Recently, a few people have asked me what I have learned while studying abroad and often times my responses feel so half-assed that I begin to wonder myself whether I have learned anything or not. While sitting at Burger King eating dinner, I began to seriously think about the answer. Here are some of the answers I came up with separated into two categories “things I learned about China” and “things I learned about myself.” “Things I learned about China,” will be posted in my pro blog in time.
Clicking with older people
Since coming to Shanghai, I have had the opportunity to interact with people who are much older than me. What I have discovered is that I am able to relate better with people who are older than me. Somehow, my subjects of interest just mesh better with this older crowd. Not to mention I feel that I am able to learn more from the experience. It is a bit problematic though because most of the times this older crowd does not see me as an equal.
New Found Independence
Walking away from people and events has become almost second nature. I no longer feel bad or awkward about leaving anymore. In addition, I have found independence through my camera which has emboldened me to go out and explore the world by myself. I realize now more than ever that I have internalized Western individualism and could never feel at home in an Asian community centric society.
Culturally from Hong Kong not China
The longer I stay in Shanghai, the more I realize how Cantonese, specifically Hong Kongnese, I am. Shanghainese, Sichuan and other types of Chinese food all pale in comparison to Cantonese food. I find myself constantly complaining that there is too much meat not enough vegetables in my dishes. The food I am having in Shanghai all seems to be too oily and salty, which for the most part I have gotten used to, but I still miss my bland Cantonese food.
Tourism is boring
For most of the seven months in China, I have stayed in Shanghai and that is because I realize that I hate being a tourist. Sites and attractions that everybody goes to see hold no interest for me. Rather than running all around China checking out tourist destination after tourist destination, I explore Shanghai and try to discover as many hidden treasures as possible. I learned that I like to set my roots down in one place and grow. For me, fun lies in knowing things about an area that no one else knows and learning all the small intricacies about a place that make it unique. Of course, it is also about getting to know the people that inhabit the area and having them know me as well. Part of the reason that I love Shanghai is because at my favorite café, the owner recognizes me and knows my drink order as soon I step through the door. Traveling to me is about finding another home and the action of visiting a place for a few days and seeing a few sights is too superficial for me to enjoy.
-muffinman
