Chinese Food Across the Globe

I used to travel a lot for a job I had, both within the United States and across the globe. It was kind of a trade-off, for every cool place I got to go, say Germany or Japan, I also had to go to O'Fallon IL, or Beaufort, SC. My trips were funded by the US Government, which means they were funded by the American taxpayer. So if you're reading this and you're American, and you've paid your taxes, thanks, I had a great time.
   One of the things I realized being away from home is that you have to have your rituals, little things that stay the same for you, no matter where in the world you might end up on any given day. One of my favorite was my resolution to have Chinese food in every country I went to.
   It's really very, very easy. There are so many Chinese people that they're slowly infiltrating every corner of the world. I don't know for sure, but I would venture to say that there are probably Chinese people in every country. Probably more of them than people in those countries realize.
   My favorite Chinese food was in Germany - nothing like hot fried rice on a cold Bavarian evening in February - but the most fun had to be in Italy. The place was in Aviano, up a hill and in a Renaissance courtyard. There was a tiny illuminated sign outside the shop, which provided just enough light for the two tables out front. The proprietors didn't quite know what to do when I walked in speaking English, but they got their son to translate. The best thing ever, though, was when a local Italian walked in, and the owner and the man got to talking in Italian, both of them gesturing expansively in that Italian way, trying to make their point before the other guy. Then the owner called his wife over to join the conversation, which she did - loudly - and the Italian man called his friend in from outside. After a few minutes there were seven people crowded in this minuscule restaurant, all practically yelling to be heard over one another, all of the clamor happening in Italian, even though half the participants didn't look remotely native.
   They gave me my food almost as an afterthought, barely an interruption in the discussion. When I left the noise was echoing out onto the street, and I imagined Renaissance thinkers discussing the newest art theory over a plate of fried rice and lemon chicken.