Funny Immigration Life by PSC student Wenman L

It takes time to adapt to a new culture, and life style at the very beginning in new country. It is worth noting that in the first few years of immigration, life was more excited, challenge and fun. My friends and I shared our experience living in America and laughed.

I never had cheese in China. I was happy to have all kinds of cheese in America. One time, I was satisfied with a piece of cheese with friends. My friend asked me, “How was the cheese?”

“Delicious.” I replied.

My friend continued and pointed the cheese, “How did that part taste?”

I asked back, “What do you mean?”

“The outside.”

I confused, “What’s outside?”

”The wax wrapped around the cheese you ate.” I took the cheese and looked it closer, and I saw a thin layer of wax. I was embarrassed. After that, I cut the outside layer of cheese, or I don’t eat the outside part.

I was checking out with six flowers in a Safeway. The cashier asked me, “How many?”

I answered, “Sex.” The cashier slowed her work pace slightly and made a short gentle eye contact with me just raising her eyeball. From that reaction at the moment, I knew I pronounced “six” to “sex.” It’s the vowel sound that all Chinese have the most difficult time to speak right.

 A friend of mine, she doesn’t feel awkward at all. She had a dinner with her husband and she ordered salads. She asked a waiter passing her table, “Can you warm my salads in microwave?”

The waiter said, “You ordered salads—it’s salads.”

She said, “I know, please take it and warm it for 30 seconds.” The waiter looked at her in strange way.

I called her on one Saturday evening while she was watching a movie. I was surprised how she enjoyed the movie that she hardly speaks any English. When she called me back, my first question was, “What was the movie?”

She said, “I don’t know.”

I asked her again, “What did you do during the movie?”

She answered me in a delight tone, “My husband watched the movie and I slept.”

Few years passed, we gradually assimilate to a new society, and enjoy life in America, and make less fun of ourselves.