first reactions back

I’m back in a familiar place, in the southeast neighborhoods of Albuquerque, close by the University of New Mexico, surrounded by old tiny homes and paved bicycle trails that weave through the hot mesa and highways. I’m in my favorite coffee shop hangout. The walls are crowded with colorful art for sale, ceiling fans whirl above, and the dreadlocked hippies, glasses-wearing intellectuals, and fixed-gear bike riding hipsters sit at tables around me drinking their black coffee and musing over their laptops. I feel comfortable in my skin, even though my legs are hairy and I keep reminding myself to buy a disposable razor. I’m typing on my trusty 6 year old laptop that’s been sitting in storage for a year. I’m thankful it works fine, even though it’s old granny slow, and is heavy to carry around. The keys are indented to my hands and it’s free and easy to type. It’s comforting to have all my documents and pictures through college on this laptop, and I look forward to adding more happy images and thoughts of my life to the hard drive.
My first reactions to being back in the States are:


1. Americans are a lot more considerate than the Chinese. The flight attendents were so nice to me about having Nina on the plane. Servers at restaurants are friendly and precise. I don’t mind tipping when I receive such friendliness and a comfortable ambiance when I eat.

2.The ease of communication. It’s nice to be able to speak my mother tongue and have everyone understand me. I don’t miss saying, "Wo bu dong" all the time. (I don’t understand).


3. The unfairness of prices at Target—meaning the prices seem too low. Target provides an air-conditioned store, carts and baskets to use, organized shelves, friendly employees and simply, attractive merchandise at a very low price. It seemed so unfair to me to pay one dollar for a pair of colorful socks, and five dollars for a good pillow considering the material and machines it took to make it, the transportation cost from China, the hands that put it on the shelf, and all the other services provided to me the shopper that I listed above. I realized that I never thought about this before, and I imagine most Americans don’t worry about fair trade on their shopping expeditions to chain stores.

4. The cleanliness of the streets and the loss of bicycles, vendors and noise from the streets.



All in all, I feel glad to be back, although a bit disoriented and jet-lagged. Such is life on the way "home", right?