20 (Nosy) Questions

You know...there's always been one thing that I find really amusing about the Chinese.

It's the way how people can ask you the most, simply nosy blunt, and curious questions. Those semi-small-talk conversations strike up by neighbors, taxi drivers, coworkers, ayis...the people that you work/communicate with on a daily basis...who you're somewhat personal with (but not really). It's one of those occasionally awkward moments that...I really don't know what to say.

And it seems as if lately, I've been surrounded by a swarm of them. Is my life really that much different than yours? (No, but okay...maybe a little bit.)

Does it really interest you if I learned how to use forks and knives at 4 or 8 years old? (Is it something I should put in my resume?!?)

Or how old my mom is? (Old enough to also be your mom.)

How much I earn, or the amount of housing allowance I get? (HELLO THERE...a little privacy please? This is really, REALLY quite personal...and I bet even my dad doesn't remember know.)

Why are you single? Let me find you a guy! (My all-time favorite. Thank you!! I never knew that supermarkets had an aisle selling "boyfriends".)

Sometimes, I throw out a random answer and ask them the same question back. "Oh, I'm makin ￥6000. AND YOU? How much is your mortgage? Is your husband making enough for the two of you?" And their looks are priceless. The shock and realization that common courtesy SHOULD in fact be common...isn't really a common thought. They never expected to be answering sharing their 20 answers and I get my, "aha! gotcha back biatch!!" moment. (*giggles*)

And, ironically because they know you've been "overseas", there has been occasions that I've been asked the most innocent questions, holding accountability with my exact word-to-word answers, i.e.:

• "Are all Americans rich? They seem to all know how to drive and own a car."

• "Are all Europeans lazy? I heard that back home, they get like 2-3 hour lunch breaks and have the entire month of August as summer holidays?"

• "Do foreigners have gold colored hair down there?"

In Chinese culture, the art of talking, is really an art. Yet...innocence plus curiousity, is really an amusing and charming combination...sometimes.

GFW - you can now suck it!!

Guess who's back...with more to say.

3 months of non-virtual speech had become a block of mental constipation.

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A recap of events while blogger-access-has-been-denied:

Professional
-New staff in my team
-Nazi client has turned "angelic" to me, while still trying to use and abuse other staff
-Nationwide mobile campaign for 8 cities
-Productive meetings, more PPTs, Cost & Assumptions quotations, contract drafts and internal management duties

Personal
-New clubs and happy hour locations
-Birthdays (or more like bachelorettes's Dirty Party)
-Pool bbq party (without heading near a pool)
-Losing and finding my phone at a club; (aka, losing and being paid back ￥600)
-Made my first complaint call to Da Zhong taxi in 5 years time
-Big new life-changing plans under construction

State of Mind
-Still determined and stubborn
-Frustrated but not giving up
-Finding peace and balance
-Trying to give more, to those in need
-More willing to give people a 2nd chance...but not a 3rd
-Scared of commitment...or more like sacrifice for another person; aka, see State of Mind #1
-Do more, talk less; actions speak louder than words

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I'm in the need to reorganizing my thoughts. And writing has always been the way for me. Bare with me, while i free this mental-constipation.

GFW, you can suck this. I'm back.

II. Cab Drivers

Incident 2
Saturday afternoon, 5:35pm:

Driver, "Oh hi there."
Me, "Hi...can you take me to Wan Hang Du Lu and Hua Yang Lu?"
Driver, "Sure...i think i've met you before."
Me, "Oh...really?"
Driver, "Yeah, Zhong Shan Park right? I recognize your voice...you took my cab before."
Me, *dont know how to react* "Oh...cool."
Driver, "Yep...aren't you Taiwanese?"
Me, "Uhh, no...Hong Kong."
Driver, "Ahhh, so your English must be good huh? I am always impressed at how Hong Kongers speak Cantonese with a few English here or there...or English with a few Cantonese mixed up."
Me, "Hah, well isn't that the same as Shanghainese mixed with Mandarin?"
Driver, "Hahaha damn right."


---5 Minutes Later---


Driver, "So how's your English?"
Me, "It's okay."
Driver, "Ah you know yesterday I heard this song...it's called You Flind Me I think. Every heard of it?"
Me, "Hmm, no."
Driver, "I'm not too sure if it's You Flind Me or You Flownd Me...is it F-I-N-D or F-O-U-N-D?"
Me, "I assume it's Found...You Found Me."
Driver, "Cool I'll look for it online tonight."
Me, "Mhmm hmm. Wow your English is pretty good too."
Driver, "Yeah I learned a little at school in Chong Ming Island. Try to remember what I hear from the radio. It's hard though. Hey what about that new hot hip hop american artist...Lady GaGa?"
Me, *chuckles*
Driver, "Apparently she's one of the hottest singers now, right?"
Me, "Yeah."
Driver, "But for Christ sake, what kind of name is Lady GaGa?"
Me, "Its...uhm, just an artist name?"
Driver, "What does it mean?"
Me, "Good question. So how long have you drove for?"
Driver, "A year. Grew up in Chongming Island and studied a little in Shanghai too. After (high school) graduation, I started driving."
Me, *shocked and surprised and realized the driver is either...in his late teens or early 20's*


---Arrives home and pays for cab ride---


Driver, "Thanks Miss, i'll look up the songs tonight."
Me, "Cool, have fun."
Driver, "Don't forget your belongings, bye!"


Conclusion?
Drivers love to talk...about anything. If it's a friendly conversation, they can talk...and talk...and talk. Provides entertainment to their 24hr shifts. Try driving fror 24 hours, while having naps in your car in between. Singing and talking perhaps keeps them sane.

I. Cab Drivers

Driver, "Miss, where would you like to go today?"
Me, "Please take me to Jian Guo Xi Lu and Xiang Yang Lu."
Drive, "Sure, I'll drive down Hua Shan Lu, make a left on Hunan Lu, until we hit Jian Guo Xi Lu; is that route preferable?"
Me, "Yes please, that's fine thank you."

...and when that day happens, I'll treat you for a coffee. Everyone of you. But before that day happening, this will be closer to what actually REALLY happens. (Thank God not on a daily basis...*touchwood*)

Incident 1
Monday morning, 9:15am:

Me, "Shifu, take me to Jian Guo Xi Lu and Xiang Yang Lu. Drive down Hua Shan Lu, make a left on Hunan Lu, until we hit Jian Guo Xi Lu. Ok?"
Driver, "..." (no answer)
Me, "Shifu, is that OKAY with you?"
Driver, "En."
Me, *rolls eyes*
Driver, *drives down Wulumuqi Lu*
Me, "Excuse me, I thought I told you to go down Hua Shan Lu?"
Driver, "Oh right...but this is closer."
Me, "No its not closer at this hour because you're going through the office districts and traffic is horrible."
Driver, "But it's closer."
Me, "But it takes up too much time and I'll be late!!!"
Driver, *says nothing*
Me, "Now is my Chinese really that bad or should I just hop to the driver's seat, you can sit at the back, and when I reach my destination, you can pay me?"
Driver, *laughs*
Me, *late*

Conclusion?
Chinese drivers have one helluva sense of humor...at my expense.