In Which I Say Hello. A Lot.

The hellos come at me like popcorn bursting, stacatto spurts of moxie and joy: Hello! Hello! Hello!

If there are children anywhere in my vinicity who happen to catch sight of me, the hellos spring from them. Regardless of how well they're doing in English class, every child in China at least knows hello. And here in Korla, where foreigners still are somewhat rare, it's an opportunity children simply can't pass up when I walk by.

Hello! Hello! Hello!

I hear it in the halls at school, as I walk through downtown, on my way to the grocery store. A child may be across the street and barely within shouting distance, but I can tell they're willing to bellow. Hello!!!

And when I don't get a hello, I know the desire is there -- the staring and the blushing, the quick downward glance, then just as quickly a glance back up at me. So I say hello, and the poor thing practically bursts into flames from blushing and giggling.

Last night, walking home from the store, I passed two girls -- one Uyghur, one Hui -- who looked about 11. They were staring and giggling, so I said hello -- fever pitch with the giggles then. I kept walking and 50 yards down the sidewalk heard, "Hello!" I turned around and they were waving madly.

"Hello!" I called. Shyness seemed to root them to the spot, so onward with my walk. Then the flutter of footsteps. I was being followed. Slower now, and slower still, so they could catch up. Finally, the braver of the two was beside me.

"It is very nice to meet you!" she declared, so sweetly exact and formal that I could have died on the spot, it was so charming.

It was nice to meet her, I said. It was nice to meet her friend. Did she study English? Was she from China? Where was she going? That pushed the limits of her English, so I grinned and said good night.

Ten seconds later, footsteps. I glanced back, smiling, and my shadows were across the street, blushing and giggling, giggling and blushing. Finally, as I stood on my doorstep, one more burst of bravery as they darted over: Good-bye! Good-bye! Good-bye!