Herve Makes a Commercial!

COMMENT FROM HERVE REGARDING BLOG POSTS:

one alterered dress $5

one stain on the strap $2.50

one peep show for the people on the street $2

one bowl of food on the stove where the stain comes from $0.50

one very good story in china: "PRICE"less

FOR THE REST IN THE U.S , THERE IS always MASTERCARD !

The Bridesmaid's Dress: PART 3

Despite the drama that preceded my 3rd visit to the tailor, I was pretty confident that everything would work out. Also, we had just booked our flights home for the wedding and I now knew that I would have a solid week in the USA. Worst case scenario: take the dress as is ("hun dwan" -- too small) and get it fixed at home.
Aaron came with me this time. He brought his camera and was ready for drama. Unfortunately, as these things usually go, when you actually bring a witness, nothing really happens. (Its like how your car stops making the funny noise as soon as you take it to the shop).

This time the scene was different:
It wasn't as hot. It was raining out and had cooled down to the high 70's.
The shop was cleaner, as if they scrubbed the floors some.
Nobody was hanging around outside the shop (probably because of the rain).
The fabric that Annelies held up for me to change behind was huge, too big for her to hold all the edges. (look closely at the first photo)
The only thing that was the same was the mean lady would still not move out of the corner for me to change. But, by this point, I didn't care. Not worth arguing with her. If she really wants to watch me change, then go for it. "Oooo, American Body. So large."

When I put on the dress, it was actually OK. Not 100% perfect, but good enough. It zipped, which was critical. And the length was right. Still a little stain on the strap and the little snag on the chest. Also, the straps weren't perfectly altered. But, good enough. (see middle photo) And, at this point, I was ready to be done.

I paid my $10, and certainly got my money's worth: A dress that fit. A rich cultural experience. And, most importantly, a funny story. Anybody need alterations? I know a great Chinese guy...

One unsolved mystery that I noticed on my final visit: what's with the curious stove in the tailor shop? (see third photo)

The Bridesmaid's Dress: PART 2

READER DISCRETION ADVISED: If you are getting married at the Botanical Gardens on July 19, 2008, do not read this blog entry. All other brides, proceed with caution.

Annelies and I planned to meet up again to pick-up my bridesmaid's dress at the tailor. At first I thought I didn't need to bother her by asking her to meet me again. But, then I thought it would be best to have someone who spoke Chinese with me while I tried on the dress... just in case it wasn't quite right.

So, we've got the same scene as before: Really hot. I mean, really hot. One of those humid days when you are sweating from every pore. Tiny room. Dirty floor. A few old men hanging around. Lady who doesn't want to move to let me change. She finally does, sounding angry again. Annelies holds up the tiny fabric (this time even smaller, I'd say 2 feet x 5 feet).

I have a hard time getting the dress on... Its hard to move silk over a sweaty body. For all the women out there reading this, I hope you've never had this experience. But basically, the silk just sticks to wherever it lands. Its like putting on a wetsuit while its wet. OK, finally the dress gets on and the silk is in its place. I try not to move too much because its just so hot.

Point #1: I see a dark spot on the strap. A stain? I think to myself, OK, stay calm. No big deal, I'll just get the dress dry cleaned later.

Point #2: I see a tiny snag on the chest area. Ugh, I think. I'm starting to get a little aggravated but still trying to stay positive about the situation.

Point #3: I cannot pull up the zipper by myself so I ask Annelies for help. "Oh dear," she says in her little Belgian accent. "What?" I ask, a little concerned. "Well, seems I cannot get it closed." I suck in. Nope, cannot close it. I exhale out. Still cannot close it. She calls the tailor over for help. He aggressively moves the dress around on my sweaty body and tries to pull the zipper. He cannot close it either.

The series of events that follow include the Tailor saying something in Chinese, getting louder and louder, Annelies responding in Chinese, growing increasingly more angry, and me asking Annelies, "What? What'd he say?" after every exchange, growing more and more concerned.... The tailor offers the following reasons for why the dress doesn't zip:

"You more big since last time!" I know I've gained a little weight since coming to China (no carb left behind) but I also know that I didn't grow 1 inch in 4 days!
"Hot! It HOT! Body swollen from hot. That why no zip." OK, its hot, but my body doesn't expand THAT much when its hot out.
"I measure right. You body change. I cut only little."
"Dress made bad. You body no fit in dress. I make you dress. My dress, perfect fit! This dress. No good fit."
He then says (he really says this), "Who this Vera Wang? She from Hong Kong? Clothes no good in Hong Kong."

Despite all of the excuses he has for the dress not zipping, he and Annelies work it out that he will fix the dress so that it will zip... regarding the snag, he cuts the little thread and says that that type of fabric always snags... regarding the stain, he said he will take care of it.

