Two Worlds

 

                                                              Two Worlds

Without my night market, the world is a lonely journey. The night market is a market where people buy and sell groceries, food and clothes. In China, each city has its own unique style of night market and they reflect the food culture of that city. Night markets are also safe places to go at night, and when I was in China, I could taste any food I wanted to eat without any safety worries. As the night falls, the night market is filled with people. I love to go to the night markets because of their exciting atmosphere. Whether it was cold or hot, I insisted on going to the night market twice a week. Two years ago, my family and I immigrated from China to the United States, and I lost my night market tradition. I can’t forget the taste of food in the night market. The night always makes me miss the night market in China.

     

Night markets are a safe place to eat. In China, people don’t need to worry about their safety compared to living in the United States. I think Chicago is more dangerous than GuangDong. Since I moved here, I have been a little worried about my safety, I rarely walk around at night, unless it is a popular area or I’m walking with my friends.  Also, the stores close very early every day, around 6 p.m. There is no night market in Chicago which means I don’t have a reason to go out and I miss one of my favorite forms of entertainment. In China, it is much more peaceful and police will rarely approach anyone. I am not afraid to go out by myself at night, I have explored many areas in my city late at night, and never ran into any trouble. Also, many stores are open 24 hours a day, and the restaurants close around 2 a.m. There is no store that would close before 8 p.m. The culture in China is very social at night. When people get off work and students finish school, they tend to go to the night market. I am not an exception. I would eat Barbeque in the night market and have fun with my friends. If you think Chicago never sleeps, China really never sleeps.

Moreover, Chinese people have a “gene” that likes to go to the night market. As night falls, students and workers are tired of the day, but the night just belongs to themselves. They begin to crave nice and relaxing midnight snacks. From this, a prosperous night market is developed, especially in summer when the days are long and the nights are short. At night, I am the real me. A bunch of barbecue, a plate of crayfish, and a bottle of beer is the whole world. Chinese people love excitement, especially big events or important festivals. They would gather together to celebrate it. I always feel the festive atmosphere when I spend time with my relatives. In the United States, people love their own personal space. I usually see people sit alone reading when I go to the library, I really feel that they are enjoying the time that only belongs to themselves. My history classmates prefer individual work to group work. On the contrary, I prefer group work to individual work, because I can feel a good atmosphere to study when I work with others and it is a good chance to get to know each other. I care a lot about the atmosphere, whether it’s studying or eating. Even though if I am just eating cake with friends, it will become particularly delicious.

In addition, many Chinese people are persistent eaters. “Food is the paramount necessity of the people.” They love to eat food and they love to go to places with a lot of delicious food. The night market is a good place for the persistent eaters. There is a lot of delicious food from all over China, such as Guilin rice noodles, Guangdong shrimp dumplings and Nanjing duck blood vermicelli soup. I can eat Beijing Duck without going to Beijing. It was very convenient. I like the food in the night market, especially the crayfish, because it was hot and spicy. I really want to eat a hundred crayfish. In the United States,  some people choose to stay at home at night, because they would rather watch a movie at home than go out. If they are hungry, they would choose to order food online and ask for delivery, so they don’t have to go out, and it really saves time. I like to explore new open restaurants and try their new food. Every time I eat something delicious, my mood for the day will become very happy.

 Night markets are great places to visit. I can have fun and taste delicious food there. Night markets occupy a very important position in my mind, and they are also a part of my life. Since I left China, I felt that I lost my happiness, and I began my lonely journey. Even though GuangDong and Chicago are on the same planet, I still feel like I am living in two different worlds. I really want to go back to China next summer holiday and feel the lively atmosphere of the night market. The first thing that I am going to do when I go back to GuangDong is to go to the night market, because it is where I belong.