What do the kids of Linyi do on a bright and beautiful spring day? They head to People’s Square and they:
Ride bicycles
Rollerblading has been very popular for a while now, mostly just amongst kids. This little boy bladed around in circles, clearly delighted, while his father waited patiently on the bench next to mine.
He was a little wobbly, but having a blast!
But there’s a new hobby in town and all the kids are catching on:
Rollerboarding? Ripsticking!
The latest craze is what appears to be a skateboard with two rollerblade wheels. The board itself is in two parts and the parts move separately. To get moving, you have to balance on the two wheels and move the boards up and down. It seems that every kid in Linyi has one of these. Are they a Chinese phenomenon or a world-wide thing?
Ripsticks for Sale
I had a wonderful afternoon sitting on a bench in People’s Square. With my camera out and a hot McDonald’s coffee, I was ready for some serious people watching. One brave kid approached me with is mom and little sister and proceeded to ask me all kinds of questions in English. Where do I come from? Have I had lunch? Do I like Linyi? Do I like noodles? What is my favorite color? Do I like dogs? Am I student? How old am I? Then his mom plopped his sister on my lap and snapped a few pictures with her phone. It only slightly disturbed me that the little girl was bare cheeked (with her convenient split crotch pants and no diaper.) I encountered the family later in the supermarket and they waved vigorously, the boy puffing up as I called out ‘hello.’
*Update* The rollerboard-like things are called ripsticks and they seem to be a hit around the globe. Thanks readers!
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Love this post and the glimpse into everyday. I am big people watcher/voyeur, too. And funny you should mention those boards. We just saw one at a park a few days ago. Glad to discover your blog. Interested in learning more about your experience as a third culture kid since our kids seem to be heading in that direction. Three years in Japan, three here in the States, and getting ready to move to Sicily.
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I think those are called Ripsticks. At least they look similar to the ones I’ve seen here.
Ripsticks! Never heard of them! So are they popular in the US, too?
Lucia – Being a TCK is very important to me. My experiences abroad and relating to other cultures has truly changed my life! You have a very interesting family and I look forward to hearing about your adventures in Sicily!
Yep, they’re called ripsticks – all the foreign kids in Beijing have ‘em, too – or wish they did.
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