Convenient Demand

Suki

10/07/2014

                                                          Convenient Demand

      

            

         I was born and raised in big city, so I am so used to living in an area that I can easily find everything I need. As a city girl, I am the lucky one who lived in many people’s dream place –New York City (in the past five years). After the best of the best (NYC), I moved to another amazing land, Chicago, six months ago. I sure know that many people dream to live in the United States, what some consider-the best country in the world. In the U.S., there are many opportunities for everyone, and overall the quality of life is better than in many other countries. However, I still terribly miss the convenient lifestyle I had when I was in Hong Kong. There are some things that I must have in order to make my life easier in the States. A 24 hour convenience store, a private hangout place, and a shopping center that is in walking distance are on top of my demanding list.

             

             In Hong Kong, finding a 24 hour convenience store is as easy as finding a Starbucks in New York City. You can almost see one on each street and corner. In Hong Kong, the representation store that I love is 7-11. Even though I have one that is very near where I live now, it is not the same quality as in Hong Kong. Stores like 7-11 mean a lot to me. They are usually small, but have everything I need for my daily life. I love the food in 7-11, all kinds of health, fresh and yummy foods, such as, glutinous rice dumpling, steamed stuffed bun, fish ball, noodle, brisket rice, and soups. Typing these names has already made me hungry. They also offer warm drinks, so it always touched my heart when the weather was cold. Here in the states, 7-11 means junk food and hot dogs. All I can find is soft drinks, potato chips, or almost expired cookies. Whenever I need to leave home early for work, I really miss how easily I could just go to a 7-11 and buy something good for breakfast, instead of Dunkin’ Donuts. Not just during the day, late in the evening it is always lovely to have something good and warm to eat close by. Furthermore, when my feet get hurt from walking in high heels, I do not have to hide my pain and walk more than twenty minutes looking for a pharmacy. Because in Hong Kong, the7-11 is on the corner. Anytime I had a daily need, I would see one nearby. In addition to my daily needed, I also have a special weekend demand for my dear friends and I.

                 The best way hang out with friends on weekends is to sing karaoke. Most

Chinese people love karaoke, so I just could not understand why Americans do not go to karaoke like we do. Many Americans love to listen to music with their headphones wherever they go. They seem to truly love music, so they must love to sing! Unfortunately, it is very hard to find a good one in the States. When I say good one, it is not just a place that I can sing some songs. It is like a bar, with a private room including the bathroom for my friends and I, in every neighborhood. I drink, play games, chat all night long with my friends, and I sing whatever I like. In the States, I have to go very far away to find one, an old and awful one. After a few bad experiences, I soon gave up going to karaoke. Every time when I am in a bar trying so hard to hear what my friends have said, I wish I am in one of the karaoke clubs in Hong Kong. In that case my friends and I would sit or lie on a cozy sofa without caring so much about how other strangers looked at us. Of course, we could hear each other’s voices very clearly. In other words, it is very difficult to release my stress from work in the States by hanging out in very noisy bar and sitting on an uncomfortable couch. 

             Another way for me to relax is by going shopping, and I love doing it. No such luck, there is no shopping center that makes me feel relaxed. In the States, there are many nice malls and brand name stores where I can go shopping, but I cannot get everything I wanted on my list in one place. In Hong Kong, there are shopping centers in each county. It looks like a mall, but each store is owned by an individual person. They are special, unique, and have very good prices. From the home deck to nail scissors; hairpins to socks; baby stuff to elder generation collection, I can find everything with tremendous choices. Certainly, each center has food section, so there is no need to go out find a place for food with a long line. I can spend the whole day in one center. Ever since I moved to the States, I only go shopping in specific stores if I really need something. Because I am so tired of transferring in between stores, streets, or areas when I shop, shopping is no longer a fun fruity relaxation.

               My life in Chicago is great. I have a lovely daughter, a nice husband, and I am working on my new degree at Harold Washington College. I mean I have everything I need, but sometimes I feel it is still a little inconvenient. Chicago is not like Asian cities that I used to live in. It has a different lifestyle. Perhaps my old experience made me feel this way, but I just could not stop wishing that I am in Hong Kong when I am in an inconvenient situation. Some of my American friends said that I am too demanding of the needs in my neighborhood. I understand that Chicago is the best city in the Midwestern area, and I do applicate that. However, if I am surrounding by everything I need, why can’t I be happier?