See, I've been meaning to do a blog entry for a while now about buying eggs. It's very different than anything I've done in the States, and it is definitely blog-worthy. And if something's blog-worthy, it deserves a picture.
So today I went and took a picture. There were a few people lined up for eggs, and the lady was packing them into bags like she usually does. I snapped a quick picture, but a man stepped right in front of the egg counter right as I took it. So I waited for him to move so I could take another one.
"Hey," the egg lady said, waiving me away, "What are you doing taking pictures?"
"I just think it's really interesting, because this is totally different than how they do it back in my home country."
"Well, you can't take pictures here."
"Why not?" I asked.
"Why not?" I asked.
This was apparently the wrong question to ask.
The old people standing in line (it's always old people buying eggs in the grocery store) heard this, and their shock audibly rippled down the line.
"Why not?!"
"She needs a reason why not!"
"I can't believe she would ask why not!"
"You don't take pictures, ESPECIALLY not in the marketplace!"
Um.... I was pretty dumbfounded, and I left as they all shooed me away.
I've lived here about 4 or 5 months, and in a city of 8 million people, I think about 4 million must have Penny's picture saved on their cell phone. Whenever I stop pushing the stroller, people huddle around to take pictures of my kids, whether they have my permission or not.
But then again, this is a different generation. And considering they've lived through the rise of Communism, Chairman Mao's whims and policies, culminating with the crazy Cultural Revolution, I can see that it's definitely a generation where you do not ask why or why not.
5 comments:
So what about buying eggs is so interesting there? Is it because they put them in bags? And I can't believe you were so rude to an old lady... :)
Yeah, I never bought eggs in China, so I am curious too. What's so cool about it?
Why? Why not? Where? How? When? You were raised in a town where curiosity is encouraged. ;-)
Talk about culture shock. Very interesting...
Wow! What a story! I love China and all of its weirdness! My picture is in many, many a Chinese photo album as well. :)
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