Chengdu China is not too far from the border of Tibet.  It is near the epicenter of the  2008 earthquake.  I was there for business in May (my 5th trip there in the past two years), and left only 11 days before the earthquake!  But this story is not about the earthquake, it is about the people of Chengdu.

Being a musician, I enjoy seeing the music stores in whatever country I am in  I wanted to buy a local  instrument. In China all the music stores in a major city are generally in one part of town.  I expect this is because they don’t have cars, and therefore, it is much more convenient to just go to one street, and find all your variety there.  In Chengdu, this street is just outside the main gates of the Sichuan Conservatory of Music . I had the concierge write down the basic location of the school.  This is how you let the taxi driver know where to drop you off.  I took my cryptic note out in front of the Hotel and waved down a taxi.  He gave the note a once-over and away we went.  He stopped at an intersection.  I paid, and got out.  I looked around, but I did not see any music stores.   Hmmm.  As you may remember from my other stories, there are not many people in Chengdu who speak English.  The secret in most any country is the same secret i tell adults when ask me about technical questions with their iPod: “Ask a teenager”.   This advice is best for travelers as well.  Teenagers are more likely to be taking English classes, and they often are willing to try their untested language out. Also, we were near the University, so I had that going for me as well.  I saw a young man walking down the street; carrying a music notebook with English on the cover.  “Excuse Me”, I said to him.  “Do you speak English”?  He stopped, looked around (not believing I was talking to him), and answer in broken, but clear, English, “Yes, a little bit”.  Now I have come to learn that “yes, a little bit” usually means a little more that you think.

Near Sichuan Music Conservatory

I asked him where I could find a music store.  He pointed up and beyond a twisted maze of buildings and said “this is the way”.  I looked, but my lack of confidence in my ability to get there was obvious.  His face lit up: “I can take you there”!?.  I gladly accepted, and at that, he turned around and we started back up the alley which he had just walked down.

As we walked, we exchanged names (I couldn’t pronounce his, so I cannot remember it…).  As we walked, he asked me questions right out the text books.  My name, where I am from, do I like China, etc.   As we walked, he had a giant smile on his face.  People we passed by called out to him.  He would answer back in Mandarin.  I asked him why he looked so happy.  He said, “Today is a very special day for me”.  Naively, I asked him why.  I thought it must be his birthday, or graduation.  He said something to me that humbled me beyond belief; “This is my FIRST time ever talking to an American”! I remember thinking…. uh… we’re really not that cool.  But I just smiled and took the complement.

We kept walking.  He asked me about my family.  I went through and told him about each member.  I asked him if he had a girlfriend.  He shyly said no.  I told him; “Now that you are famous for having an American Friend, maybe you will get a girlfriend!”.  He laughed out loud, and said, “yes… yes…. this may be true”.

My Chengdu Friend

We had arrived at the stores.  We went into each one and he was  my translator.  I ended up buying a Sheng.  I bought it for the owner of  a music store in Tucson who had asked me get them one. I also bought a harmonica to play with the Scottish band at our hotel that night (another story).

After an hour of so of hanging out with my new friend, I had to grab a taxi and head back to the hotel.   I was really happy to have gotten dropped off in the wrong neighborhood.  Otherwise I would not have met such a nice kid.  I gave him a business card, and told him to send me an email when gets an account (he did not have one yet).  So I hope to hear from him someday.