On the way home walking, 1o meters ahead I can see an Asian girl at about her early 20s, in red and white strips T shirt and a cherry red skirt walking slowly. I had the feeling that she was a Chinese, to prove that I was right, I can’t help walking faster to catch up with her to find out.

These days I am losing my sense of identifying Chinese quickly. Sometimes I thought it was Chinese, it turned out a Cambodian; sometimes I believed it was definitely a Korean, it turned out a hip-hop styled Chinese. However, with this girl, I was quite sure She was from China.

I was right. She was from Xi’an, only 19 years old. Dear, I wondered if her mom went to the same school with me She told me that she was at Language School in ANU and this was her 4th day. She got here just a week ago and living in a homestay where the Mrs was a Filipino. She wanted to study Accounting….well, didn’t surprise me at all… like any other Chinese students, she wanted to get PR but worried about by the time she graduated, the immigration policy would change and Accounting, would no longer in the high priority on the occupation list.

We talked about the hot weather till this time of a year in Quenabeyan and Canberra and she mentioned about heavy snowfall happened in China. I told her to get discount card from Deans Bus as she takes bus to ANU everyday. She said she wil give it a try.

Almost got to my place, she pointed to a townhouse that was one number down on the road that I lived, and said “I live here”. Well, there was a moment I almost wanted to give her my mobile number or say something nice, like “you can contact me if you’d like…” or something like “you are welcome to come visit me when you feel like it”…but I swallowed the words and just said “see you later”.

Well, I don’t know why I was struggling between the impulsive feeling of a urge to help her, and the thought of I maybe being too intrusive and she maybe feeling offended to be offered any help from an older person. Eventually I let it go, although knowing that there is very slim chance to bump into her again or any Chinese in Queanbeyan. I was also scared of being the role of a helper for any new-starting Chinese students here. I know we (my husband and I) are too fussy about friends to step further to make friends. Looking back, we kind of would rather staying alone and remain undisturbed in our own world than risking our time and energy to making friends with someone totally out of our league.

So, good luck, Xi’an girl. Wish you get what you want and wish you having the good time in Canberra!