Oh here is the latest experience. I was leaving Qingdao yesterday evening by train and walked into the waiting room when a couple starts shouting “Lao Wai” “Lao Wai” (“foreigner, foreigner”). I mean shouting. Everyone in the room turns to see the commotion and I slink into the back row of chairs with my back to the couple. Within a few mins I hear the same parents encouraging their child to go talk to the “Lao Wai” I dread it but am too traumatized to think when a completely, I mean NOT a stitch of clothing, naked child walks up to me. Just like his parents the boy, who couldn’t be older than two starts screaming “Hello, Hello, Hello!” This draws chuckles from the people sitting around me and I slink further into my seat. WHAT are you suppose to do when a completely strange child walks up to you BUTT naked gnawing on a roll screaming at you. When he finally walked away getting no response from me as I just didn’t know what to do and was afraid to encourage any sort of prolonged contact, I called Henny to vent.
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While she was on the phone the little boy return in a girls summer dress, I assure you it was a boy as fully presented during his first visit. This time he came baring a polished coconut. I again tried to give as little attention as possible in the hopes the lack of encouragement would send the child away. No luck as he started playing with the coconut on the seat next to me rolling it on and off the chair, very loudly. When he finally nestled it next to my backpack he walked away. I tried to gingerly pick up the coconut with two figners to move it to a free seat away from my luggage, I just about dropped the thing due to the grimy slimy coating on it. I nearly got into the fetal position to rock, stammering “Two more weeks! Two more weeks!”
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Hey this just goes to show, once you survive China the rest of life is a piece of cake.
Adding Stamps 