Happiness can be found on sweaty Chinese buses. I find it almost every day, but it lasts just a second.

The happiness comes every time I imagine all my time studying Chinese has paid off. You see, learning Chinese is a thankless job. At least half of the friends I make in China are as excited to practice their English with me as I am to practice my Chinese with them.

I see the disappointment in their eyes when I switch the conversation to Chinese. Friendly conversations often turn into linguistic Cold Wars, hidden underneath a veneer of politeness.