The world expo and my feelings for America

The last few days in Shanghai will be the exact same as the last few days anywhere, except for once I feel that I’ve crossed off my Shanghai to-do long before now. Living in the city was the most important part of this trip, and all the tourist stops seem somewhat meaningless after that – why would I go to the bund when I run by it every day? Why would I spend a Saturday at People's Park at the heart of the city when I walk through it to get to work? It’s rare that anyone will learn about a city from tourist spots. The daily trips to grocery stores and subways and standing next to people in line at the bank is when you understand a city. Still, there’s one thing left on my tourist list.

Last stop: The World Expo. It’s embarrassing that I still hadn’t been, really, but I collected a good deal of advice about it in the meantime. The Expo is just like making guacamole; everyone wants to tell you his or her opinion on how to do it. Of course, my way was best.

I went in the late afternoon, and spent three or four hours simply walking through the entire Expo and seeing the outside architecture of all of the pavilions. I heard (and found) that the interiors weren’t worth waiting in line for, so I didn’t and instead enjoyed the exteriors and the general atmosphere of the place, featuring an amusement-park-like feel on an international scale. After my walk-through it was nighttime, and the Expo cleared out (Chinese people like being home for dinner) and I was able to walk into 10-20 pavilions without waiting in line. Chile was my favorite for having both a strong thematic feel and clear message (on top of heart-meltingly beautiful design). My feet were throbbing by then, but I was satisfied with the day. I went back to my room and slept for a few hours until I had to get up and get on a plane.

More than any other trip to Asia, this one has made me consider and appreciate the idea of “American culture” more than I ever have. The introspective view was due to not only the Expo (celebrating and necessarily comparing world cultures), but also to the unique Shanghai expat community that contrasted so sharply with local culture. In monitoring which restaurants I liked most, what clubs I found most comfortable, who I enjoyed meeting with at work, and what Will and I decided to stock our pantry with, I started to understand what American culture entails. It’s a curious collection of things, some excessive and some absurd, but wonderful if you can recognize them as such.

After another 14-hour plane ride, 5 more movies and a few intravenous injections of jetlag, I’m finally back in the U.S. On the same calendar day, I woke up in Shanghai for an early morning run past the expo and through the already-busy streets of the city, then at night I ran on trails in a forested park and hilly roads that ran along farms and fields in the U.S. To me, that experience in and of itself worth is living for.

So I’m back and appreciating U.S. culture. It’s an odd way to end a summer abroad experience, and I’m not sure what it tells about how this will fit in with my future. But while basking in generous-to-absurd restaurant portions, oversized trucks with oversized doggies hanging out of them, farm houses, nearly-unoccupied suburbs, green-ness and the weather and everything, I’ve figured out what about myself is significant, and that will help me decide where to go next.