Photo taken by Luiz Gomez. For chinadaily.com.cn

As travelers become more curious, they become more courageous. They want to know just where the smiles come from. And then they make a Chinese friend to travel with, or they start to learn Chinese on their own so they can talk to the people they meet.

At this point the foreigner is hooked. Excuses are made to extend the stay. Some give up their foreign lives and relocate to acquaint themselves better with the Chinese and their sweet, enigmatic smiles. This may seem crazy but it happens often.

I myself am such a foreigner.