A White Guy in China

China has a population of 1.6 billion people. The Chinese are a special people. They are precise, humble, and short. While guarded towards foreigners at first, they are open and friendly towards those foreigners willing to give the Chinese culture a try. As a 6’2” America learning the Chinese language, I stick out like a Purdue fan at Assembly Hall.

Last Thursday, while one of my roommates began the infamous search for an apartment in Nanjing (see previous post), one of my other roommates and I saw a couple people playing ping pong near our hotel. I had just bought a paddle (an essential), and we went over and asked if we could play. Even though they hadn’t answered yet, I knew from their cackling that we were more than welcome to play. I began playing with this man in his 70s who was lacking more teeth than were still present in his mouth. He loved to smile, and I loved it when he smiled! The table we played on didn’t have a net, but the four bricks spread across the center with two milk cartons on the edges provided a more than adequate net. We started playing. I figured I would let him hit it around a little bit before I turned it on. I didn’t want him to lose face in front of his friends. I knew I was in trouble when I tried to return his serve back to the middle of his side, and the ball flew two feet off the table due to the spin of his serve. He smiled. I smiled. His friends looking on laughed. My roommate laughed. Uh oh. I don’t know what happened, but in what can only be described as an epic game to 11 points, I won 16-14! Everyone looking on was amused, and I couldn’t help but feel really good about myself. We played for two more hours! (As a disclaimer, we hadn’t started classes yet.)

The next morning, my roommate and I got up and went running on the track next to our hotel. Who doesn’t love a little morning cardio?! The scene at the track was beautiful. People everywhere! People playing badminton, tennis, and even chess. There were people walking forwards and backwards, ( Don’t ask. I don’t know.), running, stretching, and doing tai chi. I felt at home. I couldn’t help but smile. With two more laps to go, this Chinese man started running beside me. We had a nice chat, and it was a pleasant way to avoid thinking about how much better I would have been feeling if I wouldn’t have eaten that McDonalds the night before. Exhausted, I began stretching off to the side of the track. An old lady was stretching near me. I couldn’t resist. I said, “Zao on!” which means “good morning.” She started cackling. I knew it was a good sign. Before I knew it, my roommate and I had gathered a crowd. We talked with different people at the track, answering questions from why are we learning Chinese to our view on Obama’s foreign policy. What? I have no idea! It is good? We ended up chatting for over an hour! It was probably much more enjoyable than it should have been, but it was so fun!

Later on that day, as we were in the middle of the most ridiculous day of my life, we were waiting for the landlord (she was late…again) and I decided to go sit on the curb to relax myself a little bit. It was right in front of one of those little Chinese shops where the entire kitchen is outside and a full meal costs less than an American dollar. The cook inside the shop saw me sitting there and invited me inside. I didn’t want to buy anything, so I thanked him but declined. He brought me a stool to sit on. So there I was, in the middle of Nanjing, sitting by myself in front of a tiny food shop on a stool that made me look like the Hulk. Refrain from laughing. It was the stool, not me. The owner of the store came out and we started chatting. He invited me in (air-conditioning!) and I spent the next 30 minutes talking with him and his wife. They were so nice! They were so humble and genuine! I couldn’t help but think that they were just one of many families being prepared to hear the fullness of the Gospel. I loved them!

The apartment that we ended up in (I will have to say that the whole experience of finding an apartment was worth it, because I love our apartment and my roommates!) is right next to the Nanjing night market. Bargaining, here I come! I had done this before in Hong Kong. I was ready.
You begin by passively walking by the shop, showing no more interest in the shop’s merchandise than I would a Patriots game. Who wants to watch the second-best quarterback in the league, when you have the 3-time MVP playing for your home team? Go COLTS!

You slow to a halt, bumping into the owner of the shop if at all possible. Physical contact surprises them. 20% cheaper already. They ask you what you are looking for? You don’t answer the question, but respond back with something entirely off the subject to let them know that you can handle yourself in the language. They try to sell you their most expensive items. You laugh. They know you are there to play ball. Begin. Casually ask about a certain item without looking at it, but not avoiding it either. Do you get it? I don’t either. Work with me. They run and grab it. You casually look at it while looking across the road at the other shop selling the exact same merchandise. Without making eye contact and producing a respectable yawn if at all possible, you ask them how much it costs. They tell you. Start the bidding at about 30%. They laugh. You laugh. Everyone laughs. They start to walk away. Stay put. Give the same price again. Continue to hold strong until they lower their price. Laugh when they tell you. Continue looking at other items in the shop. They go lower. Stay at the same price. They laugh at you. They walk away. Now, go a little higher. They say no. Begin to put the item down. They walk back. Put the item down and begin to walk away. They go lower. State your price. They will give it to you. Smile and tell them that you like doing business with them. Hey, for all that, you probably saved yourself at least an American dollar, but who can resist that much fun! A bed sheet, pillow cover, and a spoon later, I am out only 50 yuan and in a smile. Can you say that? Did you get it? Moving on…

Pretty much, the entertaining experiences of being a white guy in China are endless, and I seem to be experiencing a new adventure every day. What’s on the plate for tomorrow? Basketball. I’ve been preparing this, and I am ready with new basketball vocab and all. We’ll see how it goes! :)