laowais in Shanghai

It's a nice warm and sunny day here in Shanghai.....We've got a week long holiday and I was so unfortunate to be stuck here in the city. I've got tons of things to do following this holiday. Sigh!

Being here in Shanghai for almost a year, I've come across to a lot of "laowais." I myself is considered one. Laowai in english refers to "foreigner." This is what we are called but referring more to Western and European foreigners. I've met two wonderful laowais, Asel(Kazakh) and Flo(German).

It always fascinate me how come Western people are more willing to try something new than Asians. Asel and Flo aren't different. Very young, only 23, both decided to jump and be here in Shanghai. Asel to study Mandarin and Flo to work as an intern and eventually acquire some bit of Mandarin along the way. Both of them, this is their first time in Asia. Looking at their faces, they are amused to see things they are not used to in Europe! As Flo said while using his chopsticks, "All the teaching of my mom for all these years seem to be put into waste here in China." Asel, when I first met her, attested that this is sensory overload for her. She's getting used to the "noise" of the Chinese.

Hanging around them makes me so immature seeing two people starting their adulthood years, tried to do something they aren't used to. When I first came here in China, my dad accompanied me. It saved me from having a wallet being stolen and being ripped off for a cab ride from the airport which Asel and Flo experienced in their first footing in Shanghai. I think I'd trade my dad accompanying me to the experience Asel and Flo experienced. You'll think that they were so pissed off about it. They told me about it as a funny incident which I should learn from.

These two laowais have bold hearts. They have a lot of ambition and desires which isn't far from their reach. They are more eager than me to study Mandarin. Asel having stayed here for 2.5 months have learned a lot. I'm sure Flo will be more eager to learn since he will be staying here for a shorter period. I wish u guys the best!!!!! Cheers for your stay here in Shanghai!