The Locals

This will probably be the last post referencing the local people here. I just can't make any statements as to who they are as a people or what their culture is all about. The language barrier is just too strong. But I've had a couple great "universal moments" that I had to share. Sorry, no pics to go along with this post so feel free to skip over the wordage if it's pictures you came here for.

My first, "moment" with a local was in a cab on the way to Macau. The cab driver, who I will guess was 56 (that's an educated guess, I feel as though I'm pretty good with age guessing) had the music on low but he was really quietly singing along with the song. So, naturally, the next song that came on I felt like I too could join in, so I started humming along as well. He gave an inquisitive look in the rear view mirror and then turned the music up and started singing loudly. It was an awesome moment of bonding over a classic 80's Monster Ballad that I now can't remember the name of (or am too embarrassed to say, I can't give it all away on this blog).

My second "moment" JUST happened on the subway and was even greater than the first. I went in search of some running shorts today since I spend 1/3 of all my days at the gym and found some at a store we have at home (I know, I didn't branch out) but was happily carrying my purchase home on the subway, listening to my ipod, when a lady sat down beside me. She kept staring inside my bag...by staring I mean like craning her neck and getting closer to me to take a peek. So, I politely turned off my Ray LaMontagne song and opened the bag for her to look inside. She grabbed the price tag of my shorts and held up the same amount of fingers as the price with a bemused (mostly shocked) look on her face. So I nodded, yes, and then must have seemed sheepish because she obviously thought it was a ridiculous amount of money to spend on a pair of running shorts (a very universal thought if you're my husband or probably any normal fiscally responsible person). Then she started BURSTING out laughing. Obviously laughing right at me and she couldn't stop. So, I of course started laughing both at myself and just because I was so thrilled to be communicating with a human being (it's rare during my days out and about). AND THEN (yep, it gets better) her 13 year old (again, educated guess) daughter in the most UNIVERSAL "I'm too cool for school" way with her bedazzled Hello Kitty t-shirt, matching bedazzled jean skirt and hot pink Converse All Stars just rolled her eyes at her mother and sighed in this loud, "what did I do in this life to deserve a mom that is acting this weird?" as her mom and I just kept laughing. Their stop came shortly after that and I am so glad because I was literally sitting on my hands so I did not hug this woman for so long that it would get awkward and ruin the moment entirely. So, they exited the subway and I smiled all the way to my stop thinking about my shared laugh and song with the two local people I have connected with here so far.