Easy to Miss

 Welp. It took about seven seconds out and about in public to remember the KEY thing that I left off of my last blog. A key difference that makes our life in central China so much harder than it needs to be. A very significant part of Wuhan that will not be missed once we leave.

Josh is on vacation this week; most of China is shut down, so to speak, to celebrate National Day (October 1, 1949 China became Communist). So there have been random mid-day firecrackers and the intense red flag with yellow stars now adorns every street corner. Josh has been anxious to see some of the places that the kids and I frequent while he works. Yesterday morning we gathered up and headed to Breakfast Street and Fabric Market in the Wuchang area for food, shopping, and to get Josh a suit made.

We did not even get ourselves organized and walking in our intended direction before I realized the groups of locals stopping to stare. People doing doubletakes over their shoulder and finding it difficult to walk without tripping. Oh yes, the reminder was clear, we are no longer in Hong Kong, a city where we were able to melt into the masses of internationals. We are back home where we stick out like a sore thumb.

I am kind of intrigued by how we all deal differently with the attention we get here. Tucker, naturally receives the most attention. His features are so different. Those blond wispy locks have received more petting than the rest of us combined. I have contemplated cutting them off. Everyone always asks me if he is a boy or a girl. Knowing the words "nan haizi" (boy) has answered the confusion numerous times. I asked one bilingual woman at Mr. Mai's Language Club one Saturday if he looked like a girl. She said not really, but he is just so beautiful that people probably think he must be one. Anyway, he does NOT like the attention at all. Tucker does not want to have his picture taken. He does not want to be touched. I spent the first month stressing over it and now proudly cheer for him if he squawks at someone who, when my back is turned, gets in his face. I will say that he does not mind the occasional selfie with a pretty Chinese girl who coos at him if he is in the right mood.

Now, his brother is just fine with the attention most of the time. Hudson does not get it as often, but his gregarious nature wins the crowd over quickly. There is one particular woman who works at the Citadines who loves Hudson and never looks at Tucker. I find this really interesting because it is so different from the general masses. Just today --at another scooter market-- Hudson had girls giving him fruit in exchange for a couple of posed pictures. They all want to sport the "peace" sign in every shot and usually insist that he does the same.

Josh does not mind the attention. He waves at anyone who stares. I find myself as embarrassed by it as I used to when my dad would wave at random strangers while driving. But, I will say this, it is effective. If there is a group of women who are staring at us and Josh waves at them, they either immediately turn their heads in awkwardness or giggle then genuinely smile. 

All this to say, we are "home" again. I had a hard time thinking of Hong Kong trip in general as a vacation, but now I realize that it was. It was a fantastic respite from our current position. How fortunate we were to have those days. And as I continue to watch the news and cheer for the people of Hong Kong as they try to make a difference to their lives, I will be grateful that I get to go back to my real home where we are easy to miss.

My view of Hong Kong was pretty sweet.