Just a Day in the Life in China

I got asked to be in a photo with Chinese tourists at the supermarket… again. They just want pictures with the laowai. Our hair and skin are so different to them. And they love to practice their three-word English vocabularies. (As do I with my survival-Mandarin vocab.)

• Thank you 谢谢 (xièxie, pronounced like “she she” with falling tones)
• You’re welcome 不客气 (bùkèqi, pronounced like )
• Goodbye 拜拜 (báibái, pronounced "bye bye") or  再见 (zàijiàn, pronounced like “sigh” “jen”)
• No problem 没问题 (méiwèntí, you can just guess how that one’s pronounced. I don’t have the energy to write it phonetically) 

I flash the peace sign and shoot back my Mandarin vocabulary in exchange. I wasn’t thinking this time, but I should’ve had Kari take a photo of them taking pictures with me (or vice versa). They are astonished by her red hair; but it's totally normal for people to stare at that. ;)

It really is quite funny, but suffice it to say that we have all become strangely accustomed to being a novelty photographic subject.