One the things about coming back from a long stay in another area is seeing things that remind you of that area. After having stayed for a grand total of a year in China, a couple of things still remind me of my time in China:

  • On my way to work I sometimes see an old Chinese man sitting on a cement bench smoking and just watching the day go by - I can recall many times seeing tens of old Chinese men doing the same thing in Shanghai. Seemed to be quite peaceful just sitting there watching and having a nice slow day.
  • Any time the sun is shining and an umbrella comes out on a city street to protect themselves not from rain, but from the sun - Any sunny day on East China Normal University’s campus would be filled with ’sun’ umbrellas protecting their skin to stay as white as possible; a complete reversal of American culture of tanning.

What other things would remind you of China or other places (either good or bad)?