Stealth Chinese

Being back from China has had some interesting moments. It's not like I feel a certain camaraderie towards Chinese people I happen to meet here in the Cities. BUT I can understand some of the things that they say.

MWAHAHAHAHA!!!

I have had just a few run-ins with the language but the best one so far was when I was in a dressing room. A Chinese woman went into the stall next to me. Her son peeked under the door and waved hello to me before his mom swiftly pulled him up. A few moments later the little boy wanted to go, so he started to whine, "Zou! Mama wo yao zou! Zou! Zou!" or "Go! Mom I want to go! Go! Go!"

I think the general tone of this request coming from the under 8 crew always sounds the same no matter the language. It was really funny to me. I started to laugh from my little room. Then the little boy poked his head under again and laughed to. He pointed at me and said, "A Chinese!" I corrected him and told him that I was Korean, which he then asked what a Korean was.

After everyone was dressed, I got to meet his mother and we talked in Chinglish for a little bit and I told her that I had recently come back from China. She was originally from the southern part of China and came over because her husband was working over here. Anyhow, it was fun to eavesdrop in on another conversation in a foreign language. Now, I know that my Chinese skillz are not very good at all, but it is interesting to overhear little snippets of conversation and see what the "foreigners" are thinking about the little bit of world that I now occupy once again.