Falling in love with China all over again –异国之恋

Whatattracts migratory humans to take wing in their homelands and alight on aparticular foreign shore? Why does an expat move to Italy or Colombia or... toChina? What makes some of them stay for years?

Iponder that question every time someone back in the US asks me: When are yougoing home? Some people say it with an inflection that seems to mean: When areyou giving up on your crazy ideas and coming back to where you belong?

Ithink that inflection is a little sharper among those who can't imagine livingwhere the history, culture and language are very much unlike theirs.

Onthe first question, surely the top reason is economic. In case, with the kidsgrown, the chance to live and work in China seemed like a way to satisfymy wanderlust. I had lived in Latin America, where I caught the bug.

Whatis this pleasure in living surrounded by exotic tongues? While sameness iscomforting to some, it isn’t always to me.

Iwill admit that everywhere abroad I've lived, I've had some days when I getaggravated over something that's harder for me because it's different. Mosttimes it's not because it's better or worse, it's just different. Sometimesit’s cultural misunderstandings. Other times I'm frustrated by my limitedability to express myself in Chinese.

Thesefrustrations are not particular to any one country, and, once I think about it,I usually find it's my own problem.

Mostdays life abroad is relatively routine. Occasionally, my wife and I have whatwe call a "bad China day", which is a day when we’re frustrated. (Icould have called a bad day back home a "bad US day", and I may dothat when I go back.)

Fortunately,we have many more of what we call a "good China day".  That's aday when something amazing happens. Someone has treated me with the graceand generosity that is such a wonderful facet of the Chinese nationalcharacter. Or, I've spent a sunny day or mild evening cycling around Beijingand reveling in this fascinating and beautiful city. Or, a touristfrom China's hinterland has asked to take a picture with me, making me feellike a laowai (foreigner) celebrity. Or, I am dumbfounded by the hardworkingspirit of people.

Onthose days, I feel gratitude. It's a little like looking at your wife andrealizing just how lucky you are. The fight you had the day beforedissolves before your eyes, the issues suddenly becoming trivial. You realizewhere you were at fault. When you have those days often enough, you become ahappier person overall.

Ofcourse, there are many other places I would like to see. In the past year, I'vebeen to Cambodia, Vietnam and Panama for the first time, and I thought allthree countries were lovely in their own way.

ButI know that in the future, I will have many fond memories of China and myChinese friends. I will never forget them. 

Contactthe writer at matthewprichard@chinadaily.com.cn