Your experiences in the US and China are only two ways of life, nothing related to hope in life. Don't know whether you read the book called Tuesdays with Morrie. If not, highly recommended. It gives a different perspective on life, in such a way that we often overlook from the daily in-and-outs. I have experienced the kind of "highway" way of life in the mid 90s back in china. Been in the US for almost ten years as well. Now living in the same life style within similar neighborhood you described above. Sometimes still miss the high life back in China if so choose. Eventually I found myself treasure the inner peace I can find myself more appealing than those occasional flashes.
