What is with the shoe thing?

[shaun]

Peggy and I were reminiscing about my two trips to China this year and I was asking her why they wear so many shoes.  I don't think she ever really understood me.  I was laughing a lot about it, so I thought I would like ask those of you who have been to China to see their if their wife/girlfriend like this.  I thought it would be fun.

Let me share my experience with you.  It almost seemed like I had to change shoes just to go to a different room.  I understood the one about inside shoes and outside shoes.  But when Peggy lived in Shenzhen she lived in a two story apartment.  When we would enter the house we would change shoes.  No big deal.  But the one I still laugh about and scratch my head about is that I had to change shoes before I went upstairs.  I would take my "living room" shoes off go up the stairs.  If I was just staying in the bedroom socks were OK but if I went into the bathroom I had to put on different shoes.  Yes I know because the floor might be wet.

But when Peggy moved to Shaoguan she moved into a flat.  It is quite small and the bedroom and living room are in the same room.  The other room is a kitchen/bathroom.  I won't even start in on that combination and I have many comments about it.  But even if I went in there to get or make hot water I had to change shoes.    Just going from the bedroom to kitchen...  Is this something made up by the shoes companies or what?

[RobertBfrom aust]

Shaun , it has to do with highgene , sorry about the spelling , lets try Hi - Jean ha ha , socks get washed whereas shoes not very often so why carry dirt from 1 area to another , the girls here wear plastic sandals mostly when indoors and wash them every week or so , also they will wipe all plates and chopsticks before setting on the table , regards Sujuan and Robert .

[Arnold]

Great you brought that subject up Shaun .

I have learned my " Lesson " on this , not so much in China .. but here at Home .. I have . I dare come passed the Front Door and NOT take my going to work Shoes off right on the spot . Qing actually will check them sitting there in the Hallway for any signs of dirt . If it comes out not Positive , she'll have a " Special " cloth .. just for this purpose and they get a good clean down . Did I say Good ? Now , in my House Shoes .. dare I ever step outside to the Patio ( which is to my Standardss ) clean . I get a call ... NOOOOO not with your House Shoes .So I need to put on my going out of the House Shoes , which are some Slip-ons and around and around it goes like this . Now this is just me . She of course needs MORE Shoes . For Summer , Fall and Winter inbetween all other's . One can think , what I was thinking the first time I was confronted with such ( well it's not nonesense ) ? I had to bite my Tongue ( not quite 24 Hours ) but close .
It is all about Hygiene and being Comfortable at the same time . No closed Shoes in Summer - No open Shoes in Winter .. you get the Idea .

[shaun]

Thanks for the comments.  I thought this would be a fun subject to talk about and also at the same time let the new guys what to expect on their first trip.  At first Peggy was on me about it, then I got used to it.  Actually I kind of miss it.  Peggy and I had quite a laugh about it last night.

I can't wait until she gets here and I have to get used to it again in America.  Now what will we do about guests in our home and shoes?

[Arnold]

Now what will we do about guests in our home and shoes?

Here is your answer for that one Shaun .

I went out to Wal-Mart and got Six pair of Slipper's ( four different sizes ) and they sit right next to each other in the Hallway . haha
Hello , nice you could make it ... what Shoe size are you ?

[Kiwi303]

and here I wear my gumboots or work boots inside... I'll kick them off if they're still wet with cow shit from farm chores, but if it's just dust they stay on... that's what vacuums are for! If the carpet is dirty, it gets a run over with the vac.

[David E]

Yep...I sure remember that little set of instructions and discussions !!!

At home, I never wear shoes or socks in the house, or outside around the garden or pool....Bare feet are healthy feet...or so I was taught !!!

There was a look of horror from Ming when every time we went indoors I shed shoes AND socks...unheard of.

She told me that the germs that are everywhere will get me and likely my feet and many other things would rot and fall off 

"Must be careful bad germs" was the phrase.

And yet, everyone digs into communual food bowls with their own chopsticks that just came out of their mouth !!!

But apparently, "these" germs dont get you !!!

[Jason B]

Very interesting and a fun discussion.

I never thought much about it, when in the hotel I always went bear foot and only put on sandals when I went out of the room.  Xia would always get the slippers out of the hotel cupboard and tell me to wear them inside.  Of course they did not fit as they looked like they were made for hobbits.  When we went to her apartment she actually took the slippers from the hotel (still in the wrapper) for me to wear there.

On my next trip I made sure to pack some thongs (flip flops or whatever you want to call them) so I could wear these inside.  But Xia is not a shoe Nazi just as long as I have something on my feet she is happy.

