« Construction with Chinese Characteristics | Main | Absence note #257 »
September 25, 2005
Strange encounters
We were walking home in the dark, a little after 9:00 last Thursday evening. Suddenly someone on a bicycle next to me braked, thrust out his hand and asked my name. I realized we’d been surrounded by four of the Indian students who arrived on campus last week.
They’ve come to spend four and a half years studying Western medicine in English. Yes, in China. There are quite a few of them; I’ve heard people say 40, 50 and 70, so maybe the real number is around 30. They’re staying in a newly built international student dorm and have brought their own chef.
The boys were very friendly, introducing themselves and getting our cell numbers. I was instinctively on guard. Why were they so eager and assertive? After we said good night and were continuing on our way, it hit me: Chinese culture feels normal to me now. The shy voices, unsure pauses, indirectness, rare handshakes. I know how to judge a Chinese person’s intentions toward me, and how to respond – like last Tuesday on the bus, when a slightly-creepy Chinese man in his 30s started talking to me (in English) and asked for my phone number. “Maybe it’s not convenient,” I said, which must sound weird to any native English speaker; but he knew exactly what I meant.
In theory I’m not opposed to being friends with the Indian students. We’ve got the rather substantial bond of being 老外 – foreigners – in China. But when Harish called me yesterday and asked if I were free to go shoe shopping, immediately my guard was up again: I know what the international stereotype of American women is. He was insistent, and I reluctantly told him I’d be free today. This morning, however, I learned that the huge concert held in Zhenjiang tonight is going to be broadcast live*, and I just can’t miss it. Thankful for the excuse, I asked if he could find someone else to help him.**
It’s not just the boys. Walking home today I met two Indian girls and got the same immediate handshake and what’s-your-name. I told them where the post office was. I should have gone with them, I suppose, but it was sprinkling and I was drowsy and just thinking about getting home.
All this to say I don’t find Chinese people or Chinese culture so strange any more. Interesting, yes. And of course I still feel awkward in some situations – hey, I feel awkward in my own culture often enough; maybe it’s a personal problem – but I usually have an idea of what Chinese people are thinking, and how I should respond. These past few days it’s been the Indians, with their eager hand-thrusting and weird bobbling head-shakes, who have shown me just how familiar China has become.
*I just missed the chance to attend the concert myself in the VIP section – a friend of mine’s mom had an extra ticket but at the last minute it went to her friend’s daughter, instead of her daughter’s friend.
**Our conversation over text messages yesterday was something like the following:
Harish: this is harish indian shall we meet tomorrow i think you are free
Me: Ok, that's fine.
| By huzzlecoo | 05:49 PM
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://seattleblogs.org/mt/mt-tb.cgi/592
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Strange encounters:
