It's National Day!

What a day! Let's just set the mood with this picture:

But before we got all flag-waving and patriotic in Tienanmen Square, we started our day early at the Xi Dan shopping district, just west of the Forbidden City.

Shopping in Beijing is a little tricky, because it is hard to know when you should haggle. While one mall in the district will have much more chic items that seem to be set in their price, other malls next door will sell lower quality goods to younger shoppers, and are much more flexible with their pricing policy. Even with this hurdle, Ted still managed to buy me a compact mirror with an elephant on it using his limited Mandarin. I would be lost and starving at this point without his knowledge of some key phrases, although I can count to ten now, ask how much something costs, and most importantly, know that I am a "laowai".

"Laowai" means foreigner in Mandarin, and no, it's not of the "Head Games" and "Cold as Ice" variety. It is the "Oh my God, what planet do blonde people come from?" type of foreigner. With National Week beginning today, Chinese tourists from around the country have poured into the city to see the ancient monuments, but seem much more taken aback by my blonde hair and blue eyes. One family in Tienanmen Square insisted that I pose for a photo with their young, adorable daughter, both of us waving small Chinese flags. Even earlier in the Forbidden City, I thought I was in the way of a photo being taken by an elderly woman, when in fact she was taking a photo of me. Once I realized what she was after, Ted and I posed for a nice picture for her to show her family. I also saw her snap a more candid shot as Ted and I were walking away ... she just couldn't get herself enough "laowai" for one day.

But as Ted pointed out to me, it is a point of pride to many people that young foreigners come all the way across the world to see their great culture. Walking around the Forbidden City and Tienanmen Square with literally millions of Chinese people from around the country, we felt like we were sharing in their national pride and their celebration, rather than imposing on their special day. Many people, seeing that we were Americans, would tell us "Hello", to which we would answer "Nihao," drawing huge smiles. My favorite thing to do was say "Nihao" to some of the cute kids on the street, who would be waving their flags, reveling in the celebration. While many were stunned by the big blonde walking by, their parents would smile and laugh, and tell them to say "Hello" back, clearly enjoying the exchange.

Today really made me re-think some common perceptions that people back home have of China and the Chinese people in general. What has surprised me throughout our short time in Beijing thus far has been how warmly people have received us throughout the city. While we stick out like a sore thumb without trying, even the smallest efforts on our part to use Mandarin words and phrases here and there does wonders for eliminating the "laowai" stigma. Often Ted and I see other tourists from Germany, France, Australia, and the US, and even we try to avoid them as much as possible. They seem very set in their comfort zone, demanding that their Chinese hosts accomodate them as much as possible so that their vacation is as sanitized as possible. But one will find that when you are willing to meet Beijingers half way, it not only makes the interaction easier for everyone, but also seems to lighten the mood and make everyone involved smile and laugh. What's better than that?