Story #338

Simon Romijn , a chemistry teacher from New Zealand, He came to China one year ago. He is really a gentleman, always wearing red suit and orange pants, having a very fashion look. He teaches chemistry at the high school nearby our cafe.

He comes to cafe every Tuesday and Thursday,always sit on the same place and order the same drink—Cappuccino, so I give him a nickname as ”Uncle Cappuccino”. Uncle Cappuccino is very focused on his teaching work which make a very good model for our young people. Even he is fifty years old,He spend all his summer time for preparing his doctor degree of chemistry. Although In china,far away from his hometown, he has a video call with his parents twice every week.(Note, his parents with a high age ,Mother is 88 years old and father is 90 years old ). Every time I can feel the family love between them. They make me feel that family love always exists no matter how old are you and where are you. It is determined by how you express your care and love to your family.

Shane Gardner，a preschool teacher from England，His whole family came to china five years ago. He is that kind of young people having many friends，drink beers,and like music of Bob Dylan. Every two days he will come to cafe for drinking milk tea. Every time he drinks two cup of milk tea, one after another, he always says to me：“Freda, Can I ask one more milk tea?”.so we give him a nickname as ”Brother Milk tea”.

Shane tell me that each time when he drink milk tea, he feels like at home in England. The taste of the milk tea is the same as in hometown. I am moved by this tiny thing that just a drink can provide a amazing psychological comfort to some people, especially when he is far away from home.

I think whether for Simon or Shane ,they come to China ,far from hometown, My cafe Woodiary give them a sheltered bay,where they can have familiar drinks as hometown and can talk with me about common topics, I just do what I should do,but for them ,it may be really a great comfort and help.

– Freda Wong, Shenzhen