Everyone's the same??

[Dragonsaver]

Maybe I've been here too long - or I am really Chinese in a caucasian body??

I find I frequently see people as people and I don't see that they are Chinese. When I taught the children at winter camp, there was the sweetest little girl who spoke no English but I just loved her. I had to remember she was Chinese.

Last night, there a lot of noise and talking in the hall outside my door. I opened the door because it was soooo noisy. There was a 'very happy' young man who realized why and put his finger to his lips and said 'shhh' He bowed to me and said sorry, I am so happy. I laughed and bowed back. He reminded me of my friends back in Canada after they had too much to drink.

LE is this how you see your life here???

[Lotus Eater]

Yes - people are definitely people all over the world. Same reactions to many of the same situations.

I also start to see physical likenesses between people here and at home - I will swear that if my niece had dark hair and dark eyes instead of blue eyes and blonde hair that people would figure she was from China. But her ancestors were German on her fathers side and English on mothers.

I have stopped seeing people as Chinese - although I do notice laowai now!! - and when talking to my friends I see so few differences between the young people here and my daughters friends back home. We talk about the same things, do the same things. One of my friends tells me that I look Chinese when I am dressed in Chinese clothes! (He IS Chinese - I figure his eyes are giving out on him!!) Chinese in a Caucasian body works - I just wish the language came with it!!

When people ask me about my friends now I don't differentiate often unless I need to make it clear which country they come from.

I don't know so much about the people my age - here I meet very few of them - they are all home relaxing with a baijiu and the sports or drama TV - much the same as at home.

[Ruth]

I definitely see the similarities more than the differences. There are more similarities to see, for one thing. A Mr. W introduced himself to Roger on the street a couple weeks ago. I'm now teaching his daughter as a private student. This man is a driver for a gov't official and spends a lot of time in a car. He has taught himself English by listening to tapes and reading. Amazing. Gotta respect that dedication. Daughter is a real sweetie but doesn't have many words yet. We went out to dinner with them and a couple of non-English speaking friends last night. All had a great time trying to learn new words in the other language. After dinner we went back to his office building and played ping pong and pool in the recreation room. The little girl can't hit a ping pong ball worth beans, but we were having fun together while the men played pool. Reminded me of teaching my kids to play. Her dad took her home and left us in the capable hands of 4 strangers who had shown up to watch the laowai play pool. One guy was VERY kind to me in playing ping pong. I can go a few rounds with a 10 year old who can't play, but someone who can play - I'm dead meat. My brother used to play me with his left hand and still win. Each man had to play a game of pool with Roger. Our host returned and the others all left. Guess their babysitting duties were over. Point is - friends come from everywhere.

I'll reveal my real name and tell a funny story about last night. Roger asked Mr. W what the turntable thing in the middle of the table is called. 'Table'. Same as the table. Apparently there is no separate word for it, although I haven't yet confirmed that with my dictionary nor my coworkers whose grasp of Engish is better than Mr. W's. Does anyone else know? Anyway - my name is Susan. We'd already spent some time teaching our other two dining companions how to say my name. Roger told Mr. W that the turntable is called a lazy Susan. He couldn't grasp the concept for awhile - but once he did he couldn't stop laughing. He just couldn't get over the fact that lazy and my name together were the name of this thing. Then we had to distinguish 'hardworking Susan' (me) from 'lazy Susan' (the table). More laughs

Bet he never forgets the English name for that. Wish I could remember all the words I was taught last night.

[con's fly is open]

I always omit the uses of "con" as a common noun or verb.

[woza17]

This is why I like this forum. Posts like this. One of my junior high school kids so looks like my mother at the same age. I explain that my mother had black hair and dark brown eyes. Was she Chinese? No my little darlings the Chinese do not have a monopoly on black hair and brown eyes. How can that be, you are so beautful with your golden hair and sparkling blue eyes .
Well my darlings I am a dying breed the sun burns my pure white skin and the sun hurts my blue eyes.
My little ones, I envy your golden skin and your almond shaped eyes.