Gabrielle

9.7.10

Gabrielle. On the first day of holiday program she looked really nervous, worried even. I asked her to smile.

I thought she was just another normal kid so I asked her what she was doing in her holidays. She said, "going to China". Turned out, Sydney was her holiday. She lives in China! "Whereabouts in China?", "I don't know...", "The place with all the pretty lights at night?", "Yeah". She said she can speak Chinese, school isn't hard, she understands everything.

She could make it to the other end but her strokes were messy and she seemed scared to breathe. I told her to calm down, do it slower, take her time. I could see her really improve. She was more confident. She didn't have to try as hard for the same results. She moved up. She was having fun: smiling more, laughing, telling stories.

I had my back to her. She put her hands on my shoulders, giggling. I felt a little peck on the back of my neck and she was laughing louder. I didn't really know what to make of it. I just laughed. It was really cute and funny and probably a little creepy.

On the Thursday afternoon I got talking with her mother. She said I was doing a great job with Gabrielle and that I'd make a killing in China the way they teach swimming there. But I don't speak Chinese!

So they live in Shanghai, have been there for 4 years and have signed on for another 2. Life is great as an expat there, she told me. The kids go to an International School. The streets are safer to walk at night than in Sydney apparently. The government pours money into infrastructure so public transport is never late. Where should we go this weekend? Oh I think we'll just head down to Hong Kong for a bit of shopping! Getting paid in the Aussie dollar is great!

The law, though, is strict - capital punishment and life sentences are not uncommon. Personal freedom is often compromised: you can't get onto Facebook or Google! If you badmouth the PRC in an E-Mail, be prepared not to be able to send or receive mail for a few days.

Samuel, the older son, said he likes life in Shanghai - "all my stuff is there".

China is a crazy, distant place I can't imagine. For me, talking to the Richardsons was really fascinating stuff (as mundane as some of the information they gave me was). It actually saddens me that I probably won't ever see them again.