Will I Miss Monterey Park?

When I first arrived in Monterey Park I wasn't only living in a brand new city but for the first time in my life I was living as a minority. Monterey Park is predominantly Chinese followed by Hispanic and then White. I know I can't claim I know what it's like to live as a minority but in all honesty, living here took a little getting used to. The easiest was getting used to the store signs in Chinese; the hardest was getting used to the feeling that everyone was staring at me as I entered the local library or went out to eat. The most surprising was getting used to the whistles and cat-calls my roommate and I used to receive during our evening walks. However, after three and a half years, I now realize that these are part of Monterey Park's character.

As I walked out of the American Automobile Association office today and didn't react when I received a whistle from a car driving by, nor did I think it was strange that grandpa was sitting outside the office on the grass under the shade of the tree while the rest of the family, and by family I mean THE ENTIRE FAMILY, went into the office, I smiled to myself in appreciation of the character of Monterey Park and I remarked to no one in particular, "I'm going to miss Monterey Park."