A Homesick Person

    Many countries have their own festival, and some festival are a main character in many people's lives. In china, the Mid-Autumn festival is a very famous festival. People who live or work in remote areas usually go back to their hometown to see their family. In the Chinese language, we call that 'tuantuanyuanyuan', which means it is the time of reunion with family. However, I has lost this family reunion festival since i moved to Chicago.

    First of all When I lived in China, I used to see my family and friends during the Mid-Autumn festival. We could come together, and share our experiences from the year. We would talk about our dreams and goals for the next year like coming to a good college to study. In Chicago, i don't have any family members or friends living here. Therefore, it is impossible to celebrate. In addition, because of the pandemic, it has been so hard to return to China. If I were in China, I would be different. I could share my experiences or my worries with my friends and family and that would make me feel better. We would eat moon cakes, and look at the moon to wish for what we really want. However, I don;t have any chance to meet my family or friends in Chicago. It not only makes me feel sad that I can't share my worries, it is also so hard to have a good atmosphere to look at moon and wish something.

    In addition, also used to eat a lot of delicious food during the Mid-Autumn festival. In China, when people prepare it, they not only have moon cake, but there is a big cooking show in this festival, which means anyone will cook a kind of Chinese dish. Sometimes, some people are not good at it, but they can help others. For example, they can cut some  meat or vegetable. In addition, 'saoer' and 'gantofu' are very important dishes in the Mid-Autumn festival. ' saoer' is made from roasted goose meat with many Chinese spices like anise. 'gantofu' is made by thin tofu slices with Chinese food and spices and cook some Chinese dishes, it is so hard to get goose meat in the US because it is not common meat in the US. I can't experience Mid-Autumn festival in Chicago, I lost something. 

                             

    Furthermore, since I moved to Chicago, I lost the Chance to play 'bobing' in the Mid-Autumn Festival. 'bobing' means people will buy some things put on the table, and, they put six dice in the bowl. They will make list of the different value of thongs, and give them different level. They give people one piece of paper about the 'bobing' in Mid-Autumn Festival.'bobing' rules. This paper shows what means for six dice in the bowl. In the Chinese language, it would relate luck, and tell people how to use six dice to win prizes. For example, 'yixiu' is very lowest level prizes that everyone can get. They usually use toothpaste, snakes. and drinks in this level. 'zhuangyuan' is highest level prizes, which means people can get some very expensive things like computer or television. In Chicago, American don't have Mid-Autumn Festival, so it is impossible to play the game. In addition, it also hard to find someone who is interested in' bobing'. On the other hand, 'bobing' is a easy game to win the prizes, it also had a good wish in this game because many old men believed when people put these six dice would make their bad luck disappear. Therefore, it is also very important entertainment for me in Mid-Autumn Festival.

    In conclusion, I have not been able to see my family or friends, or eat some delicious Chinese dishes since I moved to Chicago. Even though I still can but some Chinese food from Chinatown, and meet some people who come from China too, it is not the same as when I used to. I can't see a lot of people enjoy to play 'bobing', I really miss the atmosphere in Mid-Autumn Festival when I lived in China. Someday, I would find a balance between Chinese culture and American culture in my Chicago life.