Some of you will really appreciate this:
Some years ago, I made a big booboo - I had a friend at work who really wanted to go out for lunch once or twice per week, so she offered to even pay if someone would accompany her. I said, "I'll eat on you, I have no shame!"
I have outdone myself twice here.
Xiao3 Jie3 (numbers are the tones) kind of means woman, and can be used to call on a waitress in a restaurant. Outside of this context, it means prostitute. I heard Liz call Jacqui xiao3 "J" once, mistaking it for the above. It was quite an insult when I called on her out loud the next time...
Today's takes the cake, though, the summum of embarrassment.
At our NewBeat (my school) meeting today, we were passing minutes from previous meetings around, to make sure everyone had signed them. Actually, we're supposed to put our initials - in my case a small "d". One piece of paper was passed along to me, Liz and Stephanie indicating that my "d" couldn't be seen. I responded in Chinese, saying, "ok, fine! you wanna see my 'd'?!? I'll show you my 'd'!!" Well it turns out, I was pronouncing di4, which of all things, happens to mean penis.
So there you have it...
---
What I like on the metro:
* People staring at my vocabulary notebook, allowing me to start a conversation with a complete stranger!
* People asleep, so cozy-looking
* The arhu players with their little bowls for collecting money
* So many different people, with so many different lives
What I don't like on the metro:
* Beggers, especially children trained to bow down their head to your feet, or mothers with their babies
* Having to put not only my backpack on my lap, but also my coat, because it's too hot
* Bad smells you just have to live with for the duration of your trip
---
Lillian and I have had dinner a couple of times with Maryam and Andy - who are married, and will help us avoid some legal annoyances that may come with marriage between a Chinese and an American citizen.
---
Just a few more weeks before we take off to the other side of the country to visit the beautiful Xingjiang and "meet the parents"!
Some years ago, I made a big booboo - I had a friend at work who really wanted to go out for lunch once or twice per week, so she offered to even pay if someone would accompany her. I said, "I'll eat on you, I have no shame!"
I have outdone myself twice here.
Xiao3 Jie3 (numbers are the tones) kind of means woman, and can be used to call on a waitress in a restaurant. Outside of this context, it means prostitute. I heard Liz call Jacqui xiao3 "J" once, mistaking it for the above. It was quite an insult when I called on her out loud the next time...
Today's takes the cake, though, the summum of embarrassment.
At our NewBeat (my school) meeting today, we were passing minutes from previous meetings around, to make sure everyone had signed them. Actually, we're supposed to put our initials - in my case a small "d". One piece of paper was passed along to me, Liz and Stephanie indicating that my "d" couldn't be seen. I responded in Chinese, saying, "ok, fine! you wanna see my 'd'?!? I'll show you my 'd'!!" Well it turns out, I was pronouncing di4, which of all things, happens to mean penis.
So there you have it...
---
What I like on the metro:
* People staring at my vocabulary notebook, allowing me to start a conversation with a complete stranger!
* People asleep, so cozy-looking
* The arhu players with their little bowls for collecting money
* So many different people, with so many different lives
What I don't like on the metro:
* Beggers, especially children trained to bow down their head to your feet, or mothers with their babies
* Having to put not only my backpack on my lap, but also my coat, because it's too hot
* Bad smells you just have to live with for the duration of your trip
---
Lillian and I have had dinner a couple of times with Maryam and Andy - who are married, and will help us avoid some legal annoyances that may come with marriage between a Chinese and an American citizen.
---
Just a few more weeks before we take off to the other side of the country to visit the beautiful Xingjiang and "meet the parents"!
2 comments:
At least the worst thing that you can be blamed for is ignorance (well, I guess "wanton crassness" would be worse).
Penis! Love it. That would be my luck too! (Replace penis with vagina, pf course!)
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