Two Old Men on an Elevator

I don't know of anything more different than China and America.


Chinese use chopsticks. 
Americans use knife and fork. 

Chinese are taught to blend in. 
Americans are taught to stick out. 

Chinese people can stand on a train for 14 hours without complaining or flossing. 
 American people would never stand on a train for 14 hours without complaining or flossing.  

China has 1,400,000,000 people.
America has 400,000,000 people.

Chinese have mastered how to cook eggplant. 
Americans have not yet mastered how to cook eggplant. 


Despite the cultural, linguistic, familial, educational and social differences between our two countries, I've learned that all humans are the same beneath the epidermis.


Chinese kids hate school. 
American kids hate school. 

Chinese parents love their kids. 
American parents love their kids. 

Chinese people are selfish. 
American people are selfish. 

Chinese blood is red. 
American blood is red. 

Chinese people need Jesus' message of, "It is finished." 
American people need Jesus' message of, "It is finished."


Another shred of evidence that people are really the same deep down (but less deeper than we think) was in an elevator last week. Two old guys were talking and with my toddler-level-Mandarin I mentally saved their conversation...

"It's so cold outside."
"Yeah, it's that darn wind."
"Yesterday wasn't as windy, but today is different."
"Last night it really was windy."
"December is always like this."
"But I don't remember last December being so cold."

As I left the elevator I smiled. Knowing that this same conversation is happening in Wisconsin with two gray-haired men in front of Pick 'N Save.

米佳 mijia