The true story of Shia immigrants

The northwest corner of the United States, adjacent to Canada, is a warm place name familiar to China people-Seattle. In the movie, it seems that all the romance is gathered in this city-Sleepless Night in Seattle, Beijing meets Seattle and loves Seattle; In reality, it is my second home on the other side of the ocean, and my love for it has planted the seeds of the first American dream in my heart, making all branches of this American past bloom.

Seattle belongs to Washington State, and many people will confuse it with Washington D.C. on the east coast, which is the capital and political center of the United States. The temperate maritime climate gives Seattle the title of Rain City, with an annual rainfall of 952.2 mm and a water area of about 40%. Although there is a lot of rain, the excellent air quality brought by high forest coverage makes it the most suitable place to live in the United States. There is no jumping and exultation in general big cities, where the folk customs are simple and the life is comfortable and comfortable, but the peace of everything does not mean that it is born mediocre. The Starbucks that Seattle people are most proud of originated here. You can drink coffee from the first Starbucks in the park market downtown. The narrow space is crowded with long queues, just to pursue the taste of the history of the world's largest coffee chain. Of course, Microsoft, Amazon and Boeing have also added some Excellence and immortality.

Seattle has its shining point, and it is also the people who stop me from leaving the city.

1. Meet

In the summer vacation of my freshman year in 2007, I came to Seattle because of my school's summer camp. This is the first time I met it and set foot on American soil. Here, I met Peggy's family, who provided me with room and board. Peggy and her husband Marvin are of German descent. They have three sons. The first one is a middle school chemistry teacher, and the second one runs his own business. He had three children with his second wife, the third was a truck driver, and he had a daughter with his black ex-wife. The old couple lived a middle-class life and retired at home, but Peggy, who was busy, not only had to look after her grandchildren, but also helped her neighbors look after their children, so the family never "quarreled". It was a family nursery, and the two-story cabin was often full of toys.

Peggy is a particularly kind, super optimistic, extremely humorous and very sensible Seattle rural housewife. She was born with a disability in her right leg and walks with a limp, but you can't see any unhappiness and complaints from her face. Her hysterical laughter is always the loudest in the crowd. She will buy a birthday cake for a strange Vietnamese clerk in a beauty shop; At Christmas, I drove to these responsible children's homes to send Christmas presents. For a housewife's daily life, she always proudly teaches how to be careful and how to cook.

That 20-degree Seattle summer brought me into this pleasant city and met this lovely and enthusiastic Seattle person. Reluctantly parting is to meet each other better next time.

2. From new york to Seattle

The day we met, I didn't expect it to be another summer six years later. After graduating from college, I went to new york to study as a graduate student. I've been emailing Peggy. We met in Seattle in August. The strangeness and discomfort when I first arrived in new york made me look forward to this trip, as if I had met my relatives. At 8 pm, the plane landed at Seattle Tacoma International Airport. When I picked up my luggage, I accidentally saw Peggy and Marvin waiting outside. I was so excited that I rushed forward to hug and laugh. At this time, the other side of the ocean is like the way home. On the way home, we asked each other about each other. The eldest daughter went to France to study after her freshman year. The second one went to Afghanistan to do business and divorced his second wife with a local woman. The third one moved out and married a white woman, and will have a baby soon.

When I got home, it was still the simple American house, but the color of the outer wall changed from pink to egg yellow. In the next few days, she took me to meet my family, teachers and children six years ago. Children can tell the best time from infancy to adulthood, but what remains unchanged is that they are still chasing and laughing at Peggy's house. Ten days passed quickly, and the school season arrived. I have to go back to new york to go to school. Peggy is a little reluctant. The night before I left, I prepared sandwiches and fruits for me to eat on the way, and told me to take care of myself in new york. Call me if you have any information, and let me come back for Christmas after this semester. In order to feel the authentic American Christmas, I flew back to Seattle that winter vacation-decorating Christmas trees, giving gifts to each other, preparing Christmas food, camping in Rainier Snow Mountain and having a good time.

Three. From Seattle to new york.

Two years passed quickly, and May of 15 came to graduation. Everything seems to be saying goodbye, but life has just begun. Peggy heard that my parents couldn't come to the graduation ceremony, casually said that she and Marvin would come, and smiled and said, "This is my daughter's big day. I must go. " I was skeptical, but I didn't expect the old couple to drag their recovered bodies after surgery, take a six-hour plane ride and arrive in new york with a three-hour time difference. I was caught off guard. For a foreigner who is not related by blood, their simplicity and enthusiasm poured into this friendship. I have been looking for them since I came down from the podium at the graduation ceremony. At this time, Peggy leaned against the edge of the stands, and I waved to her excitedly. She immediately handed me a bunch of flowers, and her surprise was beyond words.

After the ceremony, the old couple and I went to new york Pier, boarded a city cruise ship and visited new york. On the boat, looking at the Statue of Liberty, we talked about how their grandfather immigrated here from Germany a long time ago. This reminds me of the ship that sailed from Europe to new york in The Legend of 1900. It trudged all the way, just to pursue the freedom in her heart. She was always there, waiting for every brave soul. We met at this moment, whether from German or China, during that long time or recently.