Loss and Gain

Loss and Gain

People’s ability to accept new things depends on their cognitive ability. Trying to accept a new culture or new environment is the requirement for every immigrant. Although there are many differences between cultures, they have to accept them. When I moved to Chicago at first, I still had series of unfamiliar things that could not accept. The environment, the people, and life, were different from the city Guangdong I live in China. However, I slowly started to make these new things become the part of my life.

At the beginning when I moved to Chicago, I felt a sense of disgust. The sound of car horns on the street made me uncomfortable. In fact, the most popular transportation in Chicago are cars, and there is a public transportation system called the CTA.  However, in China, its trains are motorcycles. There was no much heavy noise in the city Taishan Guangdong when I live in China  because it is not a first-tier city, but Chicago’s traffic environment is noisy. It is very rare to see a motorcycle in Chicago. Most motorcycles I have seen were privately equipped with some starters, which can emit thick smoke. Every time they rush past me, I always heard a harsh sound of stepping on the accelerator, and a white line on the air. However, private modification of motorcycles is prohibited in China.. One more thing I had difficult adapting to is the social circle. I lost the connection with my friends in China slowly because of the time difference. After class, I also didn’t have any communication with my classmates, not only in study, but also in work. I only lived in the online social media and immersed myself in it every day, so that I lost contact with the outside world. Losing friends made me have a feeling of emptiness in my heart. Although the online social media and games can soothe my emotion, it is temporary, and can not solve deeper problems from the source. During that time, I always went to Chinatown, even though I didn’t know about the local culture in Chicago. Also, I even didn’t have some friends who can talk to, the emptiness in my heart can’t be suppressed. Chinatown became the only place for fun for me during that time. However, I could not open my heart to talk with a foreigner. This may due to the fear of discrimination or the difference of culture. Sincerely, my ability to accept new things is weak, but I have to change the terrible situation. It is like a sky that loss color. I have a series of things that don’t fit it but have to fit, which is a basics of living in a strange city or a strange continent.

In addition, the situation changed in spring semester in 2020. I had more chance to get to know more people. I slowly found my social circle again. Like in China, I went to some entertainment venues with my classmates after class. I also went traveling to other city during the three-year summer holiday, which was the experience that I had never had in China. In Chicago, I have learned a real meaning of the traveling. I had never been another city when I was in China. Therefore, the experience in Chicago is significant to me. The two places that people in Chicago like to travel is Canada and New York. Comparing to Chinese culture, Chinese people seems to not like to travel, unless they are rich. The cost of travel in Chicago is moderate for a ordinary family. After moving to Chicago, I had more way to broaden horizons. In addition, museums are everywhere here. I used to lived in a developing city Guangdong when I live in China. Therefore, I had less chance to get exposed to things not related to study, such as the exhibitions and museums. In my opinion, Chicago has better economic development than Taishan Guangdong, the city I lived in China. Chicago’s mathematics and computer development level is already very high in the world, which are more excellent than in China. It also the major I want to choose after I transfer to the university. Therefore, I could get a better chance to be more prepared in the same field. Due to the huge population, employment pressure is becoming heavier and heavier. I think I can adapt to this new living environment in Chicago now.

Despite the noisy whistle and the missing social circle, I have still gained a wide vision. This series of changes stemmed from the integration of American culture. Immigrating to Chicago has changed my life trajectory. Although it was difficult for me to adapt at the beginning, I still glad that I had passed that period.