and season of gifts, and not just because Christmas is coming. The rituals and ceremonies that accompany the giving and receiving a gift offer a concrete starting point to find ways to say thanks from ours and here.
We Westerners, tell me if I'm wrong, when we receive a gift (or anything as a gift), seldom confine ourselves to a single, terse "thanks", and that's that. At a minimum, we repeat twice, "Thanks, oh, thank you." Usually then - at least this is a good idea except that the gifts for Christmas - unpack it in front of the benefactor (if wrapped), I admire his eyes, we appreciate the contents aloud, color, quality, praising the beauty or even the utility. Often, tell me if I'm wrong, we lie. The lies are harmless, I would say too good. Because in these situations, sincerity and honesty do not bring nothing but mortify the donor and the recipient of a smear layer of arrogance, rudeness, lack of tact.
these parts, so in China, things are not true. I happened to give. The I regular basis with my ayi, who remains in the leg and on which I will not change my opinion because of us - especially my daughter - I would say well you take care. But periodically, ie every time the gift something, he manages to amaze me, even today. Why stripping almost to the bone around the ritual ceremony that we have learned from an early age and we reiterate that with perseverance in the name of good manners, if nothing else.
We come to her, takes the object and utters a single "Xie xie" (that one thanks). End of story. Besides you do not go. Never a second thank you. Not an extra appreciation. Never revealed, and I even doubt that there is in her desire to see what it is. Invariably, In fact, it goes without discarding the gift. Not a word back then the next day when, as punctual as a Swiss watch, put the key in the lock and enters the house. No, not a return to the subject and then let alone, not with a memorial. Nothing.
Every time I think to myself "here we go again." Not very bad, not overly bothered, just can not comprehend that the code is so different thanks. So am I, not without a hint of provocative vein, back in the spotlight and investigates. More than anything else to see if you like. Here, of course - but then also good to see us - no one will ever openly say "it sucks" (because you would lose face and lose their culture in the face to your boss or employer means maybe in the foot), but they can come up with utterances such as "too expensive". Not "thank you very much, I am flattered, I was really pleased," possibly followed by a "but it's too expensive" or "you've spent too much" or "you should not have." No, "too expensive", dry, lean, direct, without prologue or epilogue. At most a chuckle as final. And I
there, more puzzled than before. One response so the conversation killer. What else do you want to add?
At the same time, on any day, I get in the car (as I do on average 5 times a week since I live here) and the driver - still standing outside the car, his back bent in order to enter the passenger - he hands me a tangerine. Yes, a tangerine. One. In his hand he has a second, which begins to peel as soon as the one to grab me. It makes me vaguely to do the same sign. Thank you, I smile, I told him that I'm going to lunch, but the information does not pass. He looks at me with his eyes and calls me to follow his example. While ignoring the reason is clear to me that he wants, and then peel the tangerine, and I eat it. He hands me two paper towels, I expected that it wraps the skin and deliver them to him. What I'm doing. He goes to the trash, get rid of the bassoon, returns the machine, salt, close the door and end of story. I do not remember if it was good, if it had the seeds, if it was already dry or juicy. Nothing. My brain trying to figure out how to process the incident, including appurtenances.
the same period, but on two different days, the postman delivers it directly to your home three parcels from Italy. In addition to the festive wake emanating, we are happy to see that there was no tampering or attempts to open. Then discharged from Italy to China, we took about 10 days (including holidays). I'll just China, 1000 through and histoire à suivre .
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