At the dinner on Tuesday I found myself surrounded by a gang of americans and people who had lived a long time in America. I witnessed an interesting bond establish among them, and I could only sit back an observe them with fascination. I don't think I've thought about Americans particularly as a culture. New Yorkers are pretty different from the kids in San Francisco, and the people I know in Texas seem to come from a different planet from the people I've seen in LA.
Anyways, the americans around started talking about American stuff and discussing various things that are different about Shanghai compared to the US. And it suddenly struck me: these people are bleeding exotic! I mean, I have no idea what's going on in these peoples' heads. Kind of like when I first arrived in China and Chinese people freaked me out.
The americans freaked me out, in a really nice way.
I've never really had an interest in living in the US. Not sure why since the country represented the height of everything I knew when I was a kid. But once I started thinking about the world in terms of continents rather than European countries, I only considered Asia and Japan as potential destinations.
But after yesterdays exciting dinner, I realize that today, living in the US would probably challange me more than living in the Philipines or Vietnam, at least on a spiritual level.
So should I go west, to explore the American dream? Start a family, get myself a house and car. Forget about chinese and the silly tones and characters and instear learn declaration of independence by heart. I really like their freedom.
Food for thought.
