As I was taking Smudgie outside before bed on Monday night, a guy approached me and asked if we could be friends so he could practice English. I said sure, but we're only going to be here for another two weeks. We exchanged phone numbers and he called me the next day. It was around 11 so he invited me over for lunch and then to go see Pacific Rim afterwards.
I knew he was Christian as soon as I walked up to his door because there was a calendar with a cross on it on the wall outside his apartment. Before we ate lunch, he clasped his hands to pray and asked me if I was Christian. Normally I wear my atheism like a badge of honor, but when he asked me, for some reason I just felt so shitty having to tell him no. I suppose I could have just lied, but oh well. I told him that I used to be when I was a kid, but not anymore and I think that perplexed him because he asked me about it again later. It's hard to explain the complexities behind why I don't believe in God to someone who doesn't understand English fully. Especially someone from China who has probably never been taught that it's ok to question authority. I just told him that I grew up and decided it wasn't for me. That probably blew his mind.
After lunch, he took me into his room and proceeded to close the door. I thought, "Hmmm that's a little risqué, isn't it?" But then I realized it's because he wanted to turn the air conditioner on. Haha. He looked for a way to buy the movie tickets online but there was no option for the Rui'an theatre. So he ended up walking there to get them while I hung out in his room (it was so hot outside he didn't want me to endure the heat with him). I wondered to myself, "Is this what it's like to date a Chinese guy?" I'm talking about Chinese the nationality, not the ethnicity. I've already dated one American Chinese guy, and he never would have walked 20 minutes in 95 degree heat for me. Ha! Jon, if you're reading this... you know it's true.
Anyways, he then proceeded to show me his entire collection of Christian music videos. I'm not kidding. He's seriously into this music. And some of it was pretty good, like if you changed out the lyrics, they would be really good songs. But a lot of it was like, vacation bible school stuff. Kids singing with hand gestures and everything. And he loves it! I'll bet he listens to it all the time. We sat there and watched Christian music videos for an hour and 15 minutes, then thankfully it was time to go to the movie. I can't believe a grown man (he's 24) has this stuff on his computer.
Here's my review of Pacific Rim. It's like Real Steel meets Godzilla x10. The script isn't great, but the monster action is phenomenal and more than makes up for any shortcomings in acting and storytelling. It's the only movie I've seen in 3D that I actually thought was better because of the 3D. My nose hurt afterwards, though, because the glasses were heavy and it's 2 hours and 10 minutes long. Chinese movie theatres are pretty much the same as American ones. They're a little smaller, but the seats are the same. There are no previews or advertisements beforehand, so you gotta show up on time!
After the movie, I was ready to just go home, but the Rui'an museum is right next to the movie theatre so he suggested we go there. We explored the first floor and then I said I have to go home and start making dinner. I don't know if he's going to want to get together every day for the next 10 days, but I wouldn't be surprised if he does. I'm just so glad we're leaving soon. I don't know how much more Christian music I can endure.
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