Author Topic: Paul goes to China  (Read 26113 times)

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Offline MLM

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RE: Paul goes to China
« Reply #75 on: September 18, 2009, 07:41:30 am »
I hated that damned funny looking hat:dodgy:
TIME IS THE TELLER OF ALL TRUTHS AND THE HEALER OF ALL HURTS

shaun

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RE: Paul goes to China
« Reply #76 on: September 18, 2009, 12:17:33 pm »
Quote from: 'MLM' pid='17075' dateline='1253274090'

I hated that damned funny looking hat:dodgy:


Spoke like someone with experience.  Got any pictures MLM?

Offline MLM

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RE: Paul goes to China
« Reply #77 on: September 18, 2009, 12:34:46 pm »
Quote from: 'shaun' pid='17090' dateline='1253290653'

Quote from: 'MLM' pid='17075' dateline='1253274090'

I hated that damned funny looking hat:dodgy:


Spoke like someone with experience.  Got any pictures MLM?


yep but my scanner isn't working :blush:, sorry :angel:
TIME IS THE TELLER OF ALL TRUTHS AND THE HEALER OF ALL HURTS

shaun

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RE: Paul goes to China
« Reply #78 on: September 18, 2009, 01:21:24 pm »
Quote from: 'MLM' pid='17096' dateline='1253291686'

Quote from: 'shaun' pid='17090' dateline='1253290653'

Quote from: 'MLM' pid='17075' dateline='1253274090'

I hated that damned funny looking hat:dodgy:


Spoke like someone with experience.  Got any pictures MLM?


yep but my scanner isn't working :blush:, sorry :angel:


Likely story! :dodgy:

Scottish_Rob

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RE: Paul goes to China
« Reply #79 on: September 18, 2009, 03:16:05 pm »
I Agree shaun....

Paul Todd

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RE: Paul goes to China
« Reply #80 on: September 19, 2009, 06:12:49 am »
Oh silly me, fancy thinking I knew where I was going yesterday!
 The  "Gourmet Hill Hotel" was nowhere close. No we were off to  buy some clothes for the wedding.But, It seems that the brother in law's best friend owns a dress hire company and Ming Zhi thought it would be fun to dress in traditional outfits for the ceremony. My first thoughts were no large blue hats!!!. So it was off to his shop for  another afternoon of dressing up.  I particularly liked the black "Wyatt Earp" inspired number but it was not traditional enough. I had to settle for a sort of long purple robe with a red silk Tang jacket over the top. during the couple of hours we spent at the shop a series of Ming Zhi's friends showed up an I was introduced to them. Even when I was dressed as a gunfighter they seemed happy enough. One thing I have learned is that if you smile and make a fuss of them they absolutely love it, you can even make them blush,hehe hehe.
Ming Zhi had to take care of some other stuff, which left me and "may foo" that's the brother in laws name that I have to call him when were in a family group. apparently its not polite to call him Tien dung [his real name]. This goes for the rest of the family as well. His wife is "may may" , younger brother is "di di" and I'm "djer foo". All a bit confusing really. Anyway it turns out he's a marketing consultant for the local beer company "Blue Star" and had to make a few calls on customers to see how everything was going and asked me to tag along. So we spent a few happy hours dropping into supermarkets, shops and a night club. May foo is a mine of information about my new home and appears to be well connected in this town. There are 4 universities here and he asked me if he could introduce some students to me that would like some private English tuition. He assured me that I could make a very good living here just on the students he knows. I mentioned this to Ming Zhi who said lots of may foo's friends are teachers at university so he would be able to introduce me to the people who matter. We will have to see how that turns out. While we were driving about he pointed to a large new block of flats being built and said that 3 years ago the local planning officer banned the building of low rise housing here. Only buildings over a certain number of floors will get building permission! We ended the afternoon by picking up his son from school. I have done this before with Ming Zhi but today one very sweet little girl maybe 9 or 10 years old came over to me and said 'Hi my names Susan, what's yours?"  and so began a 10 min conversation. Her English was very good and I praised her for it. Her mother was standing by, just beaming with pride. Next time I go I have the feeling I'm going to make lots of new friends.
Today we did go shopping for a dress for Ming Zhi and found a beautiful red silk embroidered chongsam, she looks stunning in it. During the wedding three changes of clothes are required apparently.
We had a wander around a few shops, lunch in a noodle shop which was fantastic and only cost 12 yuan! and then off to the park for a stroll about. I thought everything was well under control until we got back home. Then she stated to write a list and the phone calls started. She then said she had to go out for a couple of hours to arrange stuff for the wedding. What stuff I enquired, Oh nothing that concerns you she said. Ah well that's just fine then I said and off she went with her daughter.So I'm sat here in a quiet house with a glass of green tea. Happy in the knowledge that the world is revolving nicely with apparently no input required by me at all.:-/


