How well do I speak Chinese? Well, I tell people I speak calculator, Concierge's desk, and now, I speak pictures off my camera. I bargain with a calculator in hand. I go to the concierge's desk to write in Chinese what I need. On Saturday, I tried to get to my desired destination from a picture off my camera.
Ruth really wanted to go to the Buddha Market, as we expats affectionately call it. I knew the market was across the street from a McDonald's that we ate at the week before. So, armed with a picture of the McDonald's, I went out hoping the driver would instantaneously remember the McDonald's and whisk us away to market happy land; no, I had the doorman and the driver debating which McDonald's it was in a city of almost 6 million. After a few more questions, the family was off, hoping we were going to the right market so Ruth could make her purchases.
The driver was right and we made it to the Buddha Market, "no problem" as our driver often says. While we usually cause a stir, today we had the double stroller, and that is something most people have never seen. Why would they need a double stroller when they can only have one child? We got the usual "Hello," stares, and touches. However, Ruth negotiating a pair of shoes in Chinese was the the highlight of the market.
"Ruth, what did she just say?"
"Mom, she said it cost 80 Yuan."
"What? That is too expensive, Ruth. Tell her you will pay 60 Yuan."
"She said 70."
"O.K." And off we went with a new pair of shoes....
Ruth really wanted to go to the Buddha Market, as we expats affectionately call it. I knew the market was across the street from a McDonald's that we ate at the week before. So, armed with a picture of the McDonald's, I went out hoping the driver would instantaneously remember the McDonald's and whisk us away to market happy land; no, I had the doorman and the driver debating which McDonald's it was in a city of almost 6 million. After a few more questions, the family was off, hoping we were going to the right market so Ruth could make her purchases.
The driver was right and we made it to the Buddha Market, "no problem" as our driver often says. While we usually cause a stir, today we had the double stroller, and that is something most people have never seen. Why would they need a double stroller when they can only have one child? We got the usual "Hello," stares, and touches. However, Ruth negotiating a pair of shoes in Chinese was the the highlight of the market.
"Ruth, what did she just say?"
"Mom, she said it cost 80 Yuan."
"What? That is too expensive, Ruth. Tell her you will pay 60 Yuan."
"She said 70."
"O.K." And off we went with a new pair of shoes....
Even though we had the stroller, William wanted to walk. However, he has a fear of grates. He will not walk on any type of grate. So it was quite the scene, William jumping over the grates where ever we went.
Gracie, on the other had, was paranoid of getting kidnapped. We had a Chinese woman who spoke perfect English tell us that we needed to watch our kids very carefully because they might get taken. (This is not a fear we have.) Gracie took it very seriously and would not get farther than 2 cm from me or Bill. She does have reason to be concerned, people are always walking up and touching her hair.
After a few purchases, about 30 minutes, and two guzzled bottles of water, we were melting in the heat and ready to head to...drum roll please.... air conditioned McDonald's! (I think I have eaten here more times in the past few weeks that I have in my ENTIRE life. This is not an exaggeration.)
We got our standard chicken nugget meal, but this time we also got ice cream, yummm. During our entire meal we had a Chinese guest stand about one foot from our table, speaking to her friend in Chinese, and observed every move our kids made. She was concerned about every drip of ice cream and every sip of soda. She couldn't get over that we had three kids. Ruth kept getting hugged and Gracie's hair touched. We only had our pictures taken 3 times during that meal.
After a few purchases, about 30 minutes, and two guzzled bottles of water, we were melting in the heat and ready to head to...drum roll please.... air conditioned McDonald's! (I think I have eaten here more times in the past few weeks that I have in my ENTIRE life. This is not an exaggeration.)
We got our standard chicken nugget meal, but this time we also got ice cream, yummm. During our entire meal we had a Chinese guest stand about one foot from our table, speaking to her friend in Chinese, and observed every move our kids made. She was concerned about every drip of ice cream and every sip of soda. She couldn't get over that we had three kids. Ruth kept getting hugged and Gracie's hair touched. We only had our pictures taken 3 times during that meal.
All the while, our driver patiently waited outside in the van.
F.Y.I. I still don't remember the name of the market in Chinese, even after the driver and I repeated it in unison about 15 times.
F.Y.I. I still don't remember the name of the market in Chinese, even after the driver and I repeated it in unison about 15 times.
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