Pandas

Within our first 24 hours of arrival, our family experienced the panda phenomenon. We didn't know what it was called, or whether "panda phenomenon" was just a word made up by my husband's Chinese assistant, but it does describe what we felt. Like pandas in the zoo.

We had to buy housewares and a baby crib, so we met up with a colleague of BG's who has been living in Wuxi for over six years. He had arranged for a van and a translator to shop with us. With our entourage we arrived at METRO to buy housewares.

Walking down the aisles, pushing my sleeping son in his stroller, I felt it.

The stares.

All eyes on us.

Two or three METRO employees, plus BG, a translator, the driver, BG's colleague and me. All looking at fry pans. It was overwhelming. The employees would watch every move we made, and if I so much as glanced at a drinking glass, they'd be pulling a box of more expensive glasses off the shelf and try putting it in our cart.

We felt like animals in the zoo.

From METRO we headed across the road to IKEA and our experience was even more intense. We had little old ladies following us, touching us, and reaching in my stroller trying to peek inside( which was covered with a blanket to keep my son sleeping). No personal boundaries.

A week or so later, after we settled in our apartment, we went to Nanchan with Southern Belle's family for dinner. It happened to be a holiday, so it was extra crowded, but the "panda phenomenon" was in full effect. Crowds gathered round Belle's son as he walked, and the cameras came out full force. No one thinks twice about taking photos of a complete stranger's child.

The crowd is gathered around Pickle. Even the kids are taking his picture. 

I think that in time, we have all grown accustomed to being "pandas" here. I notice far fewer glances, yet if I pay attention, there are most definitely still eyes on us, hands reaching in my stroller, and old ladies getting too close for comfort.

LG in his stroller lovin attention from little girls

My hope is that living here helps us grow a thicker skin, so that when we return to the States, we are far less concerned with what others think about us. I hope that LG grows up with a confidence to stand in front of a group of strangers and speak/perform with ease. Somehow, someway, all this attention is going to have a positive effect on our growth as human beings.