First wakeful impression on hitting the streets: familiarity. It’s the opposite of what I expected.
There are the logos: Starbucks, Domino’s Pizza, Dunkin Donuts, Au Bon Pain, Shell, Subway. (I have a surprisingly sentimental reaction to the old Goodyear winged-boot trademark.)
Next comes ethos: comfortable coffee houses, well-stocked bookstores, and restaurants offering cuisine from four continents.
And finally, pathos: amputee beggars pleading for loose change or small bills.
Yeah, it’s almost like being back in the States. In another mindset, I might have been disappointed by that, but after six months in China, I am surprised by how good the familiar feels.
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