I went into a restaurant to get food for take away. I was sitting at the table waiting for my food when this excited man came in and started talking to me - in Chinese. I understood a few words. First he was concerned that I wasn't drinking tea. I explained in the most broken Chinese that I was taking my food with me and I didn't want to unwrap the dishes. (Ok I said the word for take away and pointed to the wrapped dishes. That's barely broken Chinese but he understood.)
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| A lot of restaurants do this. You unwrap your piles of dishes. |
So he got someone to bring over a cup and he poured me some tea. Then back to Chinese - I understood him asking if I was from America. After that I had no idea what he was saying but the waitress knew the English word. He said I was beautiful. I have to admit that since arriving in China I feel anything but beautiful trying to adapt to this country, probably looking flustered all the time, not working out as much as I used to, adapting to completely new foods, needing a hair cut, and desperately needing new clothes. However, with my blue eyes and my obviously foreign look I get told I'm beautiful fairly often. He asked if I was alone. I said I was. Usually that response can get you a look of pity wherever you are in the world but this man had anything but pity on his face when he smiled back at me.
These kind of encounters happen quite often but they don't all have the same effect on me. This man never laughed at me or got flustered about the language barrier. Instead he was genuinely concerned and interested in me and never lost his heart warming smile. These encounters seem to happen just when I need them.
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