I never wear shoes inside the house at home, nothing to do with hygiene (Robert note spelling) just more comfortable.  Of course I expect this to change once the boss gets here.

When we go and visit her mum she always takes a bag of old shoes and says these are for mum, I do not know where they come from all the time as I only ever see a couple of pairs near the door but there is always a bag of about 5 pairs that goes to mums and then I do not see many pairs at mums either.  Does China have a shoe black hole?

[Kiwi303]

Jason B...

Mum probably knows a cobbler down an alleyway somewhere who buys them damaged and repairs them, and then he makes a bit on the side flogging cast off affluent middle class repaired shoes to the low class sweatshop labourers with what mum and others take him.

[shaun]

Kiwi, I would almost bet money that when you get married and bring her home that you will have an extra pair of shoes more than the rest of us because she will want those books as far away from the house as possible.  So you will have a barn to the house pair of shoes. 

Jason, the hotel shoe were always taken with us as we traveled.  I would bust out the toes in a day or two because my feet are much bigger than the shoes.  Be sure if you buy flip-flops not to get the ones with the tag between the toes.  Peggy would want to wear my shoes sometimes but didn't like the tag or tab or what ever they call it.

Mike I forgot to comment on something earlier.  Peggy takes two baths everyday and made me do it to; when you first get up and just before you go to bed.  I just went along with it.  You know, when in Rome...  Sometimes I would say I didn't realize Rome had so many Chinese people in it. 

I almost forgot.  Peggy has already told me that the carpet must come out of the house.  It is to unsanitary.   

[Martin]

Most of my time spent in China was spent at my in-laws house.  They have enough slippers at the front door to cover the entire Chinese Army, should they show up for supper.  Whenever I am there, I get the biggest pair they have, which means that half of my foot is still on the ground.  It is quite uncomfortable for me, but apparently, half my foot being covered is still a thousand times better than having nothing on my feet.  For the bathroom, there was a pair of flip flops.  I assumed the different pair for the bathroom was because of sanitary reasons.  People shower in there, and also, the toilet is only a "squat", so a lot of evil germs lurking on the floor there.

Now that my wife is in Canada, I have total feet freedom.  She doesn't make me wear anything, although, she is always a little shocked when I go outside barefoot.

[Willy The Londoner]

.  I assumed the different pair for the bathroom was because of sanitary reasons.  People shower in there, and also, the toilet is only a "squat", so a lot of evil germs lurking on the floor there.

Why are squat toilet going to have more germs than a western toilet?   I assume that whenever they are used they are washed down and our bathroom gets a deep wash twice a day.  There is no seat to sit or piss on or whatever else gets onto them.  Yet we go to use western toilets  and have no idea who has sat on the seat before you and has or has done what.   That is getting nearer to a danger zone than your feet ever will - unless you have one of them foot fetishes!!!!  Maybe these are more hygienic if used correctly.

I do have three pairs of slippers one for bathroom, one for evening and one for when I get up.  When I visited the older sisters house recently they did not have slippers big enough for me.  So they went next door and came back with a large pair.  Still warm inside!  So I guess they were removed from a larger sized Chinese neighbour who had probably gone to sleep!!!!!!

Willy

Willy

[David E]

Willy....you'd just better hope that the large size Chinese neighbor did not have Athletes Foot, Veruks, Nail Bed Fungus, Tinea, or galloping foot rot !!!!!

Maybe less germs on the floor

[shaun]

You see, we just can't keep squat toilets out of these threads.  It just won't work.   

I guess it would be fun to see who has to use more shoes the most.  It looks so far that three are the most even though Arnold should be at 4 but it appears he doesn't have a pair for the bathroom.  Of course I don't want to count the ladies.  Gee I hope they don't think I am making fun of them.

I have noticed that there are many families in my area that leave their shoes in the garage and walk around in the socks in the house.  One that comes to mind is a Russian family.

Hmmm...  I wonder what the ladies would have thought of shoe less Joe Jackson? 

[JamesM.Roberts]

Wow I must have the only Un-Hi-Jean-Ickk lady in China   ;)When I went to China I had two pairs of tennis shoes and my work boots with me. Made the mistake of wearing the work boots on the 30+ hour flight over, so by the time I arrived, they were shot. When I visited the in-laws no-one asked me to remove my shoes? I did by a pair of jute scandals on our trip to Zhangjiajie. Before we left on our trip I took some of my clothes .....and the work boots over to Mother's house as they weren't needed for the trip. When we arrived back, Mother had washed all of my clothes and she had them all folded for me and presented them to me. Then she went back into the room and came out carrying a big plastic bag (securely tied) saying "no good-no good"....that's right ....my work boots!!!