VIP and Paparazzi

Being an American (I assume any non-Chinese) in China has it's ups and downs. On one hand, you are a minor celebrity, a VIP as people say here, but on the other hand it can be a hassle. Common Chinese people turn into the paparazzi taking pictures of me on the street in their cell phone, I assume e-mailing them to their friends, maybe I even end up on someone's wall. Yesterday in the internet bar, wang ba, the person next to me even turned his camera on me to show is friend the foreigner, probably an American. Everybody on the street comes up to me and asks if I am an American, to keep my sanity, I've developed a few replies, one is just asking if they are American, or else I say I am French, sometimes an African.

On the other hand, being an American is both exotic and people are excited to impress the foreigner. This comes out of, I believe, a real hospitality and friendliness in the culture , but also a local pride to show me the best spots in Changsha, especially a culinary tour of the city, or just treat you special. At the barber shop, i was even given a VIP card, and in the hospital I am certainly a VIP, most people wanting to chat with me, or be treated by me after they figure out I know how to needle. Even at the restaurant, they'll serve the soup when I am there, but when I am not, they just put it on the table. This is the VIP treatment in China.