Simplicity and Real Life
Posted: June 13th, 2011, 7:17 am
It is sometimes amazing how quickly my girlfriend picks up things from me. When we met her English was almost unusable but now she sounds pretty good, and I am often surprised that some of the crazy things I say come back to haunt me. It makes me think about being careful what I say around her. 
One day we were playing on the sofa and when she was lying in my lap I noticed something like a bug bite on her back. So I said to her, "What is this big red thing on your back?"
She replied, "I don't know."
"I'm serious," I said. "You have a big red thing!"
"I don't know English." She joked, likely being tired of this subject.
“你有大的红的东西。（Nǐ yǒu dà de hóng de dōngxi.）" I repeated, this time in Chinese.
"I don't know Chinese." She replied.
In a mock African voice, I shouted, "Abula Bilii~~~~!!"
"Mutha Fucka you out of your damn mind?!" She retorted.
We almost fell down laughing.
I think you can guess which is the line she picked up from me.
Life in China is just different. Life abroad is just different There is simplicity I never found in the US relationships because they often seem to be lacking real life. If you read about "work/life balance" you will find much information that purports that this is exactly what is lacking in America. There is no time to just live. There is no time to just enjoy being with someone. Even fun is often scripted and over planned in the US.
One day we were playing on the sofa and when she was lying in my lap I noticed something like a bug bite on her back. So I said to her, "What is this big red thing on your back?"
She replied, "I don't know."
"I'm serious," I said. "You have a big red thing!"
"I don't know English." She joked, likely being tired of this subject.
“你有大的红的东西。（Nǐ yǒu dà de hóng de dōngxi.）" I repeated, this time in Chinese.
"I don't know Chinese." She replied.
In a mock African voice, I shouted, "Abula Bilii~~~~!!"
"Mutha Fucka you out of your damn mind?!" She retorted.
We almost fell down laughing.
I think you can guess which is the line she picked up from me.
Life in China is just different. Life abroad is just different There is simplicity I never found in the US relationships because they often seem to be lacking real life. If you read about "work/life balance" you will find much information that purports that this is exactly what is lacking in America. There is no time to just live. There is no time to just enjoy being with someone. Even fun is often scripted and over planned in the US.