Africans in China ^_^

Hi everyone!

Today we left campus and went to a museum in Quanzhou. When we pulled up to the Maritime Museum, I saw 3 black women and I was both excited and curious to know why there were so many black people in one place. As I walk through the doors of the museum, I see even more black people in traditional African clothing. These aren't African-Americans; these are Africans!! I am feeling so excited to see all of these people who look like me in one place. They are staring and smiling at me. They actually stand on the indoor balcony and smile down at me.  It was so sweet. I look at them and they invite me to come talk to them. They are so sweet and loving and they treat me like family. They give me a hug before they even ask for my name. I ask them when they are from and they say Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Antigua. I'm so elated I forgot to tell them my name and where I'm from. Eventually they figure out that I am from the United States and I am here to study Chinese. They ask me where my parents are from and I have to explain that I am black because I'm
Haitian and African American. They are still just as loving as they were before.  They had to leave quickly after our encounter, but not before snapping a few pictures.

It is so nice to be able to find comfort in strangers. It wasn't because they were black, but more because they were smiling and so welcoming. Their friendliness was just so contagious and comforting. It really helped soothe my homesickness. Just seeing people that I share a similar origin with in a foreign country is an experience beyond compare and is something that I'll never forget.