I'm scheduled to go back on Sunday to pick it up... I hope this time it is OK.... stay tuned....

(Hi Sara, I know that you are reading this. Dont worry. The dress will be AOK!)

The Bridesmaid's Dress: PART 1

READER DISCRETION ADVISED: If you are getting married at the Botanical Gardens on July 19, 2008, do not read this blog entry. All other brides, proceed with caution.

I am a bridesmaid in a wedding in NYC on July 19th. It is the wedding of one of my dearest friends and when I was asked to come to China for this assignment, I knew that I would figure out a way to make sure that I could still be a part of this important event in her life. In the end, it works out quite nicely: J&J offers us one home visit and July is about halfway from when we left and when our families will visit in the fall.

I kept my fingers crossed that I would receive the dress before I left, with enough time to get it altered in the USA. Luck was not on my side, and therefore, Lauren (Aaron's sister) picked up my dress at Vera Wang in NYC and gave it to Aaron to bring to me in China. The 8 foot long dress hung in my Shanghai closet for about 2 weeks, nagging me to get it altered to fit my 5'2" body. (I wonder exactly how tall a woman has to be to fit into a bridesmaids dress and NOT need it shortened...). Anyway, I finally seek advice on where I should get the dress tailored. (simple alterations needed: shorten the straps, shorten the hem, and tuck in, just a little, underneath my arms) I asked an Expat who works at SIRVA, our relocation company, for a suggestion. She (her name is Annelies) suggested a tailor near to her home who she knows very well. I ask her to come to the appointment with me as the tailor does not speak a word of English and she speaks fluent Chinese.

I wont say how much this bridesmaid dress cost, but for those who know, you know its not a little. So, I take my very long, and very not-so-inexpensive dress to the Chinese tailor. Annelies and I meet there on a Sunday afternoon. To set the scene, its about 100 degrees outside, and the humidity is like you are walking behind a bus. The tailor shop is this little room, open to the street (so maybe 110 degrees!), stacked with fabrics (see photo). The fabric piles are arranged to leave two openings where 2 different people sit and sew (like a capital E if you were looking from above). Hanging out by the piles of fabric are locals who chit-chat with the tailors during the afternoon. As I enter, a few thoughts run through my head: a) don't be judgmental Rebecca... this is China... things are different, I'm sure they know what they are doing. b) this dress was probably made in China anyway! c) don't let the dress touch the floor (there wasn't much difference between the sidewalk and the floor of the shop) d) where am I going to change? (Underwear - no bra - is the only thing I can wear under the dress)

In order to change, we had to strongly encourage one of the tailors in the small opening of piles of fabric to move (she was not so happy about this saying, in what I interpreted to be, "I WONT LOOK!." I use all caps because she was talking very loudly, sounding like she was angry, but I've come to learn that that's just how Chinese people talk.) Annelies said something in Chinese which I heard to be, "blah blah blah USA blah blah blah Shanghai." Whatever she said, worked. The lady, not so happy, moved. Then, Annelies took a piece of thin fabric, say 3 ft by 6ft, and held it up between us, telling me, "Ok dear, change." Yep, this was my changing room. It was like when you are little kid at the beach and your mom holds up a towel. Only now, its with 4 Chinese men 3 feet away with just a tiny piece of fabric separating us, and me needing to put my 29 year-old naked, post-pubescent, and very sweaty body, into a very long, black-tie silk dress!

OK. Dress on. Tailor and Annelies talk and poke and tuck the fabric around me (speaking Chinese so I have no idea what they are saying). Pretty normal tailor experience. Except, I must add that I've became a mini-spectacle. I'd say about 5 people have crowded in front of the store (just Chinese walkers-by) to look at me, in this fancy dress, in this room. One person even took a picture of me with their camera phone. (no joke) "haha, look at the funny white girl in the fancy dress!" OK. Pins in. Chalk drawn. Then, tiny fabric held up again. I change out of the dress. We negotiate a price ($10), and I leave thinking, "I hope that works out ok......." Aaron, being the eternal optimist says, "Bec, of course it will work out!" I hope he's right.

(Sara: if you've gone against my advice and decided to read this blog anyway, dont worry!! The dress will be fine!!)

Putting faces to the stories...

Here are some photos:

Top left - Vince with us, Matt & Lena.

Top right - Mr. Gu with us

Bottom - Roy with Matt & Lena (Roy, very strong!!)

One giant step for bloggers...

