You Speak Chinese?
Our local farmers' market has a wonderful Asian fruit stand, and I love getting pears from the seller. So, this weekend, the Magster and I made our way to his booth. As usual, I took a couple of elbows from the Chinese Grandmas who were also shopping there, but that is to be expected at this stall.
While Maggie and I were waiting, the farmer asked a young Asian woman standing next to me if she spoke Chinese. She answered "Yes" and the two of them began conversing in depth on a topic of which I do not know. Without looking at me, he grabbed my pears, weighed them and told me the cost. As I handed him my cash and grabbed the pears, I said, "Shi-Shi" or "Thank you" in Chinese.
That little gesture halted business at the fruit stand. His chin dropped. The old women spun their heads so quickly I worried for their necks. Even the young woman next to me raised her eye brow.
Not knowing what else to do, I turned to leave. I could have impressed them with a "Nihao" but then I would have used my entire Chinese vocabulary in one day. As I was loading my pears in the stroller, a woman my age asked "Do you speak Chinese?" I said, "No, I only know a couple of words."
"Why you know words?" comes the question from the farmer.
"I have traveled to China three times," I answered.
About then, one of the old women spotted Maggie munching Kettle Corn in the stroller. She let out kind of a screechy, "aiiiiieeee" and pointed at Maggie.
"Your daughter is Chinese?" the younger woman asked. She was translating for the old women by this point.
I proudly said, "Yes. Both of my girls were born in China. They are Chinese."
And let me tell you, from that moment on, Maggie was royalty in the pear stand. The older women gushed about her beauty and smarts, the woman my age asked if I intended to learn Chinese and the farmer kept offering Maggie pear samples. I tried to tell him she is opposed to all fruit, but it was to no avail. He kept after her, and she just hid behind my leg.
In the end, I learned a lesson about culture. The people in the stand probably assumed I knew nothing of their culture. And admittedly, I know very little. I could have been offended by being ignored but instead I reached out and received a very warm welcome in return.
While Maggie and I were waiting, the farmer asked a young Asian woman standing next to me if she spoke Chinese. She answered "Yes" and the two of them began conversing in depth on a topic of which I do not know. Without looking at me, he grabbed my pears, weighed them and told me the cost. As I handed him my cash and grabbed the pears, I said, "Shi-Shi" or "Thank you" in Chinese.
That little gesture halted business at the fruit stand. His chin dropped. The old women spun their heads so quickly I worried for their necks. Even the young woman next to me raised her eye brow.
Not knowing what else to do, I turned to leave. I could have impressed them with a "Nihao" but then I would have used my entire Chinese vocabulary in one day. As I was loading my pears in the stroller, a woman my age asked "Do you speak Chinese?" I said, "No, I only know a couple of words."
"Why you know words?" comes the question from the farmer.
"I have traveled to China three times," I answered.
About then, one of the old women spotted Maggie munching Kettle Corn in the stroller. She let out kind of a screechy, "aiiiiieeee" and pointed at Maggie.
"Your daughter is Chinese?" the younger woman asked. She was translating for the old women by this point.
I proudly said, "Yes. Both of my girls were born in China. They are Chinese."
And let me tell you, from that moment on, Maggie was royalty in the pear stand. The older women gushed about her beauty and smarts, the woman my age asked if I intended to learn Chinese and the farmer kept offering Maggie pear samples. I tried to tell him she is opposed to all fruit, but it was to no avail. He kept after her, and she just hid behind my leg.
In the end, I learned a lesson about culture. The people in the stand probably assumed I knew nothing of their culture. And admittedly, I know very little. I could have been offended by being ignored but instead I reached out and received a very warm welcome in return.
posted by One Lucky Mom @ 10:03 PM
1 Comments:
At 7:21 AM ,
Anonymous said...
What are a great blog entry! Even though at first they did not talk to you, to know that you found a way to communicate and a bond through Maggie is awesome. I am asian and many times I see people separate themselves, and you found a way to bond with Maggie and LaNina's heritage. Good for you!
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