American Teacher?

Today as I walked across the large school courtyard on the way back to my room a little girl came up to me and said "老师好" or "Hello Teacher!"

"Hello!" I responded--I'm working on getting all the kids in the school to recognize this form of salutation--and then, since she looked pretty young and she wasn't one of my students, "你好".

Instead of continuing to walk past me, the way most of the students do, she stood there looking at me shyly. "Do you have a question?" I asked her in Chinese. She shook her head.

But then she asked, "Where are you from?"

"America", I told her.

"So you're an American teacher?"

"Yes! I teach third grade English and music."

She nodded thoughtfully, turned around and walked away. When she reached her friend, the friend slung her arm over the girl's shoulders, and was filled in on the American teacher.