In 2015, I went to Beijing for intensive Mandarin lessons.
These were some of the people who worked at the school. They arranged my lessons and, most importantly, my homestay. The homestay dad in particular is an integral part of this story.
One day, the homestay dad asked me a funny question over dinner.
He said something to the effect of “do you like girls?” I replied by saying “uh…yes?”My Mandarin wasn’t good and he also had a beginner English level, so we were limited in our communication abilities.
He then took my phone and added someone’s contact information. I had a million questions running through my mind.
A few days later, I heard the doorbell ring.
The homestay dad answered the door and called me over. I walk to the entrance and see a pretty girl about my age standing in front of me. The next thing I know, the homestay dad ushered me out the apartment and closed the door behind me.
I was now alone with this mystery girl. I waved and stuttered an awkward nihao.
She didn’t speak much English.
As I already shared, I also didn’t speak much Mandarin, and yet somehow we spent most of the day together. At some point her friend joined us too. Due to the language barrier, we resorted to communicating almost entirely with an online translator.
I was puzzled and in a daze the entire time.
What the heck is going on? Who is this girl? And now her friend is here? Are they even friends? Or is it some other random girl who has shown up out of the blue? If I had better social skills back then, I’d have clued in and been less awkward.
I only figured out what was going on after returning home.
The homestay dad kept giving me suggestive looks and being like “so…do you like each other?” *wink wink nudge nudge*
Oddly (and unfortunately) I didn’t ever see her again. I don’t even remember why. Perhaps I was just too shy.
I have another date story from that trip.
And this time I saw the girl more than just once.
I’ll tell you more next time ;)