Meet Cathy.

Cathy, a Chinese native, is not authentic Beijingren. Her hometown remains a mystery—she refused to divulge this secret, distrusting my invasive questions at first. After accusing me of a being “like a spy,” she then warmed up a bit (downgrading me from “spy” to “reverse fortune teller”) and revealed that she moved to Beijing about 9 years ago.

While Cathy loves the cultural and historical environment of the capital, she dislikes the actual environment, namely the air—it is dirty, dry, and hard on the skin. She's also a bit frustrated at the rapidly increasing living expenses, but the work experience and English speaking skills she has gained since living here are invaluable.

When asked about dating in Beijing, Cathy stated she’s “not an authority on that subject” and that a typical Saturday night for her includes cooking and watching TV. “Yes, my life is boring,” she laughs. Cathy enjoys dancing at bars and clubs but never drinks and definitely wouldn’t smoke—she claims she doesn’t know how to inhale. [Unfortunately, that line of defense has already been used].

All in all, Cathy maintains she is just “an ordinary person with an ordinary life.” She “stays in her own world and enjoys self-orbiting around her world.” However, she would live in another part of the world if given the chance. A particular country that fancies her interest is France; she admires the culture, fashion, freedom, and, of course, les chaud mec.

So will she ever indeed leave China and rendezvous with les homme beaus? Again, she couldn't say. She finally shrugs: “It’s up to the gods.”

Tracy Winn loves to find the weird and wonderful characters who make Beijing great. Be sure to check out her other blog for more reflections of a laowai on the highway.