Ordinary Gweilo

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Happy to help

Every now and then when I am going about my normal business in Hong Kong, I am approached by students armed with notebooks and voice recorders.

They politely and hesitantly enquire whether they can ask me a few questions in English, to assist them with their studies.  No, they don’t want to know my opinion on the importance of patriotism, or the limited availability of decent cheese in Hong Kong, but instead want to know where I live, how long I have lived there, and how often I visit the shopping centre where we are all standing.  I give them suitably bland replies, they giggle a bit and thank me for my time, and it’s all finished. 

All part of life’s rich tapestry, I suppose.

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3 responses to “Happy to help”

  1. Ron avatar
    Ron

    I have experienced this as well.
    Yes, I answer their questions and all that and they are surprised when I start talking in Cantonese.
    Of lately, they are equipped with digial cameras and at the end of the interview request whether they can have their picture taken with me?
    Seems, they are supposed to show the picture to their school/teacher in order to prove that the interview was genuine.
    Though I wonder why the voice recorder would not be enough!
    I allow them to have a picture with me, but am concerned what sort of impression they might carry back to their school/teacher especially if their teachers are aware about women at my blog/site.
    Damn…
    Cheers!

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  2. Phil avatar
    Phil

    I thought this was how you recruited your models Ron?

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  3. Alexandre avatar
    Alexandre

    In Bangkok, you can even get a Nemo-shaped key-holder at the end of the interview!

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