My Doppelganger

It was my first long haul flight, how I wished that I would be seated beside someone cool; if not cool, at least tolerable, not a crying baby, nor a chatty grandparent, nor someone who has bad breath.

On the plane, i was seated beside 2 Chinese people, a guy on my left with his dad and a girl on my right.  I've watched a few movies and was kind of getting bored with no one to talk to.  The first meal  was being served, I overeard the girl beside me spoke with the attendant in English (even though she was watching Chinese movie on her screen) so I initiated a conversation.

I found out that she is a Chinese Language teacher from Beijing, she is the only child and is married with no kids yet.  She used to be a Chinese teacher in Arkansas for 3 years and is now heading to New York to study for a year.  I also told her basic stuff about me, my family, and what I do.  Told her about my trip around the US and Mexico.

Naturally, as Asians, we tend to talk about our age.  She told me she is 30 years old.  I said, me too! and she asked, when is your birthday? and I said in June; and she's like me too! June when?  I said, 15! she said No way! I'm 16th!  Then also found out that we both booked the Super Shuttle to get from the airport to go to our hostels.  The connection began so we started showing each other photos of our family.  She then showed me some of her photos on her ipad and saw this photo of her:

I was like, that looks like me!  What the?!  That's me!  I guess we both didn't realize we looked alike because the light was dim.  I showed her photos of my sister Girlie, and she said she feels like she looks like her too! hahaha

Anyway, we spent the rest of the time chatting and talking about China and other things.  We promised to keep in touch and meet up in New York after she finds for an apartment to stay.  So a day before I left for DC, I met up with her.  Here is our photo:

Maybe you don't agree we look alike, but I KNOW people will say we could be sisters!  She also told me that something happened on the plane that I didn't pay attention to: When we were about to land and the flight attendant was giving us US Customs Card, the girl told us that we only need 1 card per family and so she gave me one and moved on to the next passenger! haha  She had to call the attendant back to give her a card. LOL.  Then at the Super Shuttle counter, we each gave our vouchers to the lady on the desk, and she was confused and said, oh you guys have 2 copies? and I was like, yeah, we're not related! haha  she thought we were sisters too.  We jokingly talk about that we might have the same ancestors from China; but this was not very feasible for she is from the North (Beijing) and my family is from the South (Fujian)! haha

We just constantly amaze one another with the stuff we find out about each other.  When we met the other day, we found out that we were actually at the same place at the same time.  We just didn't meet.  We were both at the Financial District trying to see what celebration is going on near the World Trade Center.  We each showed our photos and we even took the same photo of the singing choir group.  Funny.

When we were about to say goodbye after spending an afternoon together, we said goodbye hoping to see each other again in this lifetime.  There was this undeniable connection between the two of us, we both felt it.  She even told me that if I ever get into whatever kind of trouble in the US that I can call her and she will do everything she can to help me.  You only say that kind of thing when you mean it.

It is stories like this that is worth sharing.  Amazing.