Me Knows Better Than to Say This... But I will. Until recently, two of the most dreaded things in my life were: 1. Shopping and 2. Negotiating (while shopping). But over the years I have learned to enjoy this a bit more... especially while in China.
On one of my first trips to China, a group of us decided to go "shopping" on Saturday. It was something to do and a good way to pick up some souvenirs. We had so much fun with the negotiations and the banter, that even though we had filled our suitcases and couldn't possible carry anything more, we went a second day, just for the entertainment value. Seriously, I never thought that shopping could be so much fun.
We quickly learned that it was best to mention we wanted to see the "best quality" merchandise which led to a hidden compartment behind the front facade. After a couple of these, we then discovered some "stores" had a second or even a third hidden compartment in series behind the other one with better and better quality. While in each of these we heard the exaggerated quality attributes about all the product... like "real leather" and they tried to prove it by lighting a match to it. (A fire marshal would freak about an open flame with all that plastic present.)
After hearing about as much as I could take about things being "real" leather, Jimmy had to comment, "yes... yes... this is the real 'extruded' leather I have been searching for." And quickly the proprietor started to include that phrase in her pitch... "See this is good. Real extruded leather. How much you pay?"
Finally after a long playful negotiation, the proprietor said something and one of the guys in our group laughed and blurted, "BULLSHIT!" She smiled and we finished our transaction.
On the way back to the store, the proprietor pulled me aside and asked, "What meaning of Bullshit?"
I decided to help her better understand the English vernacular. "Sure, it's a common phrase in America that upon completion of a successful transaction, you smile, shake hands and say 'Bullshit' - we do it all the time."
My apologies to the next shopper.
On one of my first trips to China, a group of us decided to go "shopping" on Saturday. It was something to do and a good way to pick up some souvenirs. We had so much fun with the negotiations and the banter, that even though we had filled our suitcases and couldn't possible carry anything more, we went a second day, just for the entertainment value. Seriously, I never thought that shopping could be so much fun.
We quickly learned that it was best to mention we wanted to see the "best quality" merchandise which led to a hidden compartment behind the front facade. After a couple of these, we then discovered some "stores" had a second or even a third hidden compartment in series behind the other one with better and better quality. While in each of these we heard the exaggerated quality attributes about all the product... like "real leather" and they tried to prove it by lighting a match to it. (A fire marshal would freak about an open flame with all that plastic present.)
After hearing about as much as I could take about things being "real" leather, Jimmy had to comment, "yes... yes... this is the real 'extruded' leather I have been searching for." And quickly the proprietor started to include that phrase in her pitch... "See this is good. Real extruded leather. How much you pay?"
Finally after a long playful negotiation, the proprietor said something and one of the guys in our group laughed and blurted, "BULLSHIT!" She smiled and we finished our transaction.
On the way back to the store, the proprietor pulled me aside and asked, "What meaning of Bullshit?"
I decided to help her better understand the English vernacular. "Sure, it's a common phrase in America that upon completion of a successful transaction, you smile, shake hands and say 'Bullshit' - we do it all the time."
My apologies to the next shopper.
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