And so I have been thinking about it quite a bit. WHY? Why is it that I can have conversations with old friends and the topic of life in Hong Kong never comes up? Or if it does it goes something like "Is it good to be back in Wisconsin?" Such a question seems to cut off any talk of life in Asia all together.
I have spent some time over the years reflecting on this phenomenon as similar experiences happened each summer when we would visit. I believe there is a gap. And I believe the gap has to do with curiosity and connection. Brené Brown writes about curiosity and how humans find it very difficult to be curious about things they know nothing about. I have recognized this in myself. For example, when my sister had cancer some years ago, I simply didn't know what to ask or how to ask it. And so I would steer the conversations in another direction. While I did know how to be sympathetic and loving, I didn't know how to be curious. But others who had already experienced cancer or who had prior experiences with friends seemed to know what to say or ask or talk about. In my present situation, this often means that only people who have traveled or lived abroad or who have watched documentaries or movies about Asia are apt to engage in any discussion about my life in Asia.
