At least, they’re honest!

This is a perfect example of what we’ve dubbed “pocketcam moments”… after the thousandth time I called and told my husband I needed one. (Seriously, it was on my Christmas list the first December after we moved here.) This kind of thing happens every day. I really should start posting “Random Daily Photos” because I have hundreds that you wouldn’t believe!

Instead of a pocket-cam, I got an iPhone. And now I’m really good at stealth photos. (Or sometimes, I don’t even bother with stealth.) All my friends here know to watch out if I’ve got my phone out. Even if I look like I’m texting, or listening to music.

I’m probably videoing. Or snapping photos.

I purposely keep my sound off so you can’t hear the camera sound. (BTW, does anyone know how to turn that off without putting your phone on silent? That would be really helpful.)

But sometimes the phone camera is just too slow.

I’m telling you… we need a Pocket-Cam!

The following set of photos are what I used to call “pocketcam” moments. That was before I lived in China long enough to lose all shame about pulling out my camera and snapping a photo whenever and of whoever I feel like. It’s happened to me so many times at this point that I’ve lost all of the need to be discreet.

Actually, in the taxi on the way to Ikea this very day we had a group of Chinese men yelling at us from the car next to us at a redlight. Two had their phones out snapping photos. I waved. All you need is a white face and light colored hair to have paparazzi in China.

And so, I don’t feel bad at all anymore for walking right up and snapping a photo when I see things like this.

At first glance this just looks like a nice couple enjoying some time together, right?

But back it up a little… Continue reading →

And probably no where else in the world.

I’m assuming no where else in the world has these.

You don’t teach a kid to swim by strangling him where you’re from… do you?

As I’ve mentioned before, there are often times that I really wish I could read Chinese.

In China, the phone company sends out advertisements via text message. It’s a little annoying as I get several of these a day. And I can’t read them at all, obviously.

But recently I’ve made a game out of it…

What do you think a fortune telling doggie could be advertising?

Here is an example…

Sometimes I pop it into Google Translate app to see what it says. Usually it’s such Chinglish I still can’t understand.

Here’s another one:

This one makes a little more sense. A group playing a game of mahjong. A favorite pastime of many Chinese people.

But this one…

A matchbox car?

Or this…

A new kind of restaurant? I think I’ll pass, thank you very much.

What do you think it’s advertising?

If you can read Chinese and would like to enlighten us, I’d be very interested in what this is trying to illustrate.

I could read Chinese.

Because I’d love to know what that’s about!

AKA: Crossing the Street

One of the craziest scariest things when you first visit China is the experience of trying to cross the street. It’s not really something you can explain. There are cars, and bicycles, and people. Sometimes, donkeys. Going in every direction. All at the same time.

Just… crazy. Really crazy.

And kind of an adrenaline rush.

We always “joke” that it’s like playing frogger. You know, the old school arcade game where you have to get a little frog across the street without getting him squished by cars and buses and stuff.

[image from frogger.net]

Yeah, it’s like that. But in real life. Dodging REAL cars. (and bikes, and mopeds, and people.) Continue reading →

So I guess the electricians around here like to save the birds some work?