BeijingtoSeattle:AJourneyofDiscovery
AsanativeofBeijing,Ihavealwaysbeenfascinatedbythediversityofdifferentculturesaroundtheworld.OneofthecitiesthathadbeenonmybucketlistforalongtimewasSeattle,Washington.Finally,Iwasgiventheopportunitytovisitthisbeautifulcityandwhatanexperienceitwas!Inthisarticle,IwillsharemyjourneyofdiscoveryinSeattleandhowitcomparedtomyhomeinBeijing.
FirstImpressions
UponarrivinginSeattle,Iwasstruckbythebeautifulnaturalsurroundings.Thecityissurroundedbymountainsandthesea,providingstunningviewsineverydirection.Beijing,ontheotherhand,isabustlingmetropolis,filledwithhigh-risebuildingsandbusystreets.Whilebothcitieshavetheircharm,thebeautyofSeattleleftalastingimpressiononme.
Anothernoticeabledifferencewasthesizeofthecity.SeattleismuchsmallerthanBeijing,withapopulationofjustover700,000comparedtoBeijing's20million.Thissmallersizegavethecityamorerelaxedfeel,andIfounditmucheasiertonavigatecomparedtothecrowdedstreetsofBeijing.
Culture&Diversity
OneofthereasonsIwasdrawntoSeattlewasitsreputationforbeingadiverseandwelcomingcity.Anditdidnotdisappoint.FromthevariousethnicneighborhoodslikeChinatownandLittleSaigontotheLGBTQ+community,thecitycelebratedandembraceditsdiversityinawayIhadnotseenbefore.InBeijing,whilethereissomediversity,it'snotasopenlycelebratedasinSeattle.
AnotheraspectthatstoodoutwasSeattle'sdeepconnectiontonature.Fromtheurbanparkstothelushgreenforestssurroundingthecity,Seattleitesseemtotakegreatprideintheirnaturalsurroundings.InBeijing,urbanizationhasledtoalackofgreenspaces,andthecityisoftencriticizedforitspoorairquality.SeeinghowSeattlehasmanagedtobalanceitsurbanizationwithnaturewasinspiring.
Cuisine&Nightlife
Beingafoodie,IwasexcitedtotryoutthecuisineinSeattle.Andonceagain,itdidnotdisappoint.Fromfreshseafoodtocraftbeer,SeattlehasavibrantfoodandbeveragescenethatrivalsthatofBeijing.Whilebothcitieshavetheiruniquedishes,IfoundthefoodinSeattletobemoreexperimental,withafusionofdifferentcuisinesandinterestingflavorcombinations.
Asfornightlife,SeattlehasaverydifferentscenecomparedtoBeijing.Thebarsandclubsclosemuchearlier,andtheoverallvibeismuchmorerelaxed.Beijing,ontheotherhand,isknownforitslivelynightlife,withmanyclubsstayingopenuntiltheearlyhoursofthemorning.WhileSeattle'snightlifewasnotaswild,itwasstillenjoyable,withplentyoflivemusicvenuesanduniquebarstochoosefrom.
Overall,mytriptoSeattlewaseye-opening,andIleftwithanewfoundappreciationforthecityanditspeople.WhilethereweresomedifferencesbetweenSeattleandBeijing,bothcitieshavetheiruniquecharmandofferawealthofexperiencesforvisitorstoexplore.IencourageanyonewhohastheopportunitytovisitSeattletodosoanddiscoverallthatthisamazingcityhastooffer.
