To Market, To Market

It always feels kind of surreal when I am home. In fact, what I called “home” is an apartment I did not grow up in. It is home simply because my parents live here, with my nephew who, instead of my two elder brothers (long story…), takes care of them.

I am a different person when I am over here for many reasons. It is even stranger to come home by myself because I am all of a sudden the lone girl in the family who everybody wants/needs to take care of. My father keeps on asking me whether I am hungry even after I have been stuffing my face non-stop. My mother won’t stop asking me whether I am cold; she is wearing a thick jacket while I, a short-sleeved t-shirt. The night when I arrived, when I was not paying attention, she unpacked my suitcases, put away all my stuff, hung up all my clothes and even folded my underwear. My nephew and his fiancée will not let me lift a finger because, even though we are only 9 years apart, I am still his aunt. I am an elder and he has to be respectful. So the rules says. Sometimes it is simply AWESOME to be Chinese.

People often ask me what I do when I go home. Eh. Nothing exciting really. I am chaperoned around to eat, eat and eat some more. I also go to a lot of department stores because that is what my mother likes to do. Judging by the crowd and the lines outside of many popular restaurants, these are also activities enjoyed by 90% of the people in the city.

Just like every other big city around the world. Right?

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26 thoughts on “To Market, To Market

    1. Absence Alternatives Post author

      🙂

      Trust me: you don’t really want to. I wrote this on the first night/morning. In 3 days, I have had enough and ready to tear my hair off…. Mothers and daughters… The stories are surprisingly similar the world over…

      Reply
  1. Renee Fisher

    Your post brings back the memories. I still remember returning home as a capable, married woman, suddenly forgetting how to cook or do anything for myself. There was a strange conflict going on my head between wanting to yell, “Hey, I’m a grown up now!” and, on the other hand, just wallowing in being totally taken care of. The wallowing always won.
    Renee Fisher recently posted…My grandfather smoked for 75 years My grandchildren are doomedMy Profile

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  2. MacDougal Street Baby

    Leg warmers and shorts? That’s so not right. And the bunny? Also not right. Mannequins should never cohabitate with furry animals in store windows. After all, we have to think about the children. That’s fuel for some kid’s nightmare, for sure.

    Reply

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