Not Just the Taste of Memory

Not Just the Taste of Memory

I remember that my history teacher said Night food appeared in China more than 900 years ago. Over the centuries, night food have been a favorite of many people. The evening in China are very lively, and night food as like a kind of condiment of life. Many people like to use evening  as a time to talk to their friends until two in the morning after they finish work. It is more like a habit or tradition for Chinese people. For example, when I was back home, I liked to sit in the big stall, ate different special snack, talked, and laughed with friends until two in the morning. However, When I moved to Chicago, the cold weather, language, food, and more told me that the culture is always different in there two countries, so I have not been out for night food since I came to Chicago. In my new life in Chicago, I cannot find a place to continue and enjoy my night food culture.  

Night food represents the beginning of the night in China. It is a meal that begins after 9 P.M. and lasts until four in the morning. It is the time for night owls who like to go outside at night. Young people never go to sleep very early, so they like to do something before they go to sleep. For example, I used to finish my homework after 9 P.M. or later, and I would be  hungry, so I would love to order some food for night food. Then, I would go to bed. However, once I tried to find a restaurant at 11 P.M. in Chicago, but I did not find anything still open. I felt so disappointed. Night food is the time for people to stay together after they get off work. They would choose with family, workmates, or friends have a conversation with night food. Late night snacks used to mean people’s last activity before people go to bed in one day, but there is no place for me to finish it. 

Moreover, night food is not just a big meal, it is a form of relaxation to enjoy the environment. Chinese people do not care about many things when people eat night food, like dressing, noise, or even safety. Most night food’s environments are relaxed and lively. Chinese people like to sit outside of restaurants and talk to friends. Nobody cares about other people’s  noise or what are they thinking about. I will choose a place where most people knew each other around me, and that made me feel so comfortable. I could even wear pajamas and slippers. Night food also can be a meal by one person, and people do not need to care a lot about safety. When I eat night food, I know all the things around my home, so I have enough sense of security . When I was in China, I always ate night food by myself, and I did not need to care about many things. Due to the news I have watched in the TV that had many robberies and gun fights happen in U.S., I am afraid of going out alone or too late now because I do not have enough sense of security.  Night food have a more comfortable environment makes food more delicious.

Besides, the variety and good taste of Chinese night food always been in my mind. The night food can be everything people want, like hot pot, bbq, rice, noodles or sushi. All the food people can find in night food of China. Although Chinese food in the United State and Chinese food in China both are Chinese food, the taste is very different. Chicago has many restaurants, but they are not really like local taste I ate in China. On the other hand, there are many restaurants open 24 hours in China, and they can deliver the take out all evening. I can order hot pot at 2 A.M. in China, but I can only find some fast food and no delivery in Chicago. With all these changes, I lost a lot of my favorite food and convenient late-night takeout.

Cultural collisions often have a big impact on immigrants. The night food cannot be found here because China and U.S. have different night cultures. The night food depends on special time, environment and taste, so they give me a different memory that is not only for taste. Although there are a lot of places that people are not used to, as a new immigrant need  to work hard to overcome or find another way. Though I did not find night food like in China, I have tried to make some dishes by myself at home. Moreover, there are many restaurants from all over the world that are waiting for me to find than Chicago.