skill. This because after boiling the yam, it is pounded. This is where skill is required because the pounded yam has to be smooth and fluffy. This method is lost in the search of time saving, ease of preparation, and monetary reasons. Although some African or Nigerian restaurants in Chicago prepare this meal, it is not as nutritious, healthy or special like the ones prepared back home. This is because some of the restaurants prefer to use yam flour instead of pounding the yam itself. They use this method because it is easy and saves time. The disadvantage of this method is that the pounded yam won’t be as fluffy or white and rich in taste as it should naturally be. This is because of the different process the yam has undergone before it became flour. Also, in the process of making the yam flour a lot of nutrients would have been lost.

Finding the right ingredients and equipment for the preparation of this meal in Chicago, has proven to be harder than I thought it would be. The major equipment, which is the mortar and pestle used to pound the yam, is hard to find. Although there are mortars and pestles here, they are not the right size and shape for Iyan. Also the ingredients with which the iyan is prepared, one of which is the African kind of yam for Iyan which the Yoruba’s call isu ebe is difficult if not impossible to find. Iyan is best eaten with a vegetable soup called efo riro. Even some the ingredients used for efo are only sold in some African store while some are not even found in the country. The main ingredients for efo riro includes collard greens, locust beans, stock fish, crayfish, assorted meat, snails and red pepper. This is different in Nigeria where the ingredients and equipment for making iyan are always readily available.   

In conclusion, an intrinsic part of me has been lost in translation. The joy that accompanied eating this meal with my parents and siblings has been lost as well. The ease of eating Iyan, a meal best enjoyed with hands, without being embarrassed or shy is another part of this culture that is lost. When I grow older, I wish to open a Nigerian restaurant that prepares local dishes the way they are prepared in Nigeria, i want to create a comfortable environment that people can eat without being shy. In future, when Nigerians like me crave their local dish, they can come to my restaurant at have a feeling that they are back at home. Beyond the meal, beyond the preparation, beyond the occasion to the joy of sitting to share a moment with my family are the impressionable parts of my culture that have been lost in translation.

Essay " Gain and Loss"

Yanyuan Chen (Yvonne)

ESL100

Lost in translation final draft

Gain and Loss

       There is an old Chinese saying that is “One cannot make an omelet without breaking eggs”. I came to the United States to reunite with my husband, but on the other hand I have lost many things. The feeling of loss has become strongest during the Spring Festival. For me, the Spring Festival only represents a holiday, delicious food and a journey. However, I used to think it was a very boring day because I always did the same thing every year. After I came to the United States, the meaning of the Spring Festival changed. Now it is a time of family reunion, and it brings me deep yearning. Now I am in the U.S and the Spring Festival is a familiar and strange day for me in my new environment.

       The first part of the Spring Festival that I lost is joyful atmosphere in the United States. In China, on the day of the Spring Festival, my family would have a big dinner with family members, and each family member would return home no matter where they are. After dinner, family members would watch the Spring Festival Gala on TV and stay up late together. Every year the elders always like to ask the younger generation some questions, such as “When will you get married?” “How are your study grades?” “How about your work?” I used to hate these questions because I had been asked these questions every year. Now I really miss them, because no one asks me these questions any more. In the United States, the Spring Festival is a normal day. My husband and friends go to work as usual, and we even don’t have time to have dinner together. The first Spring Festival in the U.S for me, just represented loneliness.

         In China, a series of colorful celebration activities begin on the first day after the Spring Festival, but now they are no longer a part of my life. I lost the reunions with my family and friends. I feel I am no longer one of them. In the previous years during the Spring Festival holiday, I always began to visit all the relatives and friends. Most of them could only meet during the Spring Festival holiday because they worked in different places, so I really cherished the time that I spent with them. We chatted with each other all night and shared everything that happened in the past year. I also took a short journey with my friends because we had a long weekend during the Spring Festival. However, now I can only contact them by phone, Wechat and vi deo. Even though I began to make some new friends, I feel it is difficult to talk with American friends because my English is poor. Consequently, even though I have many new friends now, I really miss my old friends in China, especially during this holiday.

       In addition to my friends and the atmosphere, I feel that my traditional belief makes my yearning stronger. In my hometown Fujian, there are many temples. During the Spring Festival, many people burn incense and pray in the temple. People wish that each family member could have a health body and could work smoothly in the New Year. In the previous years, I went to the temple with my mother, and we prayed for our families and friends. Now I am living in Chinatown, and even though there are many churches, I can’t find a Buddhist temple. I feel deeply frustrated.

What are slowly disappearing from me is all the special things of Spring Festival? Relatives, friends, and beliefs are what I cherished, but all of them are out of reach for me now. Everything in my life is changing every day. For me, the most important thing is to adapt and accept every different thing in my new world. The 2015 Chinese New Year is coming soon. I am looking forward to change and looking for more joyfulness of the Second Spring Festival in my new life.

Essay

Shopping in Saudi

                “Whoever said money can't buy happiness simply didn't know where to go shopping.” Bo Derek. Every culture has its own traditions and life, and people just need to adjust and find the balance between both of them. It is hard for some people to change their daily life when they move to a new country, but it is easier for others. For me, it was easier than others to adjust to the United States because there are many common things between Saudi and U.S culture. Though there are things in common, there are some special things that happen at night, which made me miss my country more than ever.

