A Paw in Both Worlds

At first, I was excited when my human caretaker told me I would travel to the United States where I would live for ten years. I wondered what was beyond China’s borders. I wondered about where I was going and what I’d see. Then, I realized that I would have to say goodbye to my mother. There was now a twinge of sadness in my excitement.

The humans coax me into the metal cage using my favorite pumpkin treats. Then they load my crate onto a Panda Express jet plane. An American representative comes to speak to me. I don’t understand most of what he says. He says my name, Fu Bao, but he pronounces it “Foo-Bay-Oh.” I mostly ignore him, eating delicious bamboo as he rambles.

Eventually, we land and they take me to a zoo. The giant panda enclosure is called the Bamboo Kingdom. There are lots of bamboo canes to eat and orange leaves to roll in. Strange people crowd around my cage. They squeal at me and press their faces against it. When night falls, the trees outside my enclosure light up bright white. I turn in a circle turn three times and lay down to sleep, dreaming of my mother.

The next day is tiring. People stop by and shriek at me, admire me, and talk to me. All the while, I pace and eat bamboo. The rest of the week goes by in this pattern. All I can think of is China.

There is one thing I like about the zoo – my new caretaker, Juliana. As the weeks pass, I begin to understand the new sounds these humans make. Every day, Juliana comes to see me and tells me about everything: the zoo, her fears of getting fired, her family issues, the other animals, and what she did on the weekend. Juliana and I soon become close friends.

The seasons turn and the weather becomes cold. The bamboo stalks are covered in ice. I lick it. My tongue freezes to it. I yank my tongue free with a surprising amount of effort and sit on my haunches. I stare up at the snowflakes falling from the sky. They are beautiful.

Juliana comes to see me later. Snowflakes cling to her hat and gloves. She plays with me for a little while and gives me treats. As she turns to go she says, “You finally seem happy here.” I realize that she’s right. I am happy here. But, I still miss China. I ask myself where I belong, which country is my home? I finally conclude that I have a paw in both worlds.