china town

So today i went with steve (step dad) up to his work. There are 2 people at his work that are from china, so of course he told them everything about me....probably even my height and weight, and social security number. he's so proud of us that sometimes he talks about us to people when we are standing right there faster than we can tell them about ourselves.

Well folks, lately when i drive places here in the metroplex, i get lost....ALOT. First day of work: took 2 wrong freeways. And i used to work there before.
Went to game night: lost for one hour. and i knew exactly where the place was.
Went to the mall to buy new lady things: lost coming home for 20 min, and ran out of gas on the service road, turning into oncoming traffic. this one was the most fun.
Im always lost! so after i gave a homecoming talk in the spanish branch the other day, steve made us drive the exact route to his work
"ok emily....now take this freeway, and turn right on PEARL. ARE YOU LOOKING? EMILY! LOOK....TURN HERE ON PEARL. now....drive up this way past the hotel, and park here in this parking lot"
Yes we even went to the exact parking lot. And parked. And then we practiced how to get out. I felt soo dumb lol because i knew that he was right! even without saying it he said to me, even with written out directions emily, you will probably still get lost. Im a horrible driver!!! those asians sure rubbed off on me. shoot i am asian so SHOCKER.
So today i followed directions as instructed. and he came to get me, and introced me to everyone and their dog at work, and they talked like they knew me or something. and i dont know them from adam! after a mission its kind of like that i guess. you've been gone and tons of ppl have heard about you and so they act like they are your kin and you are like woah buddy
SLOW DOWN. lol.
Steve's asian friends are Ana and Simon. Ana is even older than steve....a typical old school chinese lady. Shes very short and thin and wears glasses....but her accent sounds like texas. Simon is a typical chinese man. Short hair, glasses, power tie. Noticeable accent, and LOVES to feel important. so i just ask him about china and business stuff alot.
They took us to a place where you eat dim sum.....its where they have alot of little pieces of food thats steamed, and friend rice, and everyone just sits at a table and shares everything that we order. Its in China town in dallas! and when we got there.....i realized....everyone that works there is from hong kong!
In the car, i could tell from simon's tone when he said "well theres some hong kong ppl at this place, so you can try your luck with your cantonese" that he didnt have high hopes for me. I have experience with this.
We came in, sat down, and the first lady that came to wait on us, i just ordered in english. Then.....in chinese "do you have any fried rice"
Her face: stunned.
Then she said....ha ha very funny. Did you teach her that? (to simon)
me, in chinese: no.....i speak cantonese.
And then she was just speachless....like she had just seen a miracle or something. I think i scared her! and then i just kept talking to her, and she was like...."i just cant believe this....i just have to go" and she walked away!!!!
And after that all the waiters would come up to me and just automatically speak chinese. And they wanted to know who i was, and where i was from and why i spoke chinese....so well. and i said it was because of God. I wish they had believed me.
And then simon to steve: if my eyes were closed, i would think she was a normal girl from hong kong"
I feel like it.
And when i speak to them....i feel myself becoming someone else. Someone that i love....thats confident and bright and just is bustin at the seams with heart. And my whole face lights up and im just not me. But another part of me. I miss that part.
Simon paid for the lunch for all of us. Even though we went on the understanding that we would all pay for ourselves, I knew he would, but still I said why? he said: you helped our people for 1.5 years. its the least i could do.
Chinese people just love me. Im not sure why.....but probably because i just love them. Theres this connection between us. I can feel it starting in my toes...it feels deeply rooted. Like i knew them before. And as we left that restraunt and i drove back home....i felt desperate. I wanted more MORE MORE in my life. I felt it yesterday too when i was lost, and i popped in my cantonese pop to feel more grounded. because I wanted to go run back to any place there and meet more. and make them my soul friends, and just sit with them. love them. make one of them marry me so ill always have that feeling with me. Thats weird huh? yeah i guess so. huh.