A tall blonde one.
People stare at me, that's a given, we knew that coming into this. It really doesn't bother me at all, I just am still at the stage where I find it fascinating that people are fascinated by me.
Babies always stare intently at me in the elevator.
People turn their heads when I am walking down the street.
The guards at my apartment know me better than anyone else in my apartment complex (and there are 10000 of us!)
There are a few instances, however, that are worthy of elaboration.
Circumstance A
Setting: passageways of the Shanghai History Museum
Characters:
Megan (playing herself)
Tourista ( a lovely English speaking Ukranian)
Tourist's entourage (laden with cameras and maps)
Scene one:
Megan admires a wax depiction of a tradition Chinese farming family while tourists snap photos of her and whisper. Megan notices, but isn't bothered and continues on her way.
Scene two:
Tourista approaches Megan in the 1920s section of Shanghainese history.
T:Excuse me..
M: Yes?
T: Where are you from?
M: The States.
T: Oh. You are very beautiful. (rushes back to the entourage)
Scene three:
Somewhere near a wax man.
T: Can I take a picture?
M: Of course.
T: I am Urkanian.
Megan and Tourista take an awkard photo together.
The end
Circumstance B
Setting:
NingXia Lu, lane 366 park
Characters:
Megan (herself)
Charming six year old (Willy)
Confused man (older Chinese man)
Passersby (speaking several words of English)
Scene one:
Megan and Willy are playing (or at least attempting to do so) a bit of Badminton, which is interestingly enough, extremely popular in China when a confused man, after staring, approaches Willy.
CM: Who is that? (in Chinese)
W: Jei jei (Chinese term of endearment for older sister)
CM: (pointing at me) Sister??
W: Yep.
Cm walks to M.
CM: Where are you from?
M: (in Chinese!) I am american.
CM: That is your brother?
M: No, I live with him.
CM: You call him brother?
M: Yes.
Scene two:
Five minutes after leaving and being thoroughly puzzled, CM returns.
CM: Who is that?
W: Jei jei.
CM: Are you related?
M: No.
Confused man draws a crowd, people try to help, offering that we are neighbors, or we just met. It becomes established that I am completely not Chinese. Of course, since I started speaking Chinese with CM he thought I was fluent. Communication was actually really quite difficult.
Scene three:
After dinner Megan and Willy return to the park together. CM is there and just watches.
Foriegn exchange just doesn't happen in China.
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