Introductions

Hi,

    Meandering through the saloon has been very informative.   

Thanks,

CWL

Hi, CWL.  Welcome

Hi and welcome CWL.   Look forward to hearing about you. Where are you from?

Thank you for the welcomes.

I am originally from TX.  However, I am currently on the West coast and considering Asia.

Pardon my ignorance as an Aussie (Australian) CWL, but what does TX mean and does the West Coast mean the West Coast of the United States?

Texas, U.S. West Coast, female condoms ... Granny, there is so much about the world beyond Oz that we need to teach you ...

Texas, U.S. West Coast, female condoms ... Granny, there is so much about the world beyond Oz that we need to teach you ...

Yes to the first two, not sure about the third???

LOL!

Thanks guys, I thought that was where you were talking about CWL. I correspond with a guy and his family in Texas, so hope they don't see this.    You can always teach an old dog new tricks zero!

Thought I'd pop in and say Hi.

Been working in Qingdao for a year and a half. Recently married to a local girl so looks like I'll be spending a lot of time in this city. Originally from the US.

Wilkommen bienvenu c'mon in!
Ya coulda done worse...Qingdao is a nice place!

Nice ta see ya here, Opiate

G'day opiate, nice to meet you. Can you tell us a bit more about yourself and what you are  doing in China? I look forward to hearing your stories as ill health prevents my going there and seeing things for myself.

Thanks for the welcome guys!

@Granny Mae..

Not sure what else to say really. My life here is pretty simple and laid back. My wife and I have settled into a routine and we are just another family trying to do our best. Now that the wedding is finally finished (we were actually married a year ago but only recently had the ceremony) we can work on making some babies. Work, work, work.... :-)

I really don't do a whole lot of things others would consider interesting. I work a bunch and spend time with my family. Boring to many I am sure but it keeps me happy (and sane).

Hope your health improves Granny!

Thanks opiate. Are you teaching or doing some other job? Good luck with the baby making by the way.   May I also ask where you are from in the US?  I am interested in your perceptions of China, its people and its customs, so nothing you say will be boring to me.   I'm in Brisbane, Australia and I had a small incident yesterday as I was going up in a lift to the Casino. A very attractive, well dressed Asian lady entered the lift and another group of young Asians was right behind her. The lift door was closing behind the first lady who did nothing to help the young people behind her by holding the door open. This woman walked straight to the mirror at the back of the lift and proceeded to primp and preen herself the whole journey. I openly watched her and laughed out loud and shook my head. She completely ignored me and when we reached the top, she then pushed her way out. The young Asian folk did not seem to find her behavior unusual, but another Anglo and I did. 

I am more surprised by westerners at this point. Folks yelling at cars because they got too close to precious, complaining that the food has bones, speaking English slow and loud so a waitress can suddenly comprehend a language she has never learned, making faces when a baby poops on the street...etc. Not sure why I feel this way now since I have done all of the above /shrug

I am used to the people (mostly), some of the customs seem silly but that's par for the course in another country I think. The one thing I can't wrap my head around is the idea of a 'traditional' girl who won't  until married and the (IMO) insecure guys who only want to marry a 'pure' girl. One of my friends is a 30 year old woman girl who has never even kissed a man and won't until she is ready to marry. I want to slap her in the forehead with a cock.....I mean a chicken. I don't understand anyone who would choose to marry a virgin or want to be with only one partner in their entire life. How is that healthy at all?

Oh...the other thing that I don't understand are the parents who are underachievers at overachieving through their little prince/princesses. Kids are forced to attend classes almost every waking minute but little attention is paid to if the kids are learning anything of value. How can a kid can study English for 10+ years of public school and paid lessons and not posses the ability to formulate a single coherent sentence outside of "I am fine, thank you."?

....I am from Florida and yes, I teach English with a completely unrelated degree. 


So anyway...why didn't you or the other Anglo hold the doors?

Well, with the widespread usage of "Pink Houses", KTV girls and such-like, I can kind of understand the female perspective. It is old-fashioned but it is the local culture, like eating with chopsticks and insisting that having a cold is a debilitating illness
As for the language study issue...easily answered...they don't study for anything except grades and the general access to English outside the class-room is negligible. It is odd and puzzling but most of these kids do not use English at all outside of class.

Oh, BTW, welcome to the Saloon