I was born in Shanghai, China, and I came to California when I was three. Surprisingly, I remember a lot of things from Shanghai. I have many deep memories from my childhood. I remember getting in trouble in day care, my grandpa picking me up and taking me home on his bicycle, eating red bean lollipops and swallowing bubble gum. I've only been back a couple of times, but it has a fond place in my heart, and I love the city and all the bustle that goes along with it.
The town where I grew up couldn't be any more different. Temple City, California. No one knows where that is. It's a tiny town in one of the valleys in socal. We have one high school, a tiny tiny library, and a main street that consists almost entirely of Asian bridal shops/photography studios. It's not very exciting, and most of us TC kids make fun of how boring our town is.
It's a big change everytime I go home from Berkeley. It takes a little time to adjust to the simplicity and slowness of Temple City. But as much as I make fun of it, it's still home. It's where my family and my house is, where my beloved elementary school is, and where all the little family restaurants and cafes I would go to with my best friends are.