Her mother used to say to her whether she likes it or not, "once you are born Chinese, you cannot help but feel and think Chinese" (Tan 263). She also imagines herself "transforming like a werewolf, a mutant tag of DNA suddenly triggered, replicating" (Tan 263) a different look that no one would recognize. Jing-mei's height was also different in compare to the average Chinese height "I stand five-foot- six, and my head pokes above the crowd so that I am eye level only with other tourist"(Tan 266), another reason for her to believe she is not Chinese. Jing-mei was never really introduced into the Chinese culture, and therefore she never understood her real identity. Now with the death of her mother, Jing-mei feels remorse that she never presented any curiosity in her mother's past, and that she never had the chance to listen to her mother's stories. Her mother is gone, and she is gone without knowing that her twin daughters are still alive. .
After Jing-mei and her father disembark the train in Guangzhou China, they must wait in line to be process to customs. This brings to her mind waiting for a bus in San Francisco. She is still reaching back for a sense of familiarity; she has not quite reached the place where she has fully embraced her Chinese roots. Questions appear, as she believes whether the customs officers will believe that her passport is truly hers, because she had so much makeup in the picture. At the time, she has no makeup and they will think she is Chinese. As fast as that thought comes to her mind, she forgets about it, and justifies herself, that her height is much taller than most Chinese women. She is overwhelmed between what was and what will be. Sensory images of "skintingling" (Tan 263) and "blood rushing"(Tan 263) arise as she reaches ahead with excitement to welcome what is coming, but she must process these deeply through these changes with her mind and soul.
