
When you're on a train with the same people for 25 hours, you're bound to start chatting at some point. So, on the way to Xi'an, when I ordered peanuts and a drink from a passing cart and people realized I could speak a little Chinese, I was swarmed.
Chinese people may, mostly, be patriotic/nationalistic—everyone I've met really loves their country, and many take a softer view toward their government than people in the west—but also, everyone I've encountered has been incredibly excited to meet and talk to an American. (The
Times just ran
this piece by a writer whose two biracial children (Asian/white) attracted attention when the family traveled around China. I was surprised by how upset it made her—the notice you get as a foreigner has always been good-natured in my experience. And Chinese people love children and taking pictures with strangers, in general.)
Back to the train: We talked for a while about where I was going, what I was doing in Beijing, how I'd learned Chinese, things like that. The group, about five from teens to people in their fifties, really seemed curious to know about it all.
A middle-aged man, the first person who started talking to me, asked what I thought would happen in the upcoming U.S. presidential election. I didn't really understand the question until someone said in English "Clinton's wife."
Yes! I want to talk about things like this, but still hesitate to bring them up.I said I thought Obama would win, and then asked the group what they thought.
Crickets. Nothing.
Then the guy who asked me about the election said that he, too, thought that Obama might win. I guess they were uncomfortable discussing American politics with me, as I would be discussing Chinese politics with them.
A little later, I was sitting on one of the bottom beds, across from the two younger guys in the compartment. They were passionately discussing something, but I couldn't tell what they were talking about and wasn't really paying attention.
Younger Train Boy (attending college in Beijing) then gestured at me and said "ask her" in Chinese.
"Excuse-a-me," the Older Train Boy (just out of school and working for a European company in Beijing) said in English.
Cool, maybe I will have an interesting conversation with them."In America, which is more popular: KFC or McDonalds?"
Right.
Younger later told me that Older doesn't like Japan, but thinks America is OK. Younger admitted he likes Japanese electronics like cell phones. Younger also asked me if Coke or Pepsi was more popular in the States. He said that in China, people prefer Pepsi, but Older took exception to that. Throughout the ride, Younger peppered me with questions about American movies and fast food.
The next morning, a copy of
The New Yorker fell from the sky. (Turns out it belonged to someone a few compartments down who had lived in America at one point.) It was a year-old issue, and we all looked at it together.
One of the older guys had been asking me which electronics brands we have in the U.S. (Sony? Yes. Samsung? Yes. Haier? I have no idea.). Looking at a BlackBerry ad, we all figured that there's no BlackBerry in China. I explained to them that an ad with Tina Fey and a bunch of crap in it was for American Express.
Everyone listened intently to my answers and nodded like I'd said something important. It was fun being treated like an expert.
Labels: Beijing, Media, Xi'an