(PICTURE: The neighborhood kids chalked my front steps.)
I've become Mr. Rogers. Last week I was walking home when I heard a little kid on my street yell out, "Hello!!!". I saw one of the neighbor kids and said hi back and waved. Just then I heard another "Hello!!!". I looked to my left and another kid was waving from their door front. Seconds later a "Hello!!!" came from up above. There was another little girl waving from a balcony at me. Then two more "Hellos!!!" came from my next door neighbor's house. The two cute little girls from that house came outside and slapped me five (I taught them that a couple of weeks ago).
All the kids, under 8, on my street now love to try and talk with me. I think when I first moved to my block they were a little scared of me but have now more than warmed up to me. In fact, the 7 year old across the street ran into my house the other day, grabbed my badminton racquets and dragged me outside to play with her.
And then there was the time I came home and my front walk was covered in graffiti. The kids next door had written my name a whole bunch of times. The ironic thing is that they also wrote Huyen's name...and spelled it wrong. I guess my English lessons are paying off for the kids of to 122.
