As you can see I’m running about a day behind, even though I have nothing to do.
Anyway, hope you had a Merry Christmas and all that jazz.
The blind date update.
December 21st, 2011 § 0
So about that date. Oh, China you can be oh so different.
So here is how the night went. I was invited to so to a KTV, which is a karaoke place. So, well, to do that as a first date in the States is kinda out there in left field. Unless it’s big in your area I guess.
Anyway, it’s normal I guess here. I mean, at least going singing is. Going on first dates to a singing place, not sure if that’s normal or not.
So, I get there and there are three girls wailing away to some Chinese pop songs. I didn’t know how many people would be there. I met the girl and her friends. Everyone seemed pleasant enough.
We talked a little bit, but sang more. They kept trying to get me to sing, the problem is that I don’t know that many Chinese songs. I know a few, so I sang the ones that I knew. They also figured that I must be able to sing just about ever English song that they had on the computer system. Which I can’t. So that was a little awkward.
A couple hours after that, we bailed and everyone headed home. We didn’t get to talk much. It was more of a meet and greet to feel me out. So that she could get a feel for me and make sure that I wasn’t a murderer or anything.
I did get the usual questions. Do you plan on staying in China, you can’t can you? Which if I say no, then the date is over. Not much of a future in that. So I have to say yes and tip toe around that one.They were pretty relaxed around me. They are a little older, 24 and up. Usually young kids haven’t seem much, or interacted with foreigners so they act all weird. So that’s good, or bad depending on your perspective.
There weren’t that many language issues. They speak standard Mandarin. They aren’t locals so at least I didn’t have understand the studdering that the locals do. With meeting new people, in any country, there is always some getting used to the way they talk, the patterns, their word choice, etc. With meeting them they used some words that I don’t hear often, so, it took me a minute to figure out what they were trying to say. But that leads me to this.
They did do something every other Chinese person does and it drives me absolutely insane. At least this time I didn’t chew their asses for doing it. I was nice and calm. But made sure they knew what was up. I don’t know what to call it, but basically when you don’t understand something you usually would pause. Well, when you think about how to answer something, you also pause. So being a non-native Mandarin speaker, every-time you pause, the locals think that you don’t understand. So one of the girls asked me a question, I took 2 seconds to think about it, that was too long, she told the other girl to translate, and I then tell her I understand and I was thinking about it.
That was slightly awkward.
So really, she seems like a cool girl.
Hopefully we’ll hang again. And to be honest, I always wanted to make out with an art teacher.
So yeah, that is what a date, or first, blind type date is. A feeler. Probably a group date.
Good times
The Eclipse
December 21st, 2011 § 0
I only got one photo that looked decent. One of these days I’ll have to actually buy a tripod. Left mine in the States.
Anyway I thought I would wait for the shadow fall off the moon, but I ended up falling asleep. Ah well.
The blind date
December 20th, 2011 § 0
Since we are on the topic of dating, I guess I have another story to share.
I recently met a girl, whom I have been chatting with online. Which for those that do not know, if completely normal here. I just don’t want you to think that I’m some nerd that can’t have a real conversation in person. QQ is a chat program, like Skype, and if you don’t have one, they kick you out of China.
So she seems cool. A art teacher, which I thought was super awesome. She asked me to go out with her and her friends to a KTV. Which, in this context does not mean hookers and booze like it normally would.
It goes down tomorrow night. Everything seems legit. Oh wait, did I just say legit. Yep I did.
I talked with a wife of a friend tonight and told her that tomorrow I have a date. The first thing she said was “be careful.” Now think about this. When is the last time you knew someone that went on a first date with a girl or guy? When was the last time you personally went on a first date with a girl or guy. Now stop and think whether any of those times you actually thought you should be safe, or be careful.
Now I can say this. I’ll be generalizing but I don’t care. For the most part, on average in America you will not have to even think about being careful with a guy or girl. Yes there are times, but you are worried about that person as a person. Not about a place, or gang of people. But in China, you have to be, and as a foreigner, you really have to be. It’s like the wild west here. Especially outside the major city that have big expat populations.
So why did she say be careful. She says because China New Year is coming, Jan 29 or so, and there will be a lot of people trying to cheat and steal. Lot’s of thieves and swindlers you could say. So she says be careful. I think she said it last year too for some reason. Me being a foreigner I get targeted for this more often then not I’d bet.
Possible problems that could happen from what I have read, heard, or seen happen in China.
