Chinese College Students

So I'm sure I'll have more to post on this once I start teaching but, as you may be able to guess, Chinese college students are very much unlike American college students. As Jake (my Chinese, graduate student friend) was explaining to me, very few Chinese college students like to have "fun", and all they do is study.

Also, Chinese students look very very young from what I've seen. Some of the students (girls especially) look like they are no older 14 or 15.

Apparently, Chinese students can become very "attached" to their foreign teachers. Other Drake kids who have already started teaching have recounted how their students have begun following them around after class. We are never supposed to give out numbers or e-mail addressess to any of our students (but we do have office hours).

Anyway, this is all leading up to an experience I had the other day. I was reading outside and these two girls approached me.
"Excuse me, are you from the U.K.?"
A little taken back from such an odd question, I said, "No I'm from the United States."
"Oh...because I have a friend from the U.K., I thought you were from the U.K."
uh... "Is your friend studying here?"
"No..."
ok... "How do you know him?" (I just assumed gender)
"Over the internet..."

Then we talked about what they were studying, what I am doing in China, etc.
Definitely one of the most awkward conversations I've ever had. I felt as though I was talking to 12 year olds.

Finally they asked for my e-mail address. I felt bad, but I gave them a fake one...

- Josh