Hmmm think I'll go and fix those lights in the bedroom!

Scottish_Rob

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RE: Paul goes to China
« Reply #81 on: September 19, 2009, 07:44:55 am »
"...Hmmm think I'll go and fix those lights in the bedroom! ..."  

Fix the lights in your head, wow mate you have a wonderful lady there...:icon_cheesygrin::icon_cheesygrin:

Hope you have the wedding of your dreams mate.
P.s
Liverpool won again...heheheh

Paul Todd

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RE: Paul goes to China
« Reply #82 on: September 19, 2009, 08:38:35 am »
Liverpool won again! the day just gets better:icon_cheesygrin: Cheers Rob!
« Last Edit: September 19, 2009, 08:39:43 am by Paul Todd »

Offline Ed W

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RE: Paul goes to China
« Reply #83 on: September 19, 2009, 05:39:40 pm »
Quote from: 'Paul Todd' pid='17134' dateline='1253355169'

She then said she had to go out for a couple of hours to arrange stuff for the wedding. What stuff I enquired, Oh nothing that concerns you she said. Ah well that's just fine then I said and off she went with her daughter.So I'm sat here in a quiet house with a glass of green tea. Happy in the knowledge that the world is revolving nicely with apparently no input required by me at all.:-/


Hmmm think I'll go and fix those lights in the bedroom!


LOL. My wife got a call while we were at her parents home. She then says she needs to meet her friend to receieve some papers and expects me to stay with her parents. I didnt speak chinese and they dont speak english. That was a long two hours....

Nice to hear things are going so well. Can't wait to see more of those pics.
Alright earthlings, what form do you want me to take?....How about a taco, ....that craps icecream?  My trip to china

Paul Todd

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RE: Paul goes to China
« Reply #84 on: September 20, 2009, 11:06:38 pm »
Well the big day of the family wedding is approaching. Sunday, at 2 seconds to 6.58pm to be exact!

Yesterday evening we went to the "Gourmet Hill Hotel" where the wedding is to be held for a run through. As far as I could tell it was not a hotel or on any sort of hill! but it did serve good food!  We took along Ming Zhi's old English teacher because Ming Zhi thought that there might be some parts of the ceremony I might not understand and she wanted to make sure everything was clear........Unusual, I thought.

We met the master of ceremonies a happy guy with the air of a showman about him. Who took me through the whole thing step by step, I took notes. When he started off by saying we will pass you a bow and arrow thats when the alarm bells started ringing.:s

