Little Visitors

Since I arrived, the little girls in my building complex have visited me. Sometimes three times a day.

Unlike the adults, the girls readily accepted the fact I'm both American and Chinese. Meanwhile, adult responses: You don't look American! What country is your passport? Are your parents Chinese? You look just like one of us!

Three girls consistently come, usually two at a time. The first night the girls asked how old I was. Then they asked if I was married.

"Why aren't you married yet?" they asked.

"In America, women marry later," I said, which I'm not sure is true.

Next question, "Do you have a boyfriend?"

They are very curious little creatures, opening cupboards and drawers. Yesterday I had the AC on too high for their liking, so they took blankets from my armoire and covered themselves head to toe. Today I offered them watermelon slices and ended up wiping up seeds from the floor. They are rambunctious but lovable.

The girls' English is close to non-existent, so most of our conversations are in Chinese. In some ways, I prefer talking to them because they speak more Chinese to me than some of the adults. Because I am labeled the 'foreign teacher,' I think some adults think I cannot understand Chinese. The adults either don't know enough English to speak to me at all, speak to me in broken English or speak to me in very slow, exaggerated Chinese.