Wednesday, February 26, 2014

The Meaning of Friendship


The Meaning of Friendship
I used to have good relationships with my friends who were in China, but the United States is different. I seem to have a generic relationship with my American friends. The longer I live here, I try to get more interactions with my friends, and I believe these interactions will change my life for the better. No one wants to survive on one’s own because human interactions can transform your feeling and open your eyes. Unfortunately, adapting to U.S culture has been had, and I have begun to lose my communication, sharing and culture in this country.



My ability to communicate is gone. I have been in the United States for one year, but I still did not know what the word friend really means in America. When I was in China, I thought it meant hanging out together, sharing secrets, and believing in each other, but I had no idea about the United States. However, when I spend time with friends in Chicago, it feels strange and is different. Even when we talk together, we cannot understand what we really mean. For example, after math class, I asked my teacher for help with my homework. When I was explaining a question, it seemed like she did not know that what I was talking about. I felt sad and all I wanted was to have a good communication, but I could not. In addition, when I have conversations with my classmate, I asked him some questions, but he guessed another meaning and gave me the wrong answer. It was so such a bad experience. The different language and culture are obstacles. If people do not understand what you say, they just make a smiley face back at you. For this reason I think the word friend in America is more social than deep.


In addition, my ability to share secrets with my friends has also disappeared. Two years after I came to Chicago, it was the hardest time for me. I felt sad because I still did not have a friend to share anything with me. I started to miss my friends who lived in China so much. I could not forget our happy past and unforgettable memories when I was a teenager in high school. I remembered how they helped me. Before I met my friends in China, I was a computer guy. I preferred hanging out with my computers than hanging out with friends, but they did not care. They were so amicable and always tried to interact with me. When I had trouble, I wanted to share my problems with them and they helped me quickly. I remember one time that I was unhappy because I failed my test. When my friends found out, they tried to comfort me. I shared lots of secrets with them and they did too. This was first time that I realized friends are dependable. They were such trusty friends. After I met them, I became a cheerful and lively man.


Furthermore, I felt I have lost the special Chinese culture and friendship when I meet new friends in the U.S. My American friends are different. Even though we speak the same language, the feeling is different because we all have different culture. When I tried to fit in with my foreign friends, I felt I began to lose most of my Chinese culture because I was trying to learn theirs. For example, I have tried to eat food they recommend. I tried to change my Chinese style to American and cut my hair look like an American. However, I stopped it because I knew I am a traditional Chinese person. I cannot change, and I did not want to lose my Chinese culture.


            In America, the word of friend means conversation, but in China it is relationship. Meeting and spending time with my friends in China was so exciting. They have changed me for the better and gave me a new view of life. In addition, I really want to meet some new people, and I hope I can keep my ability to converse and my Chinese culture when I meet lots of new friends in Chicago. Changing is a good thing. It is going to make me know some new things that I never realized before and become a new person because interaction is one of the best ways to meet new people.


5 comments:

  1. it is a good essay when i read this essay, i understood your thinking. i also had experience like your experience. i know that it is very hard time. it is totally difference to have relationship between one'self country to america. but, we have to overcome about that fighting !

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    1. Lol...Let's us do it well, Nathan! I so happy to meet you guy!

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  2. I like your essay, its easy to read and understand. I know what you mean by word of friend means conversation here in the US but in our country as well it is a relationship. here in the US people are too busy with their work and school life, they dont even have time for each other to talk or discuss their problems and issues.

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  3. wow!!!!! nice picture.This movie made me cry. It is not only about love, but also about friendship. It was a pity that they didn't be together at last.

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  4. These are good points, I can understand it. I just like you, because I came to America to study, I had to meet Americans and tried to into their lives. In addition, because of the time differences, I didn't have the exact time to talk with my friends who live in China.

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