Since we arrived in PRC, I've been diligently working on my language skills... which is still only OK... but I can get by. When I don't understand, I smile and nod. Isn't that what you're supposed to do? But they expected me to understand and respond. Well, if I "looked" like a foreigner, I think I could get away with it. BUT, since I look Asian, it is assumed I speak fluent Mandarin... It's so funny when the locals ask or tell me things when Jon and I are together and I look confused, and I tell them, "对不起，我听不懂" (Sorry, I don't understand) and then look to Jon to translate for me. It really confuses them. But I find it so funny. Jon's Mandarin is MUCH better than mine... I should be ashamed, but I am proud of him. He can carry on a conversation pretty well. Me on the other hand, I struggle so much!
BUT the funniest thing happened when a classmate and I were on the Metro. A young girl and her mother sat beside us. Immediately, we hear the little girl telling her mom, "她是外国人!" (That girl is a foreigner!) And my classmate (who is French, obviously not Chinese) smiles and says, "Yes, I am." Then the little girl says, "她是中国人!" (That girl is a Chinese!) Her mom looks at me and I shake my head no and say, "No, I'm a foreigner too." She frowns in disagreement and says no you are a Chinese. And I say that I am an American and she said, "but you look like a Chinese. Your eyes are like a Chinese, your hair is like a Chinese. How come you are not a Chinese?! Mom, she has to be a Chinese!!" Poor thing was getting so distressed. I tried to tell tell her in my flawed Mandarin that yes, I look Chinese but I'm not from China, that I was born in the US and that there are people from many countries in the US that are American. I don't think she really understood me. All the while, my friend and I were laughing and smiling and she was so confused as to why we were laughing. Her mom tried to explain it to her that we were just having a good time speaking Chinese with her, but the poor girl was so confused. But then she smiled and started commenting on our shoes because we were wearing flip flops. She said a few other things I didn't understand (we smiled and nodded) Then we got to our stop and waved goodbye to the little girl and she gave us the biggest smile. What a great metro ride...
