Yidu (Yichang, Wuhan) is a small community by China's standards. Our population is about 600,000 people- most of which have never seen a foreigner. It is pure delight when the teachers and I are on the street. Locals will stop what they are doing to drop their months wide open and stare at you until you are out of sight. While they think you are so strange they do expect you to speak Mandarin and will proceed to have a conversation with you once they pick up their jaws from off the floor. I used to wonder if they don;t have TVs but most people only watch local TV so all they see in the soap opera, news, music videos--- Asian people. I mean I guess I understand its kinda like how we feel when we see Aussies and Canadians-- I joke joke- I love Australians...
Went out to lunch with the girls, on our way back there were a number of vendors sitting in front of their store. One jumped up abruptly so I figured maybe someone called him, and then all the vendors started moving abruptly as we approached. Later I learned that whenever they see a foreigner, they feel the need to share the news- as Mary Beth likes to say “they kinda need a witness so someone will believe them when they tell "I saw a foreigner" and news travels fast- they will already know who you are, where you live and what you do!"
If you get in some transportation and they don't understand where you are going, they will take you straight to the school! Most times, they will not take you if they don't understand your destination but if they are sure that you are from that school, that will be your destination!
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