Before I left my hometown, I lay alone one night in the mountains. I closed my eyes and imagined the dazzling world of New York brought to me by the American Chinese. Suddenly, I woke up, lying on the cold stone slabs under the pale moonlight, accompanied only by the chirping of wild insects. My heart was cold, yet there was a glimmer of hope . It seems like yesterday, but it was fifty years ago.
The day after I arrived in New York in 1975, my fellow townspeople took me out. I saw people of all races, young and old, scrambling along two sides of the streets, always in a hurry, passing by the bustling shops. At that moment, I realized I had made it to the place I wanted to be: in New York! That evening, they took me to a nightclub in Chinatown. Once stepping inside, I saw what was a completely different world. Half-naked women swayed their waists on stage, while the audience embraced and reveled.l couldn’t help but touch my pocket, suddenly realizing what I was doing. What had I come all this way here for? I didn’t belong here, at least not yet. I immediately retreated to my seat. “Any questions?” my fellow townsperson patted my shoulder and said. “I’m fine, I just want to go back and rest.”
A few days later, I began a four-decade journey of nearly nonstop work. I’ve spent my entire adult life traveling across the United States. I’ve witnessed the competitive yet peaceful American life, where laws and morals coexist. God gave me opportunities, and America provided me with a platform. I’ve met and made many friends—Chinese and foreign, black and white, men and women, from executives to cleaners. While I may not be fluent in English, I can communicate face-to-face.
Now, as the sun sets on my years, I hope the world will be at peace and America will be great again.
Mr. Chi immigrated legally to the U.S from a small town in China in 1975. He worked in the food industry, rose in position to head chef, and eventually opened a handful of restaurants before retiring. Mr. Chi now spends his days taking walks around Elmhurst, and writing his life experiences in English, which read like brief social commentaries.