I'll go through the whole thing here as much for your amusement as for me to get it straight in my head !
First off I have to shoot three arrows one at the sky, one at the earth and one straight ahead. What a real bow and arrow, I said!  No! just a pretend one that only shoots the arrows  about 3ft . Oh, i said a bit disapointed.
Then I walk over to meet Ming Zhi who is wearing a vail and pass her the end of a red rope with a large red flower in the middle. I must not drop the rope!
Then we walk to the heaven and earth table, Knell down and bow three times, seems like I will be prompted at the right time to do this!
Then we turn to face her mother and bow three times again I will be prompted
Then it's turn to face each other, same thing three bows. Still holding the rope which I must not drop
Then we walk to a house made of flowers where Ming Zhi gets to sit down and I get passed a stick!
With the said stick I get to lift the vail but only a little at a time and then lower it again, this causes great hilarity I've been told. Well that's reassuring then!
Finally I get to remove the vail and am asked a question to which I must answer "roo eee" Prompting will of course be required!
Then I have to show the assembled throng two locks of our hair tied together in a box.
Then we can leave the flower house and go and light two candles.
Yippee, we get to have a drink!! two cups tied together with a red ribbon, one sip and exchange cups, we do this three times.
Then I present her mother with a cup of tea? and say"Mama chin hur cha" or mother have a cup of tea.
Then we throw sweets and these bits of red string tied in knots into the crowd and it's done!

So it's all pretty straight forward then! I mean what could possibly go wrong!!!!!::-/

I'm debating whether a few drinks before hand might just make the whole thing flow more smoothly?:icon_confused:

Offline Brian Mc

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RE: Paul goes to China
« Reply #85 on: September 20, 2009, 11:52:52 pm »
Greetings Brothers,

Paul after reading that wedding ceremony description I strongly suggest you leave the drinking until aftrwards heheh.  It sounds like there are just too many places for us western guys to mess that up so clear thinking I think would be your best plan.

Besides I am sure everyone there will get a big enough kick out of watching you do your thing, no sense in adding to their humour until after your lady and you are married.  At least that way she wont change her mind.  Heheh just messing with you I am sure you will do fine.

Good luck with the ceremony and after and make sure someone takes pictures that you can post so we can all see how beautiful your lady is when getting married, and oh yea we might want to see how you look also.

Anyway best of luck.

Regards,

Zhen and Brian

Offline David E

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RE: Paul goes to China
« Reply #86 on: September 21, 2009, 12:02:07 am »
It all reminds me of the ancient Roman wedding ceremony, called "con ferriato"....devilishly complicated !!

Problem was...the slightest mistake and the whole ceremony needed to be started over ......

Some weddings then took 3 days !!!

Paul...if the same rules apply....have a lot of drinks before hand :icon_cheesygrin::icon_cheesygrin::icon_cheesygrin:

DavidE

Offline MLM

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RE: Paul goes to China
« Reply #87 on: September 21, 2009, 12:10:35 am »
Paul, please do not break that string holding the two cups together, it will mean that the wedding will not prosper and in some sub-cultures it could also mean the end of the wedding right then, and in others it could mean your clumsy so no pressure at all bro, no pressure at all. :icon_cheesygrin:
« Last Edit: September 21, 2009, 12:12:08 am by MLM »
TIME IS THE TELLER OF ALL TRUTHS AND THE HEALER OF ALL HURTS

Scottish_Rob

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RE: Paul goes to China
« Reply #88 on: September 21, 2009, 05:07:23 am »
Paul....

Don't Drop The Rope:icon_cheesygrin::icon_cheesygrin:

Offline Peter

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RE: Paul goes to China
« Reply #89 on: September 21, 2009, 01:57:44 pm »
I am very happy that my wife is a Taoist and not a Buddhist :icon_cheesygrin:
Your story about the photo session is very familiar to me. I read about it here in our forum so I brought a big book and during the changing of clothes, witch also included hairdressing and makeup, I just sat down reading for a couple of minutes. The wedding photos session took hours and the same night I dreamed about the photographer's voice saying " Smile Peter, smile"
We had a simple and small wedding, only about 80 guests. The ceremony wasn't as complicated as you describe it.. and I am grateful for that.. I am sure that I would have get lost during the ceremony.
We had a great wedding and my only advice is that you have a nice time. Hopefully you will only do this once in a lifetime..
Better to be married to a wife from Changsha then have 7000 women in Chnlove