            The shopping culture in Saudi Arabia is much better than the United States because stores do not close early. Most stores do not close until midnight, so people can go shopping at 11 o’clock if want to. It is much better to go shopping at night because many people do not go at this time. Since I came to the United States, I did not find any store that stays open after 9:00 PM except bars and fast food restaurants. Shopping during the day is stressful because stores are crowded and people who work there cannot help all customers. I prefer go shopping at night because stores are empty, peaceful, and I can take my time without anybody bothering me.

            In addition, food trucks in Saudi Arabia were my favorite part of walking in the street at night. The sharp and smoky smell from the trucks made me hungry even if I had eaten something. Some food trucks have a special taste in their burgers because secret ingredients are used which make it taste peppery and juicy. I have tried many food trucks in the U.S, but none of them have special spices or taste in their food. I think it would be better if the food trucks in the U.S added secret ingredients in the food to make people from everywhere come to try their special tastes.

Another missing feature is the attractive designs. When I walk in the U.S. streets at night, I do not see stores have special designs or black lights to attract customers. In Saudi Arabia, most stores use unique designs to attract customers. In fact, they put black lights and multi-color lights to make the store look colorful and unique at night. It is a very popular way in my country to attract people to visit the store even if they do not buy anything. In addition, lights in the U.S. are tame compared to Saudi. Therefore, this is one of the most things that I liked in my country at night, and have not seen it in Chicago yet.

When I first came to the U.S, it was a little hard to adapt to a new culture, but after a while I started to adjust to living in it. I wish that stores stayed open until the midnight, so it would be easier for me to go shopping. In addition, I wish that food trucks made better and tastier food, and see many stores have unique designs. After living here for a year, I no longer pay attention to all that, and these aspects have become something normal for me. Everyone at the beginning of a new life confronts adversities, but after a while they get accustomed to them as they become a part of their lives.

Essay - Monika

New world, new life, missing feelings. 

Before I came to Chicago, I was so excited that I will be able to start a

new life in the most popular country, However I know it was just excitement. It 

was always my dream to explore this beautiful country and have a chance to 

live here. I have been here almost six months and I know that it is not that 

easy to start new life far away from home. I remember the first day when I got

 information that I would be able to move to the USA. At that moment everything seemed so

easy. The feeling changed once I came and I spent here my first month. A part of my life 

was gone. I missed my house, my friends, my family and my life in Poland. Everything is

different in Chicago, the way how people talk with each other, relations

between family members, even my social life. 

The hardest thing about my new life is living without my family. I 

remember when my friends used to say, “life with host family is almost the 

same life with your second family”. That is not a truth at all. There are

obvious differences between relations with my family in Poland and my host

family. I can’t feel comfortable as I did with my family, I can’t go

and talk with my mum when something is wrong, and I can’t play with my

sister like I always did. Even in my host family house, when I’m watching

my host kids with their mum I see that the relationship between kids and

parents as I had when I was younger with my parent is different.  Every

single day many people are running after money, their business and career.

They are trying to find the best babysitters in the world to take care of

their kids because they don’t have time to do it by themselves. Parents

are buying everything what their kids want only, because they are trying to

use gifts as a reward for all this time, they are not able to spend with

family. It’s not like in Poland, where parents are trying to spend all

their free time with kids. I remember when I was younger, my parents did

everything what they could do, to spend their free time with me and my

sister. Add a transition finding myself in a new social life was so strange

for me. I felt like I need to start everything like a baby. Walking from

person to person on au pairs meetings, introducing myself, explaining what

I am doing here, why I am here and how long I will stay. It was so

confusing, but the same time when I was talking with people, I felt like

they were really interested in, what I was talking about. I felt like they

really pay attention and they really want to know something more about me.

It was the most surprising thing for me, because in Poland people really

don’t care what you are talking about especially when you mention, that

you come from another country. You trying to find yourself in new place and

you asking for help even on the street, because you lost your direction.

Polish people are closed in their own communities, and it’s so hard to

find a way to talk with them. That’s why when I came here and I realized

how nice and open minded people are, I was surprised in a very positive

way. I didn’t expect that, and I feel like this helped me a little bit

with finding myself in new culture. 

Finally my most important challenge was that, I left in Poland all my

friends. It was so hard to leave them and just move here, especially

because I treat my friends like part of my family. I was able to talk with

them about everything. We always spent free time together and we were

always making fun like nobody else. It is so hard to start new life in new

country without friends, especially if you can share with them everything

what is happening in your life. The hardest part, is to finding the middle

time in a time zone when you are able to talk with them and see their faces

only on computer screen if you used to spending time with them every single

day. As a newcomer, it has been hard to make new friendships with someone

who live here, who have his own friends here and with someone who is

talking in another language. It was hard to  find one better person on the

street and ask “ Hey would you like to be my friend?”. I think, that

this part of my life here was the most difficult part I could ever imagine.

Finding myself in the new world, with new people and new culture was 

so complicated, but at the same time I didn’t have any another option. I had

to move on and start everything from zero. Now, when I am thinking about my

first two months here and all this process I experienced, I think it was

not that bad. It just seemed to be hard and scarry, but everyone one day,

will have a similar situation in a life where there will be no option. When

you just have to move on, don’t give up and enjoy moments, your life gave you.