I thought I would write this up because it was hilarious both at the time and as an afterthought. This happened on Monday, where else but a karaoke bar.
Taken from an email I sent:
Had a funny weekend/Monday. Yu Fei took me Zhengzhou to one of his friend's birthday party, a lot of money was thrown around; lunch, karaoke, dinner. Anyway, the birthday girl (who was incidently 29) had a sister who was gorgeous and unusually outgoing which is rare among the Chinese women I've met. We were at a karaoke bar and after chatting with her for an hour or so I took her into an empty karaoke room and tried to kiss her. Before this she had asked how old I was and became distressed to learn I was 19 (girl was 23). So I kiss her and she says, "You my brother" ("didi", lit: younger brother).
Now, it took me a moment to realise, but I understood what she meant, however I'm telling her I don't understand in Chinese but she keeps on saying "You my brother". It's polite in China to include someone into your family when you address them, all my friends' mothers I call 'Aunty'; so becuase I was younger than her she was using the term (younger) brother to distance herself from anything romantic. All the while I'm hearing "You my brother" and thinking 'well, if kissing your sister's frowned upon in Australia, god knows what they'll do to me in China'.
(End)
Afterwards she shows me a word she's translated on her phone:
1. Single minded
2. Determined
Which I take to mean she's figured out my plan, she laughs and for the rest of the evening we exchange knowing glances but I realise for all my intentions she isn't interested in anything other than a boyfriend/girlfriend scenario; further fortified in my mind by her brother befriending me and trying to set us up, some people are just too kind (can't see that happening in Australia).
The night ends, I kiss her goodbye and believe that is that.
The next day I get a text, in Chinese naturally. She says wants to make me part of her family and asks me to help her practice English while she teaches me Chinese. Now I'm not sure if she wanted to study English or 'study English' but that didn't stop me, along with the help of the Chinese students at the school composing a message and inviting her to come to Dengfeng. In retrospect, the scene with me on the steps of the wushu guan, iphone and dictionary in hand, surrounded by a group of kung fu students in full jumpsuit attire really was a missed kodac moment.
I'm hoping to get her down (pun intended) on the weekend, I'll let you know if I find love in Dengfeng
Josh
Taken from an email I sent:
Had a funny weekend/Monday. Yu Fei took me Zhengzhou to one of his friend's birthday party, a lot of money was thrown around; lunch, karaoke, dinner. Anyway, the birthday girl (who was incidently 29) had a sister who was gorgeous and unusually outgoing which is rare among the Chinese women I've met. We were at a karaoke bar and after chatting with her for an hour or so I took her into an empty karaoke room and tried to kiss her. Before this she had asked how old I was and became distressed to learn I was 19 (girl was 23). So I kiss her and she says, "You my brother" ("didi", lit: younger brother).
Now, it took me a moment to realise, but I understood what she meant, however I'm telling her I don't understand in Chinese but she keeps on saying "You my brother". It's polite in China to include someone into your family when you address them, all my friends' mothers I call 'Aunty'; so becuase I was younger than her she was using the term (younger) brother to distance herself from anything romantic. All the while I'm hearing "You my brother" and thinking 'well, if kissing your sister's frowned upon in Australia, god knows what they'll do to me in China'.
(End)
Afterwards she shows me a word she's translated on her phone:
1. Single minded
2. Determined
Which I take to mean she's figured out my plan, she laughs and for the rest of the evening we exchange knowing glances but I realise for all my intentions she isn't interested in anything other than a boyfriend/girlfriend scenario; further fortified in my mind by her brother befriending me and trying to set us up, some people are just too kind (can't see that happening in Australia).
The night ends, I kiss her goodbye and believe that is that.
The next day I get a text, in Chinese naturally. She says wants to make me part of her family and asks me to help her practice English while she teaches me Chinese. Now I'm not sure if she wanted to study English or 'study English' but that didn't stop me, along with the help of the Chinese students at the school composing a message and inviting her to come to Dengfeng. In retrospect, the scene with me on the steps of the wushu guan, iphone and dictionary in hand, surrounded by a group of kung fu students in full jumpsuit attire really was a missed kodac moment.
I'm hoping to get her down (pun intended) on the weekend, I'll let you know if I find love in Dengfeng
Josh
Comment