Homogenous

You know what is one of the most horrid statements in the world? This: "I'm not racist, but…." The second you say that….you're wandering into scary territory. But I almost started my post that way.

Here are my thoughts: I very well may be 1 of 1000 or so ex-pats living here in Wuhan ( a city of 9 MILLION. ) Yes, there are business travelers coming in and out- but LIVING here I may even be over estimating at 1,000. And the business travelers are mostly French- which doesn't help me much.  But I find myself craving somebody who looks like me. Well- maybe that's a little too extreme. I'm craving somebody from the West. 

Don't get me wrong: I love my co-workers. They are super accommodating, they treat me well, and we ARE friends. But, we're from different backgrounds. This is all of their first job. They all still live at home. Their first time at a bar was one week ago when I took them there (and they lied to their parents about going there!) Most have never driven a car. Most have never left this city. 

And- they're all Chinese. AND AGAIN: don't get me wrong! I LOVE Chinese people. They are so nice, they are so welcoming, they have a lovely culture, but at the end of the day there are some things they don't understand. For example- yesterday in art class a little girl had to use the bathroom, so her grandmother scooped her up, pulled down her pants and held her over my trashcan. Nobody else batted an eyelash as she pee'd….all I could think was 'awww, really???'

And I don't have the person here at the end of the day to just shake my head with- to laugh it off. Another Westerner came to our Romp n' Roll (a Kiwi!) and my deprivation must have showed because I talked his ear off….and didn't once mention any pluses of our classes. I just wanted to talk about how much I missed good BREAD! 

And I feel bad- sometimes I whine to Candy that I wish I had another Westerner here to hang out with. And she exclaims, "But you have us!" And she is correct, and I love them dearly - but there is something to be said for people from the same hemisphere as you. There's a connection there- something in the way we talk, or grew up, or the tiny minutiae that makes up our lives that I can't describe to you.

14 days till Jill comes down here! 12 days till Michael and Luyin show up for the grand opening! I have to say….I'm really looking forward to it.