The Attractions of Chinese Trains

Xiaojun Huang 

ESL 100-CE 

October 7, 2019 

                                         The Attractions of Chinese Trains 

Before I moved to Chicago, I lived in Guangzhou, China. One of my Chicago friends told me a joke about transportation in America. “If you do not have a car, it seems like it breaks your legs.” I did not understand until my first day in Chicago, and I did not realize that it would come true in my future. In China, I used to travel to another province by train. For instance, I spent three hours to Guangxi by Train. If I travelled by bus, I needed to spend nine hours to get to Guangxi. I took trains for granted because trains are more convenient, safe and high tech in China. However, since I arrived in Chicago, I realized that the United States is a decade behind China in terms of efficient transportation. These may seem insignificant, but I miss the trains in China. I am nostalgic for the attractions of Chinese trains. 

There is no doubt that how convenient trains were in China. I did not drive a car at all in China. Although I took a train to travel, go shopping, and go to work in my hometown, I did not have any problem with it. However, since I moved to Chicago, I do not like to take the train anymore. For example, it is better to drive a car to my workplace in Lombard, because it takes me about forty-five minutes. If I take a train to work, I need to transfer four times to my destination. It takes me about three hours. In addition, I used to spend five to ten minutes to go to a supermarket by train in China. Now, if I want to buy some food from the market, I need to drive a car at least twenty-five minutes, because there are no trains or bus stations near the market. The trains are simply not convenient in Chicago.

 Moreover, I felt more comfortable and relaxed on a train in China. I used to stand on a train and stare blankly in the past. Now, I do not dare to do it because I was robbed on the train in the evening in Chicago. Since I was robbed, I always feel nervous on the train. I often felt worried and scared when some guys opened the emergency exit freely. They just want to sell cigarettes or chocolate on the train. In my mind, it is unnecessary to open the emergency exit if it is for selling. It seems like some people do not care about safety. In China, the trains are neat, the smell good and people are disciplined. People are not allowed to open an emergency exit if it is not urgent. In addition, I can find some monitors on the trains. If I have any problem, the police can help me as soon as possible.  

Furthermore, trains used to be my paradise in my hometown. I used to get limited data to surf the Internet in China, so I used the free wifi on my phone when I took the train. Because the free wifi was intensively stable, I could use WIFI extensively on a train. When the trains passed through a tunnel, the stability of WIFI still kept high. I did not worry about the chance of interference or losing connection. I could keep working or studying. However, my phone often has no signal when I pass through a tunnel in Chicago. Especially some train stations are not equipped with wifi. CTA stated that they needed more time to improve Internet service if they wanted to develop the technology. 

Since I moved to Chicago, I gave up the chance to take a train most of time. I overcame my poor sense of direction, and I bought a car. Now I go to work by car instead of train. I do not want to be someone with broken legs as my friend’s saying. I tried different ways to adapt in Chicago. Trains are not my paradise anymore because Chicago’s trains are not simply convenient. I need to find another place to relax. I know I will feel everything regular someday, but I cannot forget the convenience, safety and wifi on the train in China.