Me the Great Doofus

Photoblog:  Early morning in Xian, the day I returned from the USA and now the photoblog's focus has turned back to China

 

The other day I made the greatest fool of myself.

 

In West Africa, one thing foreign visitors absolutely hate are little gangs of children jumping up and down, chanting "White person, white person, white person" in whatever local language they know.  In China in the smaller cities like mine, foreign visitors hate being stared at and randomly being shouted at by adults, "HALLO!  OKAY!!  BYE BYE!!!"

 

Guess what I did the other day.

 

I've been looking for the six new foreigners who are teaching at a local high school to invite them to our library and to Chinese corner.  Lo and behold after dinner while walking home, a tall white male walks by and what do I do?

 

I shout in the most excited, never seen a foreigner before voice, "HALLO!"

 

In his shock and annoyance of being shouted at again, he shouts back, "HALLO!"

 

I tried to tune down my energy and asked, "Are you a number 2 middle school teacher?  I've been looking for you guys everywhere.  I am an English teacher at the college."

 

"No.  I work for the oil companies."

 

"Where are you from?"

 

"France."

 

"Oh.  Je parle Francais."

 

"Oh you speak French and English."

 

"Well it was nice meeting you.  Enjoy your evening."

 

Doh!  I felt so Chinese shouting at him and even more Chinese because I looked Chinese and looked like a local who shouts HALLO at every passing foreigner who walks by.  Let's just stamp the word Doofus across my forehead.