Some things that surprised me in my first few weeks transitioning from the Middle Kingdom to the Midwest:
I found myself wanting to speak in Mandarin to people...like the lady I almost bumped into at the mall. I started to say 對不起 (dui bu qi) and then caught myself in time to cough out a quick excuse me. And when my sister's friend brought her little girl over to visit, I wanted to tell her how cute she is by saying 你很可愛 (Ni hen ke ai)! But realized that wouldn't make any sense to the American toddler.
When I got lost on the way to Bible study two weeks ago, after driving around fairly aimlessly for 20 minutes, it dawned on me that I could stop and ask for directions. In English! No translation required.
For the first couple of days I felt like people here were driving way too cautiously...obeying traffic lights, not weaving in and out of lanes, not driving on the shoulder, not coming to a dead stop in the middle of the freeway...but having had to now commute to St. Paul from Waconia daily I am back to thinking people here are crazy drivers.
16 years ago
3 comments:
I think it is amazing that your frist reactions in a few cases have changed languages! That is so neat!
I'm not sure if transitions are hard for you, but they can be hard for me. Remember to give yourself lots of grace!
Thank you inthestory...I need that reminder!
Ha! I didn't know this about you. That's funny that it felt odd to you when people obeyed traffic lights. Why is it that America seems to be the only place where this is so?
Again, I must tell you sweet sister--I'm sooooooo glad you're back!!!
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