Drinking in Guangdong

“Let’s go to drink tea.” This is commonly heard in Guangdong, China. Drinking tea in Cantonese has a unique culture because its importance is not only about drinking tea, but it also means eating dim sum and other food as well. Drinking tea in Guangdong is a cultural tradition, and it plays an important role for Guangdong citizens and me. If I ever stop drinking tea, I will feel uncomfortable, for it has become a habit for me. When I was in China, I usually drank tea with my family in a restaurant on weekend. It was a wonderful time for me. Even though I now live in the U.S, I still like drinking tea. However, I have felt the culture of tea drinking slipping away in Chicago. It is just a different experience than in China because of the taste, service and language.

First, the taste and tea choices are completely different compared to Guangdong. Whenever people think that Guangdong food, they naturally recall dim sum which is a popular food. Also, if people had ever drunk tea in Guangdong, they would know many kinds of delicious dim sum. In Chinese restaurants, there are a lot of dim sum and choices, so people can choose their favorite. Also, the restaurants usually make and change the menu to catch people’s eye and taste buds. However, since I came to Chicago, I haven’t found or eaten any dim sum that I like. I have gone to almost all the restaurants in Chinatown, but I have yet to find and taste my favorite dim sum. Whenever I look at the menus, I feel disappointed. Therefore, I have given up looking because I don’t want to feel upset trying to locate authentic dim sum.

Another part of my lost tea, culture is the dim sum carts that accompany tea drinking. The cart of dim sum is a special service while drinking Cantonese tea. There are some waiters that push the carts that have many dim sum options inside. They yell their names around the house, and guests can choose and take their favorite food by themselves. It is an easy and convenient method. In contrast, I can’t find any restaurants in Chicago that have carts. Even when I did find a dim sum carts, I couldn’t feel wonderful mood. As a result, it usually reminds me that I am in America.

Finally, the language of drinking culture in Guangdong is an essential part of the tradition, but I can’t hear it much in Chicago. People speak English, and they don’t know some traditional words in Cantonese. In China, I usually hear people say, “Han Cha” in Cantonese which means to drink tea. Also, many older people like “Yi Zhong Liang Jian”; it means “a pot of tea and two pieces of dim sum”. Once, I ordered a slice of “You Zha Gui” (yutiao fritter) in a restaurant of Chicago, but the waiter didn’t understand what I said and looked at me curiously. I felt very surprised, and I thought that he should understand me. It reminded me again that I am in Chicago. Guangdong inhabitants rarely speak customary Cantonese when they drink tea here, so I have to speak simple words in Cantonese which makes me feel lost ever in Chinatown.

As a native of Guangdong, drinking Cantonese tea is part of who I am. In America, I am very thankful because I still taste my country’s food and feel its culture although it is unlike authentic Chinese cuisines. The difference is not only the food, but also service and language. Integration is not easy, but I will try to adjust. Also, I know that I will confront cultural obstacles in Chicago.Nevertheless, I believe I will feel more comfortable here despite the loss of part of my culture.