From Melbourne with Love 3

These scenes are another stories of Me in Melbie...

Next scene:
I remember this scene happened when i was going back to my house after submit my design assignment. That day was so cold,but i was wearing jacket and short pants at that time. i was sitting in Box Hill station, waiting for the bus. I felt very cold, i crossed my arms. I saw one 40's guy looked quite weird, for me. And then, he also sat beside me. then he said, "Today is very cold yea...". I just smiled to him (I still don't feel comfortable to talk with strangers) and said, "yeah". "But, you are wearing short pants. it's really cold". I smiled again, i dunno what i should reply to him.

After that, the bus is coming. He also took the same bus with me as well. He sat in front of me. and he started chit chat with another people on the bus. I thought, this guy is really friendly person. He could open conversation with strangers easily. And i was shocked (not really shocked), he talked about me to other people on the bus. He said, "this girl is so small...." (i just laughed secretly, LOL, he doesnt know how old i am...) and then, when the bus arrived two bus stops before mine, he asked me, "U know which bus stop u should go off?". I really wanted to laughing at that time. i replied, "Yeah,i know. the two next stop is mine, i live near here". He said, "Oooh okay..." (He really thought that i was a kid - lost kid *anak kesasar*). and when i went off, i said, "Bye. Have a nice day..." and he replied, "Nice to meet u. Bye..."

Okay, next, i'll tell about my chit chat with chinese people. I mixed three scenes into one. These chinese people thought that i was Chinese.

Woman on the bus: excuse me, what time is it?
Me: it's bla bla bla...
Woman: Oh, thank you....Are you chinese?
Me: Oh, nahhh.....(Oz language to say no)
Woman: you're Japanese?
Me: No, I'm Indonesian
Woman: What? England? Ohhh, Indonesia...
Me: Yeah. But i could speak Mandarin a little bit.
Woman: Wow, that's good. ni hui jiang hua (you can speak Mandarin)...
Me: because, my great grand parents are Chinese. So, i can speak a little bit.
Woman: Ooohh, that's why u look like Chinese....
bla bla bla bla

------

Old man who sit beside me in Box Hill Centro: Ni hen piao liang (You're beautiful)
Me: (Shocked, stranger talk to me suddenly) *smile* xie xie (thanks). I know 'piao liang' is beautiful.
Old man: (talking in mandarin, *I translate it*) are you a high school student?
Me: (I understand what he said, but i can't reply in Mandarin, so i replied in English) No, i'm university student.
Old man: Ni duo da le? (How old are you)
Me: (I want to answer this question in Mandarin, but i did'nt feel condident) I'm eighteen.
Old man: Ba shi (18)?
Me: Shi a... ba shi (18)...(suddenly, i remembered what eighteen in Mandarin)
Old Man: Ni cong nar lai? (Where are you come from?) Xin jia po (Singapore)? Malaysia?
Me: No, I'm Indonesian.
Old me: Oooo...Yi ni (Indonesia)...Ya jia da? (Jakarta?)
Me: Shi a (Yes...)
Old man: (still talking in Mandarin, *I translate it again*) Do you live here by yourself?
Me: Yeah. Wo de ba ba he ma ma (My parents) zhu zai Indonesia. I live here with my brother (ENglish and Mandarin mixed together....how cool is that?!)

------

Man: (talking in cantonese, i dont understand at all)
Me: Sorry?
Man: Oh, you can't speak (cantonese). I thought you can.
Me: Sorry, I can't.
Man: The bus is very slowly today. But, on Monday till Friday it's very fast (we don't have to spend much time for waiting because many scheduled times for each bus).
Me: Yeah...it takes longer time than usual. Are u chinese?
Man: Yeah. I come from Hong Kong..
Me: O i see..I can speak Mandarin a little bit, but i can't speak Cantonese...
Man: OOOhhhh, i also can speak Mandarin, but i usually speak Cantonese. (and then he spoke in Mandarin with me) wo de ba ba shi bei jing ren and wo de ma ma shi Hong Kong. (my father comes from Beijing and my mother comes from Hongkong). Ni qi na li? (Where are you going?)
Me: (i dont feel confident to reply in Mandarin, again) i'm going home.
Man: OOohh... I dunno where are im going, i just want to travel. do you know which bus is going to city?
bla bla bla bla bla (it was a long conversation, and the bus already arrived, he was still talking to me)

Those examples shows that even i was not Chinese, people still want to chit chat with me..
Also, these experiences makes me feel happy, because of his thought about me. This example shows, it is okay if we want to open conversation and chit chat with other people. It could change their mood and bring something new. Also, everyday is not the same anymore, since we have another new things. Life is not boring anymore! Yeay!