Me Chinese.....

“I think I’m turning Chinese I think I’m turning Chinese I really think so.” OK so that’s not exactly how the song goes but it’s close enough for China. It’s funny how some days I don’t even notice I’m surrounded by Chinese people. I am so used to saying nei hao (hello) and zi jian (see you later) it’s starting to feel like they are just English words. The other night I got into a taxi after watching the laser, fire, water show at jinji lake and the driver asked me (in Chinese) if I came from the show and I understood him. Yes, I think I’ve been here too long. But, after that we rode in silence for fifteen minutes just like all the other taxi rides.


I am reminded I am a foreigner (laowai 名词) when someone wants to take a picture of me just because I’m different. It’s happened several times since I’ve been here, I just throw my arm around them and smile for the camera. I guess they like to show their friends they have met an American. They seem to be excited when I tell them I am an American (mei guo ren sounds like: maygore in) so it seems there is at least one country that likes America. By the way, the literal translation of mei guo ren is: mei = beautiful / guo = country/ ren = person. When you put all three together it means American, pretty cool huh? There’s your Chinese lesson for today.

OK so I don’t really think I’m Chinese but it is strange how when you know a few Chinese words the people here are eager to talk to you. I got my hair cut last Saturday and the young son of the lady who cut my hair was sitting in the chair beside me speaking Chinese to his mother the whole time I was there. All of a sudden he said “hello how are you” to me I answered back in English first “I’m fine” then I said “wo hen hao.nei hao ma” which is I am fine. How are you? In Chinese and, as always, the lady asked me if I speak Chinese and as always I say very little. But, they are always impressed when any foreigners speak even a little Chinese because they understand how difficult it is. I’ve been walking down the road alone and had construction workers on their way home with bags of rice and vegetables start talking to me and I guess the few words I know are enough to make them think I understand. I’ve had five to ten minute conversations where I did not understand hardly a word that was said to me. In a situation like that I just smile and tell them to have a good weekend or see you later. So far when this happens we always end up with a pleasant outcome a wave to each other and usually they will says “bye bye” which must be the most well known English words in China because everyone seems to know bye bye. That and “hello” which I hear pretty often walking down the street although to hear it is something I can’t convey in writing it’s more like they sing it “hell low” some things, no many things I can’t explain in writing.

I can’t wait for my wife to get here in a few days, and then we will be going to Beijing to see the great wall and Shanghai. I’m sure the time here with her will inspire several more blogs.