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.