Woven Into the Fabric

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Hello out there in blogland,

So it is with great regret that I announce that my time in Beijing has almost come to an end. The return to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts was inevitable and is fast approaching. Today's blog will partially be a continuation of last entry, and some new stuff.....so away we go!

Last blog told the story of a random old man who I befriended. Well, it turns out that I have become part of the neighborhood more than I knew. In fact, my favorite part really of living here is being able to see the same people day in and day out. There is something comforting knowing that on the walk home from school the guy on the bike will be selling newspapers on the corner and yelling out for all to buy. The bike store stall people will be fixing some sort of bike or cart on the sidewalk, and the window stall workers will be makings some sort of door or window to be put up around the neighborhood.

My favorite part however is the old woman who runs the snack stand. I believe I've mentioned her, but finally legitimate conversation took place between us. I should mention that I pass her several times a day as she sits outside her snack and drink stall. I always give her a "zao shang hao" in the morning, and a generic "Ni-hao" at other parts of the day. Always met with a smile and reply, I regret that our conversations cannot go much deeper than that. One day last week, she even pulled me aside and spoke quickly in Chinese...I thought I caught the word teacher and history in there somewhere. All I could do was smile and nod. I thought she might have talked to the old man from last blog entry.

Well...I had to know, and I really wanted to tell her I was leaving. So...after a dinner with a couple of teachers from the English department, I asked one to come along to act as an interpreter. Long story short, we took a picture with me and the old woman and she was elated. She showed it to everyone around on the screen of my camera, and gave us free drinks. I gave her a Massachusetts quarter. She said she thought I was nice because I always said hello, and that I she knew I lived in the neighborhood and must be a teacher based on my hours. Unfortunately, once the interpreter left, I'm back to looking a little slow. Today she asked what I believed to be when I was leaving. I tried to tell her...not sure how that went. But she insisted on giving me free bottled water, and gave me the look of death as I reached for my wallet.

A similar story happened when I took my interpreter to the water store guy who I always purchase from.

However, my favorite example of this occured today at the supermarket. Normally they don't let bags in and one has to deposit a backpack for example in the front of the store. The way around this is to go around the alternative entrance where they don't care. Usually I do that, but today I went in the front. I had my backpack with me and the new, young guard signaled that I needed to put it on the shelf at the front. At that point the older, in charge guard ran over, waved me through, and yelled something to the young guard. I'm pretty sure it was "What the heck are you doing? Don't you know him, he's here like twice a day?" I thanked the guard a couple of times and smiled.

This was almost outdone as I went to get a snack from the front of the store vendors. Included in this are various vendors of meats on sticks, fresh made omlets, and crepes. My favorite snack is this chicken on a rotating spit that is put into a pita-like pocket. It is the most expensive snack at 3 yuan (38 cents). Well... I've been getting this a lot lately, and have struck up what I like to call the "Ni-hao friendship" with the guy who makes this awesome snack. Well, I usually get these things for lunch or right before lunch...usually around 11am. Today I got one at 4. He was a little stunned and asked (In Chinese, but someone was with me to tell me what he said) "Why aren't you here in the morning? This is late for you). I was touched that he knew my eating habits.

So this begs the question how is a someone who does not speak the language at all able to weave his way into the neighborhood in a short four months time? Or put another way, why haven't I been able to do this at home? Well, there are several answers to this. The first, and most obvious is that I am clearly and outsider who people remember. Not to many people here are walking down the street in Red Sox hats, non-Chinese, and singing with their headphones on. That being said, I think that answer is too obvioius and does not really account for the answer.

I think given my outsider-ness I have gone out of my way to say hi to everyone I see. While I cannot progress much further than that in conversation, I do enjoy greeting people, and they seem to appreciate the gesture. Further, I think not having a car promotes further friendliness. At home, where one may be quick to purchase one's items, they do not take the time to say hello to every shop owner. Rather they are quick to get out of the car, shop, and back in. Why haven't I got the same relationships in Coolidge Corner? I mean I walk there every day.....but alas...I have sort of achieved this at the 7-11 at home. The guy definitely knows me. So it is possible, and I hope to increase my pressence in my own neighborhood upon my return. But alas, that is enough rambling from me.

Until next time,
Brett

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