In the world of blogging, we've stepped up to the next level... our blog was recently sited on another blog. Granted, it is one of our dear friend's blog, but nevertheless... check it out (by the way, the author of the blog a) has the cutest pups, see pic and b) is hitting Hollywood by storm!):

http://stephy629.blogspot.com/2008/05/beloved-blog.html

"A Beloved Blog
I have these two friends, we'll call them Bec and Aaron, that have a blogspot together, that I love love love to visit. They love each other and they love life and it's fun to read about their thoughts and experiences and even more fun to see a couple doing a joint blog like that (I can just hear AJ now saying in the background his familiar quip "Don't even think about it!" every time I talk about this to someone...) but I just find it to be so neat to read their different perspectives, their different voices as they come through on the page, and yet also their similarities... which are just as apparent. The two of them live in NYC (ok, Hoboken) and are spending a little under a year in China-- Shanghai to be exact-- and they started the blog to keep up with their friends and loved ones back here in AMERICA.In many ways, their stories reminded me of our experience being Angelinos amongst the Filipinos. Then, there's that whole West vs East comparison... and in the begining, they too, were separated and experiencing most of their relationship via SKYPE-- but now they are both there, and I am back here, and it's just a neat way for me to communicate with them, even if I don't see them every day. I don't when they are in America, actually-- so I feel like I am "seeing" them even more now that they are in CHINA! Kinda funny...Anyway just thought I would share that little tidbit. They write well and it's entertaining. And they're just really cute and lovely people. "

Loveline with Mr. Gu

While there are still several other notable experiences to share from the past couple of weeks, Rebecca and I had a very blog-worthy evening. Our good Chinese friend, Vince, invited us to his parents' home for dinner with his parents and to play badminton afterwards with his father and his girlfriend Jing-Jing. We had very good home-cooked meal and enjoyed fun and competitive rallies in badminton. While both Rebecca and my badminton skills are improving, we have a long way to go. Mr. Gu (our driver) picked up Rebecca and me and we gave Vince and Jing-Jing a ride home as well. During the drive, we asked Vince to translate into Chinese several lingering practical questions to Mr. Gu, since there are some things that are hard to communicate to him and because Vince's English-speaking ability is outstanding. Vince was very helpful in clearing up some of our questions about Mr. Gu's availability and coordinating our schedules. We also conveyed how much we like Mr. Gu and the feelings appeared mutual. We dropped off Vince and Jing-Jing and headed home. Apparently, something happened during these translations with Mr. Gu that set-off a entirely new level of conversational comfort because of came next:

Mr. Gu: You know Roy? Lena driver?

Us: Yeah (We know Roy. Mr. Gu and Roy are beer-drinking buddies)

Mr. Gu: Roy go with Lena, Matt to Shenzen Friday (Lena and Matt are Rebeca's coworkers, Shenzen is a place in China)

Us: Oh, yeah?

Mr. Gu: Roy go to bar. Meet beautiful girl (making the silhouette of girl with his hands while he's driving)

Us: Really?!

Mr. Gu: Yes! Roy stay girl Shenzen. Yesterday girl come Shanghai.

Us: Wow...Roy!!! (Roy is known to be a ladies' man among the drivers)

Mr. Gu: Roy, girl, sex! You know sex?! (for some reason he yells "sex")

Us: (laughing and a bit caught off guard) Yes, we know! We know!

Mr. Gu: Roy ask Gu find hotel. Not 300 yuan, not 500 yuan, 200 yuan! (500 yuan = $60 USD)

Us: Wow, Roy!

Mr. Gu: No hotel 200 yuan! Roy come my home. My wife say, "No way!" Chinese people no like friend sex in home! You know!? My wife say, "No way Gu!" (still screaming "sex" each time)

Rebecca (laughing hysterically): Not just Chinese people no like friend sex in home! (she oftens communicates to Chinese people in broken English. We both do, seriously.)

Mr. Gu: Roy go parents home with girl. They say, "no way!"

Us: Where did Roy go?

Mr. Gu (as we're pulling up to our apt): Hotel. Roy, sex, 5 time!!! (exclaiming it by showing us all of his 5 fingers) Roy very strong! My wife say, "Roy very strong!" (he's repeatedly making a muscle with his bicep as he declares Roy's apparent strength). Sex, 5 time! I die. Roy and my wife! Oy. Roy strong. (he didn't actually say "oy" but it was the Chinese equivalent)

Us (rolling out of the car laughing): Roy strong, Roy strong!

Apparently, Mr. Gu's English is improving...as is Roy's sex life and strength!

Yo man, Ro man.

There is much to share, but first and foremost I wanted to announce that Eric and Sara have a new baby! Roman Alexander Price was born on May 25th, 2008 weighing in at 7 lbs 13 oz. Rebecca and I got to video chat with the entire family on the night that they came home from the hospital and it was great! Here is a pic of the the chat. Unfortunately, I didn't think to take the picture until after Rebecca had left for work, so you can only see my small head on the bottom left of the screen. Apparently, Eden has been saying things like, "I love you, Baby Roman." Awesome. Rebecca and I are eagerly anticipating meeting our new nephew in person. Congratulations Eric and Sara!