No free the lobster protesters!

Sometimes I find it hard not to smile in amusement at some of the questions that are asked of me in class. At times I ask the other teachers if these kind of questions come their way, but am told more often than not, that I seem to attract this kind of openess and curiosity.

For example, whilst assessing a new teenager as to her level, she stopped mid-sentence and asked me where I came from. Upon my reply, she got all excited, for her father is a Chinese journalist working in Israel and she herself has visited there twice. Her next comment took me by surprise, because she asked "has anyone told you that you have funny hair?". Now, what was amusing here was that of course they have. My hair has been a source of comments for many a year, but that she had no shame to ask such a question can sometimes be quite startling. For sure living in Israel for many a year, hardens you to such open questions, that require more than a yes or no, but leave you gaping for a moment or two, like a fish in a shallow pool of water.

I remember well, once sitting at a bus stop, new to a neighborhood, when a fellow would be passenger sat down beside me and began a conversation. Where was I from etc.... till she asked "how much rent do you pay"... there was nothing wrong with her question, but that I answered, to this day haunts me.

So, here in China, I let it roll over me, the questions and impertinence of the natives, but sometimes they are just funny. Today the topic of conversation was the demonstrations against the Japanese for killing whales. They sympathize here with the mammal, but do not understand the fuss. When I tried to explain that the killing is the problem, because of the barbaric way and suffering caused to this great creature, they began to understand. But the next question took me at the shoulder, because it was.... "why do westerners like Sushi so much and do they call it by that name or another". For once I was speechless for a few moments and had to think of an answer.

This led to further discussion and conversation as to why in TV travel programmes are the people of China depicted as eating all things that crawl - they themselves claim that they would never touch a cockroach, baby octopus or other strange crawly things of the sea or land, but agreed that somewhere in some small village or province this may happen.

Their love of seafood is renowned and admitted, but led to the final observation as to if the world is so concerned with the poor treatment and
killing of animals, then why are there no protesters outside sea food establishments, for the abolishment of the pitiful way that they kill a lobster, by boiling it alive! Think about it, one never sees any protesters
pounding the streets with placards saying 'Save the Lobster' ... do you?