My hubby William and I are currently in Zibo, China for work (oil refinery, not teaching English). We, or should I say mostly he, has been traveling since January 2013. This is our second time in China and we will be here for another week (or so, its never a sure thing until the plane is in the air).
I usually spend my day walking around, seeing the area. Today I decided to go to Starbucks in the mall down the street. I sat down at a counter table, and let my coffee cool a bit before I went to the grocery store downstairs. I am not sitting 2 minutes before a man (maybe in his 50s?) asks if he can sit down, and I gesture for him to sit and proceed to read my book. He then begins talking to me, and I have no idea what he's saying. And I'm sure the look on my face gave it away. He then says "I'm local".
I'm pretty sure he just wanted someone to talk to in English. He would ramble on about things, and then jump subjects. He was very hard to understand and follow. Here are some highlights of his conversation, and I say his, because I said all of 2 sentences, and just nodded and said yeah a bunch of times.
Famous American Movies:
Scent of a Woman (which I had never heard of before) but he talked about it and mentioned Al Pachino , which he then talked about the Godfather, another Famous American Movie.
Forrest Gump, very deep and meaningful movie. Life is like a box of chocolates.
He elaborated a bit about these movies, even sang some Simon and Garfunkel: Sounds of Silence.
Often he would say, "You know?" And I would simply nod and say yes. And I don't know if he just thought I was not following, or if our need for that phrase as a filler influenced him that much to where he says it often in conversation. And he would say it very directly to me .looking straight in the eye.
He also talked about how much western culture has influenced China. From the clothing, to McDonald's, and even the Starbucks we were sitting in. He asked me if I liked the city, and I managed to say that I was from America, and it was different, but not too bad and that this was my second time to China.
Then he talked about how America is a great Nation, and about how Obama gives great speeches that are very captivating to the audience. And about wars (back to Forrest Gump) and how its best to unite, and I think he was getting at the idea that China and Taiwan should unite? But I'm not sure, but he asked if I agree with his idea, and I nodded.
About 30 minutes into this conversation, he asks, did I disturb you, which technically he did not. So he continued talking, and singing, or rather humming, more songs including the National Anthem and Amazing Grace. He was singing Amazing Grace because when he went to Australia he nervous about going and seeing different people with different skin tones, eye color and shape, and not knowing much English. But he said the music was always the same.
He was very interesting to listen to, I just wish I could have recorded him in order to decipher more of what he was saying. Again he had asked if he disturbed me, and I did tell him I had to go to the grocery store to get bottled water. So he just said sorry, thanked me and abruptly left.
I returned to my hotel room to find a gift at the bedside table. It was an apple wrapped in pink cellophane and a note saying,
Dear Guest,
Welcome to our hotel Today is Christmas Day we have an apple is gift for you
Welcome to our hotel Today is Christmas Day we have an apple is gift for you
Merry Christmas
(Chinese Signature)
Oh, China.....
Time for our Christmas Eve Dinner at Pizza Hut
'Merica!
HAHAHA awesome guy!
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