Facing What I Have Lost

Facing What I Have Lost

There is a saying that goes, "In Rome, do as the Romans do." It means when visiting or residing a foreign land, follow the customs of those who live in it. Now for me, Chicago is a foreign land like Rome. About a year ago, I arrived in the United States on my eighteenth birthday. In China, eighteen means I am a grown-up, so I thought I would have a new life in Chicago. However, I am very different from the past me who did not immigrate to the US because I have lost many things in translation, especially my daily habits. Although some of these changed habits are not good, I should face them and find more benefits from them.

In China, my eating habits were three meals a day punctually. Now, absolutely I have lost it. My new habit is to eat two meals a day or at any time I'm hungry. Due to the differences between China and Chicago's schedules, my mealtime changed. For example, 12 o'clock noon is Chinese lunchtime, but I often have class at the same time in Chicago. It’s the most important reason that my mealtime has changed. For my other eating habits, there are fewer types of meals at home due to my father can't cook as well as my mother. The various meals usually repeat day after day or week after week. Every day there are just a few options, potato shreds, noodles, or hot pots. Finally, I began to learn to cook together with my father so that we could change the repeated meals. I really miss my mother's many kinds of meals. I also hope that one day I would cook various delicious meals for my family.

Although my drinking habits are not important to me, I think they are also some of the things I have lost. I am still not used to tap water in Chicago and drinks after a year I came. Many restaurants in Chinatown will offer some cold water before the meal. The cold water really makes me feel bad and makes it hard to swallow. I think it tastes like I am drinking disinfectants. Chicago's tap water like the water in restaurants also is not good. I prefer the Chinese tag water which is more natural and clearer. I preferred drinking to alcohol when I lived in China. Because of the fierce competition in Chinese businesses, there are many kinds of drinks in different supermarkets. Most of them are suitable for Chinese tastes. However, in Chicago Coke Cola and Sprite seem to be my only options. This has caused me to seldom buy drinks now.

Apart from the two daily habits above, my sleeping habits are the most important things that I have lost. Due to the same reason as mealtime, my lunch break at 2:00 pm is gone. I am not taking a lunch break anymore, even though I used to do that to relax and get more energy to study.  In addition, the night in Chicago is much noisier and brighter than the quiet and dark night in my hometown, so I can't go to sleep early. I usually stay up late until I'm very tired to sleep. Meanwhile, I rarely dream or I can't remember them. I sincerely want to have healthy sleep. Maybe it will be changed after I get a job. I also miss all kinds of strange dreams which make me feel relaxed and comfortable.

    

I have found that there are many things lost in translation, like the changed eating, drinking, and sleeping habits. I absolutely know in Chicago I can't get them all back. However, I have decided not to let this bother me too much and not to waste time complaining about it either. As the saying goes, "Every coin has two sides." Therefore I think when I lost something, I will gain something new. I need to face what I have lost and not to yield it.