california
You know that u are in California when you start talking to random strangers. Its the really cool thing about being here. Back in singapore to strike up a conversation with a complete stranger will be met with suspicion.A fews ago, I was walking back from the bus stop. it was an awfully cold night and there was this mist hanging in the air. I wasn't sure what it was. its like rain but too fine to be rain. It felt very surreal. There was this other guy who was walking the same way as me, so i went like, "whats that" And he gave a very breezy "its fog" response. to which...
: well its really cold
he: i like it, its so nice! its different
(he was just walking with his hand turned towards the sky...)
:where are you from?
he: hawaii
: isn't it like tropical there?
he: thats why i like it here. its different. and you get to wear different kinds of clothes....
i laughed. and we just chatted a little bit more before we went our separate ways.
and today, i was on the way back from Trader Joe's. There was this guy next to me in bus with a skateboard, 2 dozen eggs, and a little pot of cactus. Cute cactus. So i couldn't help it but compliment them and asked where he got them from. It was quite fun because for a moment, it sounded as if he brings his cactus out for fun or something. But anyway, it became a bus ride worth of conversation. It certainly entertained me. and thats just it. I can never imagine that happening in singapore. Or is it because i never tried.
My housemate invited a couple of her grad students over for dinner yesterday. They are all americans, or at least have been living in the US for years.. and they are so interested in China. The culture, the language the people. And i am just so fascinated because for one thing. i am chinese, i know that it has this totally deep rooted culture thing, but i never want to study that. And then, when you think about it, have you seen any chinese people, or asians studying american culture? Maybe there are, but i don't know any. There I was in a room full of people talking about Beijing, shanghai, and i've never been there. Even when i was in berkeley, my american born taiwanese room mate studied art history, and she particularly loves chinese art. In fact she spent a year in taiwan working in a museum or something.
if i were to go to china and study the culture for example, it will never be a cool as if i were white and speaking chinese there.
posted by eline @ 1:07 PM
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