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Captivating Nightlife

               A large number of foreign tourists who have been to China say that China is a country full of inimitable nightlife. To go much further, the nightlife is based on modernized and accumulated traditional culture which seems to be colorful and ample compared with other countries. China, which allows you to have wonderful and carefree nightlife without worrying about gangs and weapons, also accepts you with charming night scene filled with neon lights. Because of the continuation of ancient culture, nightlives are various, seasonal and regional. Regardless of what people like, they could find a type of nightlives that will attract them. However, since moving to Chicago, I have a strong feeling that I have lost my wonderful nightlife, and I have a particular nostalgia for my former nightlife.
               Because of the loose requirement and supervision, the prevalence of underage drinking is growing faster and faster in China. Teenagers like me, who are under twenty-one years old, are usually allowed to have hangovers and get plastered drunk in a bar or a club. Drinking at night has become a culture among teenagers and office staff because they only can have their leisure time at night, and the captivated neon lights always make you hectic. It is convenient for people to drink because nightclub and night bars are widespread all over the city. People just need to walk for a while, then you can have a binge drink with friends. Because of the age limitation and the long distance from bars and clubs in Chicago, binge drinking no longer revolves around me when I hang out with my friends in Chicago, and due to the climate in Chicago, more people prefer to have parties at home, especially in the winter.

                               
               Another important element of Chinese nightlives is “snacks stall”. Various snacks usually come from different provinces, and thanks to their different cuisines, people always can enjoy diverse types of food in snacks stalls. For example, people can enjoy dim sum in the Cantonese stall, and he can enjoy Sichuan snacks which may be the hottest food they have ever eaten. Stalls also have Tibet snacks which are made of lamb, such as toast lamb stick. The deficiency is that these stalls usually open at night so that people only can enjoy them at night. A person can never imagine a scene as when walking through an alley or a lane, he could see a great diversity of food showed by different stalls, and it seems that he has come to an exhibition. The food in Chicago is also amazing, but it is a pity that I can’t enjoy the snacks stalls in Chicago which seem to be like an exposition at night. Snacks stalls in China embellish my nightlife, so I really treasure this period of memories enjoying snacks in the stalls.

               Finally, the promenading at night is also popular in China. To be honest, taking a walk by the lake in Chicago is really a fantastic and attractive thing for me, but something seems to be a flaw that there are so many bums near the lake, and I usually worry about safety, especially at night. Due to the geographical reason, there are so many lakes and rivers in China, so taking a walk in a park or going for a stroll by a lake or a river is convenient and common for people. Tourists could see a lot of old men chatting or playing Chinese chess on the benches under the trees at night, and they could see some elder playing Taiji. When I was young, my parents usually took me to the park at night after I finished my class, and I could play on the swing or go to rock climbing. Mahjong, which is similar to Scrabble, is also a popular part of the nightlife culture. When I take a walk in a park, I can always see a group of people getting together to play Mahjong, and I consider it a special nightlife culture. What’ more, a promenading tourist can also see the Chiese square dance at night. Promenading in China is the thing that can mesmerize a tourist at a second.

              Since I moved to Chicago several months ago, I feel that I have lost my wonderful nightlife. I cherish the memory of drinking with friends, enjoying snacks, and taking a walk with my parents. Despite what China becomes, I will love it for the reason that it is my hometown, and I love my nightlife in China. As a newcomer, I will try my best to settle down and find a new type of nightlife in Chicago.