“Mom what are they doing in the park over there?” the three year old me asked my mother as I pointed my fingers towards a group of middle to old age men and women slowly waving their hands in smooth order. They were all really relaxed and it looked like they were having fun.

“They are practicing Tai-chi”, my mother answered.

I grew up in Taiwan from the ages of zero to five. While I do not have complete memories of everything that I experienced during that time, I remember a handful of memorable experiences. This was one of them. After that day I had proceeded to pretend that I was doing Tai-chi within my home and I would imitate random movements when I was seeing them done in parks. Tai-chi is a common exercise done in Taiwan, especially in the morning hours. It was seen as something that old people did but it was seen as normal.

Ever since I moved to the states during elementary school, I had barely noticed the absence of Tai-chi in American culture. It wasn’t until last week when I realized that people in the states would view Tai-chi as something foreign, a little bit strange, slightly bit other-worldly and weird. It is interesting because when I am in Taiwan, I didn’t think anything of Tai-chi. However here, in a separate environment, what is once so familiar to me seems out of context and unfamiliar.

I find this interesting because even as someone who has experienced different cultures, I am still susceptible into molding my thinking and viewpoints based upon what is the norm in certain areas. I think we should realize that no matter where we are and who we are with, we should remember to keep an open mind – approach things as if they are already familiar to us already.