essay

                                               My Two Sides

In China, there is always one meat dish, one vegetable dish, and a soup on the dining table.  Chinese food culture is unique, so the first thing that comes to mind when someone talks about Chinese food is the color, smell, taste, and the style of the dish. However, Chinese food culture in my family was replaced by American culture when I immigrated to the United States about four years ago.  From my experience in the United States, eating is simple compared to China. The way that the food is prepared is simpler. Thus, it is hard to recall the old dreams of tasting the unique style of Chinese food, and I have changed my food custom since moving to the US. 

               I have been in Chicago for four years, and the most challenging custom for me has been my eating habits. I used to taste food in the Chinese restaurant when I was in my country, but now I don’t. Every morning in the US, most people like to order a cup of coffee and a doughnut for breakfast, and now, I have become a person like them who cannot live with a cup of coffee and breads for the breakfast. Nevertheless, Chinese breakfast is still available for me to eat, but it is not easy to buy. The only place that I can easily buy a Chinese breakfast is in Chinatown. In addition, my school is downtown, and I don’t live too close to Chinatown. How could I eat a Chinese breakfast in the early morning? It is chimeric, but last year, I found a place that sells Asian steamed buns called “WOW BAO”, and it was only one block from my school. Sometimes I go here, but not frequency. The steamed buns didn’t have the same taste with the Chinese ones because it tasted extremely sweet and had a heavy smell. Although I have my own idea of what a Chinese breakfast, now for some reason my eating habits have changed already.  

        Beside the taste of food , the American restaurant environment has given me some novel experiences. In China, people always call American restaurants high class. From what I have seen many American restaurants always come with elegant design and romantic music, but it also make me feel uncomfortable that I have to keep quiet sitting in the restaurant. One time when my family and I were eating in an American restaurant, I could not even speak loudly.  People like to focusing on their meal or enjoying the environment that they were siting with, and without too much talking. Compared with the American restaurant environment, I feel more comfortable eating at a Chinese restaurant. When I enter a Chinese restaurant, I feel like I’m returning to my home. People care about the people who are eating with them, and most Chinese people usually like to share food with each other.  Even though I have been in the US for four years, I still can’t understand why most Americans prefer to order food by themselves and not share with the whole family. As a result, a place that feels like eating at home is more important than eating at a romantic high class restaurant.

Furthermore, one new thing that I learned in United States is tipping culture.  In America, a good service attitude can determine how much tip the waiters get. When I was in China, going to the restaurant mean I want to taste food. Otherwise, I don’t have to pay extra money-tipping even though I don’t satisfy the food that I eat in the restaurant. My first experience for tip in United States was when I ate in an American restaurant. However, I was confused that people put extra money into their check even if the food was terrible.  Tipping a server is common in the United States. Also, I found that I have to pay tips in many place such as the hair salon and a nail salon.  On the other hand, in China people don’t need to pay tips even though they have a wonderful experience in a restaurant. China is one country which people don’t need to tip for anything. If I think I am extremely satisfied with the food and services, what I need to do is come back next time.  Today, tipping culture has become a part of my daily life. When I call for food delivery, I have to tip. When I take a taxi, I have to tip also. Tip culture is a symbol of American in United States, and I have to follow it despite that I am Chinese.   

Living in America, everything just keeps changing especially my food customs.  Life is continuing, and I cannot change the U.S to be like China, but I can change my mind.  No matter how much I like Chinese food culture, I have to give it up because I am in a new country. I know Chinese food is still available to eat, but what I face every day is the American food. Therefore, what I do now is trying to combine both cultures together, but sometime it is hard to achieve.