She could get me into the KTV with her friends, try to get me drunk, then rob me.
She could do the same as above then call some “big brothers” to beat me up and rob me.
She could have a deal made with the KTV that when the bill came it was enormous, and the KTV could make me pay, she would take a cut.
She could lead me down a dark alley and have some “big brothers” beat me up and rob me.
She could give me something to pass out and rob me.
She could take me into a place to eat and have something set up so that when the bill came it was way too much and they would force me to pay, she would take a cut.
She could make me pay and pay me back later with fake money.
Etc etc.
Now you may be thinking, Holy Sh*t, he is one paranoid person. Well, I’ve heard about pretty much all of these things happening in one form or another. But they usually have one thing in common. They happen in places with a large amount of foreigners. Takes time to put this together, and really, think of it as a robbery. There are the kinds that take real criminals that plan and target their victims and do it for a living. Well, I haven’t seen another white guy in a few months so, uh, not really a booming business stealing from the white guys here. I think in places like this it’s more opportunity. Oh he passes out with his wallet in is hand and it flopped open type of thing.
Not saying it couldn’t happen. Where I met her, how, why, and pretty much everything else leads me to believe that I shouldn’t have any problems at all. She won’t meet me alone because she is more scared of me than I am of her. It’s a common thing here. Group dates. No biggie. That and all the cute photos of her students painting and drawing on her QQ space. Which if you think about it would be the perfect cover story. Sweet innocent art teacher steals foreigners blind.
My biggest fear is face. If they pressure me to buy something and I don’t, or I can’t negate my way out of it, it could mean that I am cheap and well, girl’s don’t like cheap. Am I cheap? Depends. Are we talking about things that make me money or buying a fruit basket that costs 100USD so that I can show off my wealth and they can suck down passion fruit all night. Well, in that case, I most likely am.
The landlord match maker update.
December 20th, 2011 § 0
I feel bad that I haven’t updated on this topic. I haven’t for a few reasons. I’m busy as all get out at work, and really there hasn’t been anything to update.
I got in contact with her and we chatted a few times online. Which is completely normal here. But whenever I would ask her a question she would just answer. And before you say that my questions were not open ended you would be wrong. She would never ask about me, or swing the conversation around, in fact, we never really had a conversation.
So I haven’t talked to her in a week or so. I probably will contact her and see if she wants to go for coffee or something. But she is super reserved. Doesn’t do much but watch TV and read, so she says. Which really, every Chinese girl will tell you the same thing, so, well, it could be true.
But why start a relationship with a girl that probably won’t want to move. I dislike this city with a passion. It’s food and it’s people. So, why marry someone that will give me both. Why even start talking to her. Maybe it was doomed from the start.
But give it a chance. Well, since when you say that you are talking like a Western perspective probably, in China, I would think that they wouldn’t even start something if they new it wasn’t going to work. Not worth the trouble. I’m guessing that from all the arguments I have at work about not doing something, and the conversations I’ve had with other girls. So, why go out if it will lead to no where.
Anyway, I’m curious as to what she looks like, so I’ll try to meet up with her anyways. If she can cook Sichuan food and wants to get the hell out of this city, well, at least we’ll have something to talk about.
Wow, that sucks.
December 20th, 2011 § 2
On the way to lunch today we saw the aftermath of an accident. It seems that the truck on the right changed lanes, but its trailer didn’t make the lane change before clipping the back end of the truck with the tubes. Thus, rammed the tubes back into the cab of the truck on the left.
So, uh, there wasn’t anyone there, so it happened awhile ago. Not sure if the guy made it.
Oh and this isn’t a China bashing post. This can happen anyway. It’s more like a holy sh*t that sucks post. Anyway.
The Abandoned Factory
December 18th, 2011 § 0
Well, maybe not abandoned. More like went under and there hasn’t been many people there, if any.
I went there to check machines, or really, because I was bored and wanted photos of a Chinese factory to creep everyone out.
Anyway, here they are.
And a fire on the way back.
And a food court being set up.
The Fish Farm
December 14th, 2011 § 0
So during one of my so exciting work days we had a supplier roll in to get something, basically money. Which meant me, being a white guy, had to go have lunch with him and some factory people.
So, we went to a place I had been before, needless to say, it isn’t my favorite place to ingest food.
Here are some photos.
Forbidden City Panoramic Photographs
December 14th, 2011 § 0
Some panoramic photos from the Forbidden City when I went to kick out the jams.
