Chongqing is starting to return to normal. I see the usual hustle and bustle of the working class and it’s putting a smile on my face. Though we (teachers) are not able to get back to work yet, it’s a good step forward to get back to our regularly scheduled life. In the meantime, I managed to have some fun with the local and my family in my own fabulous way.
There’s a local coffee shop that I like to go to when I’m heading into work with a woman who has been really kind to me. The very moment I saw she was open I went and got my usual black coffee. She was so happy to see me and we spent a whole talk about how much of a nightmare not working and being under self-quarantine has been for both of us. But she was more sympathetic to me because she didn’t want me to have a negative opinion of China and it took a while to put her at ease. China is still beautiful despite what it had to endure.
She wanted to give me the coffee for free but I told her that I’m a huge fan of handouts. And this is where I learn about Asian hospitality because, apparently, it’s rude to turn down a gift. I thought that was only valid in Japan after meeting Yoshitaka Amano at NYCC a few years back. Yes! I got meet the brilliant artist behind Final Fantasy and I rejected a gift because I was working and he didn’t take it too well. Soooo, apparently, you’re not supposed to reject a gift from any Asian culture. I really need to work on that.
An added bonus was the guys at the fruit smoothie stand who always smiling at me. I was told that Chongqing is the LGBTQ+ city of China which is holding true for the most time. So, when a guy smiles at me, one of three things run through my mind:
- They are amazed by my height,
- They are amazed by my color,
- They’re gay and amazed by my arse.
I even got to meet up with the owner of my favorite noodle place. Unlike the owner of the coffee shop, he doesn’t speak English but that doesn’t stop him from trying to talk to me. I can’t wait to get my Chinese lessons going so I can have an actual conversation with him. I bet he has a plethora of stories to tell me. A lot of wisdom to share with me.
The only thing that’s left for me to do – outside of getting back to work – is to hang out at the bar with my colleagues/friends like usual. Baby steps, though. Baby steps. Telling my brother all of this was the best part because he can’t seem to understand how I made so many friends so fast. It like I always tell him: “You’ll be surprised how I can get with a genuine smile and a simple hello.”
Now, please, don’t forget to follow me on my social media platforms (Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads) which are on the right side of my web page. Also, I do love hearing suggestions of what books to read outside of my norm (Science fiction and fantasy) as I am a part of the Goodreads’ reading challenge for 2020. My goal is to read 100 books this year and I’m already at 39. Probably end up reading 120 before the year is out.
Also, buy Not Afraid of Dick: A Sitdown with Dante Drackis, which is out on Amazon and Kindle.
