You really had to be there

[jim_julian]

Cold winters day ... walking across Shapingba plaza in Chongqing about 4PM. I usually smile at anyone who looks at me ... guy maybe 70-75 years old ... well worn long Mao coat and cap ... very traditional ... he looked ... I smiled ... and he said in very clear English "Welcome!" and gave me a big smile.

 

Surprised the heck out of me but I gave him a hearty "Xie xie!" and a respectful head bow.

 

I guess it was his age and the fact that he obviously wasn't in the upper economic group that surprised me so much. Just when you think you've seen everything you experience something that can take the chill off of a January day in Chongqing.

[bosco]

Other than that I am with Ling, those are my most favorite kinds of moments while in China.

[Steve and Aiwen]

Cold winters day ... walking across Shapingba plaza in Chongqing about 4PM. I usually smile at anyone who looks at me ... guy maybe 70-75 years old ... well worn long Mao coat and cap ... very traditional ... he looked ... I smiled ... and he said in very clear English "Welcome!" and gave me a big smile.

 

Surprised the heck out of me but I gave him a hearty "Xie xie!" and a respectful head bow.

 

I guess it was his age and the fact that he obviously wasn't in the upper economic group that surprised me so much. Just when you think you've seen everything you experience something that can take the chill off of a January day in Chongqing.

 

I had several very similar encounters while visiting China in December...my first time in China...many kids came up to me to try out the English they learned in school....some were very fluent. Most of the adults said "Hello" in English, then continued in Mandarin when I answered in Chinese...I found almost everyone in Nanning to be very open and welcoming....I expected they would be more reserved, especially since I was with a younger, attractive(very attractive) Chinese woman....but our togetherness didn't seem to be much of an issue....I guess they all could see how nuts we were about each other.....people are people, wherever you go....

 

Being the only Lao Wei in the neighborhood, the neighbors and shopkeepers got used to seeing me every day for almost a month, and many times would smile or speak to me as I passed. I had a great time in China and look forward to going back in April for two weeks with the family in Zhaoqing(2 hours from Ghuangzhou).

 

Steve

[esun41]

I remember each visit I had made to China and all my wife's friends, their children and their friends would all come visit with us with one common task... to experience a westerner!

 

I was so involved with their culture as they were with mine. All this made me a better man.

 

Good post Jim!

[SirLancelot]

Cold winters day ... walking across Shapingba plaza in Chongqing about 4PM. I usually smile at anyone who looks at me ... guy maybe 70-75 years old ... well worn long Mao coat and cap ... very traditional ... he looked ... I smiled ... and he said in very clear English "Welcome!" and gave me a big smile.

 

 

That's a heartwarming little anecdote. Thanks for sharing.

 

Enjoy your trip in Chongqing. Play safe!

[Dennis143]

Hey Jim, you're not a small man. I am picturing some guy with his arms wrapped around your waste and his head buried in your chest.

 

I was always a bit intimidated by the stares from men, while in China. Mostly theirs were hard stares whose heads would turn with eyes fixed, as I walked by. It wasn't easy for me to rethink my conditioning of fight or flight and to not find the stares as threatening. So, I would force a smile and it was often very disarming to see their response. I think staring is accepted, yet smiling may have the same uneasy feeling for them, as their stares had for me.

[skibum]

I had experienced an experience of such today. Sweetie and I went to a new brokerage to change companies today and as usual, the American man was taken by sweetie and wanted her to tell him everything about China. So, I guess we can turn things around and see that many Americans don't know much about Chinese. He was amazed by the things we told him about the economy and the fact that the country is not Communist. She is an excelent communicator and everyone likes to talk with her.

[Urkidding]

Hey Guys,

 

Think about it. Deep down inside these old people really do love Americans despite that they went though 20 years of stupidity with Chairmen Mao that ruined their economy.

 

If it wasn¡¯t for US Americans, the Chinese would be speaking Japanese now.

 

My hat would be off to the ole man too!

[DMikeS4321]

Cold winters day ... walking across Shapingba plaza in Chongqing about 4PM. I usually smile at anyone who looks at me ... guy maybe 70-75 years old ... well worn long Mao coat and cap ... very traditional ... he looked ... I smiled ... and he said in very clear English "Welcome!" and gave me a big smile.

 

Surprised the heck out of me but I gave him a hearty "Xie xie!" and a respectful head bow.

 

I guess it was his age and the fact that he obviously wasn't in the upper economic group that surprised me so much. Just when you think you've seen everything you experience something that can take the chill off of a January day in Chongqing.

 

Great story, Jim.

 

My favorite was the older gentleman (he was also mid 70's) who was flying a kite WAY up there (he told me he had 3000 meters of line, and it was almost all out) in the park in front of the Government building in Nanning. After seeing that I had been watching for about 5 minutes, he motioned me over and gave me the line, letting me fly his kite! Lao Po didn't understand why I was so thrilled, but I stood there with him for about 20 minutes. Gives you hope for the future of the world, it does...

 

Best Regards

[hakkamike]

Cold winters day ... walking across Shapingba plaza in Chongqing about 4PM. I usually smile at anyone who looks at me ... guy maybe 70-75 years old ... well worn long Mao coat and cap ... very traditional ... he looked ... I smiled ... and he said in very clear English "Welcome!" and gave me a big smile.

 

Surprised the heck out of me but I gave him a hearty "Xie xie!" and a respectful head bow.

 

I guess it was his age and the fact that he obviously wasn't in the upper economic group that surprised me so much. Just when you think you've seen everything you experience something that can take the chill off of a January day in Chongqing.

 

 

Now, are U older than him or younger ?

Edited January 14, 2007 by hakkamike (see edit history)

[jim_julian]

Now, are U older than him or younger ?

 

 

Younger ... why do you ask?

[SheLikesME?]

Thanks Jim.

 

One of the warmest moments I had in China was in 2000.

 

I was at a dinner with the entire engineering department that we worked out all the details to get a new latch desgned onto a radome and some panel fasteners in other areas around the engine, wings, and fusalage. All were different. Well the most Sr. member, who was not the boss, had been assigned to work at Xi'an Aero way back in time. He got everyone quiet and spoke english to me. He was the only one who could in a department of people in their 20-40 and he was in his 60-70s. He talked about the churches they had in Beijing, he talked about China comming out to the world. He was so heart filled and grateful for me being there and us teaming together on a project. He was just so grateful. You could tell he was a great patriot of China but his statement of China coming out I thought was the most polite way he could say it, and still keep China's face, if you know what I mean. At his questioning we also discussed other fasteners and the use of them in design and the why's and hows. It was a wonderful time to hear his wondering about what was the best things to do. It was so obvious he admired our technology and he said they wanted the most advanced and the company had made a decision to pay for it too. He was so proud his country was changing and he was happy I saw it. He did not use my interpreter. He wanted to do it on his own. It was great.