Met My Prodigy Student Sean in Beijing!

As Sean Linkletter’s college advisor way back in 2008, I was so proud to see him in Beijing last week. 

He studied finance and Mandarin in college, interned with a finance company in Shanghai, and moved to Beijing to work in financing commercial real estate.  Being fluent in English and Mandarin is quite an asset for any company, and he loves living in Tianjin, 30 miles south of Beijing.

With blonde hair and blue eyes, people stared at him everywhere we went.  Every time we talked to the Chinese, they immediately turned to me and spoke to me in Mandarin.  You know – it’s my Asian face!  But when I shrugged my shoulders because I didn’t know how to say, “I’m a stupid American who only speaks English!” and turned to Sean, who then spoke eloquent Mandarin, they smiled with a confused expression. 

Sean took us to have Chinese hot pot, which was a whole new experience for us. After putting on bibs and protection for our purses and jackets, we dipped meats and veggies into hot water and oil to cook, and then into a spicy peanut sauce. It was delicious until the spices snuck up on me and numbed my tongue and month.

The guys at the next table bought shots for Sean and Rob, and took photos of us. Everyone in the restaurant stared at us because the Asian woman spoke English and the Caucasian guy spoke Mandarin!