The Chinese call Caucasians Maygwas. Outside of the school and hotel, we didn t meet anyone who spoke English, but it s surprising how much you can communicate if you are a bit creative. The primary mode of transportation is the bicycle. There are 320 million bikes registered in China,1 for every 4 Chinese, and it is the primary mode of transportation for 6 out of 10 people. People carry huge loads on three wheeled bikes, like loads of lumber and bricks.
People also stay very nice to each other in the midst of all that traffic.
One day I was out walking, and attempted to cross the street at rush hour. There were no lights, and no break in the traffic. A Chinese woman saw me, took my hand and led me, weaving between cars, buses, taxis and bikes, to the other side. Without a word, she turned and went back across the street. I d probably still be standing there.