The China I Wish I Could Live Again

Every couple of years, my family would go visit my parents' hometown, Tianjin, China. We would take a plane to Beijing first and meet my grandparents there. I remember when we first arrived, they would always bring us Tanghulu, fruit covered with hardened syrup that was sold on the streets. Visiting China over the years gave me an appreciation for my heritage and I made many memories that I will treasure forever.

One thing that made China so memorable to me was the nightlife experience. I remember wishing I could stop time when I stood in the street. The smell of street food filled the air and the liveliness of people’s voices. Even at around midnight, I was surrounded by lights and the feeling of safety. In Tianjin, my grandparents lived right across a college campus and my brother and I would go there to roller skate. The fountain square turned into a park to rollerskate in at night, blasting music and colorful lights as kids rollerbladed everywhere. There were grandparents that danced there as well to the lively music. The dancing was called Guang Chang Wu and anyone could join in. It was unlike the US where I knew that most people stayed at home in the nighttime. On the other hand, Tianjin was filled with people, and the bright lights of the stores gave people the feeling of intimacy with the rest of the world. There were kids playing, people dancing, music bla