Baring the truth

Breasts. If you are a westerner and have them (you know what I mean by this), this may be one of the few places you may feel a little subconscious about having large ones. Sad, but true. In the States, we are used to women finding new and better ways to lift and enlarge. But, before you pack your suitcase with all your favorite snazzy 'lift and bare all' bras, keep in mind that Chinese women go to great lengths to conceal extra skin. A cute and fashionable top in the States could very well want to send you running to your suitcase to find a more suitable bra and top over here. Women here will where a short sleeve shirt underneath a tank top more often than not. And remember...the whiter, the better, over here. Less skin shown is less skin exposed to the sun. Although, I have seen LOTS of people out walking and wearing short shorts and tank tops...after dark.

So, why do I bring this up, you ask?? I found myself in an awkward position this morning. I wasn't sure what I'd be doing today, so I put on a tank top I found in the bottom of my suitcase. I have been wearing many of my shirts over and over again as well as my bras because, well, we don't have a washing machine yet and GOD FORBID I wash anything by hand. ;) It's hot as blazes here and I'm pretty sure the stuff I have been wearing could stand up on their own and walk out the door. So, I figured I would be home most of the day anyway and decided on a "cute" top with, yes you guessed it, a 'lift and bare all' bra. I start my morning house activities and get a phone call that the ayi company has found a lady for me to interview and "they" will be at my house within 5 minutes. FIVE MINUTES!? Uh, ok. So, I completely forget about what I was wearing and race about the house trying to put SOME semblance of order to it (we have been living out of suitcases, bags, etc). I, at least, need somewhere they can sit down to talk. Sure enough, "everyone" is here in 5 minutes, including our driver, Mr. Chen, the new ayi and two company men. While everyone is getting seated and I'm bent on making a good first impression, I bend over to pick up a toy and realized...I'm literally baring ALL. UGH! I stood up and noticed...they did too. SOME first impression! haha Needless to say, I tried to keep something in front of me throughout the entire meeting...first my notebook...then Ryan's blanket...then a lot of hand gestures. Ack! After they left, you can probably guess what I was doing?! Running for my suitcase! haha

Also, on another note...

Again, just an FYI... While we were in the Hong Kong airport, one of the wonderful things about being there is that you can use US Dollars to pay for stuff in the stores. However, they will give your change back in Hong Kong dollars. I mistakenly had a Hong Kong bill and tried to use it the other day (must have gotten in there with the other Chinese currency I have). I was quickly told by one, then two, then three and then several Chinese people in a very animated way that I could NOT use such a bill! With as many Chinese people that were called to address this 'situation', they probably thought I was trying to steal the merchandise I was trying to pay them for. Anyway...apparently, Hong Kong dollars are like Disney dollars. You can use them in the wonderful city and district of Hong Kong, where the people you see are more like you and you can pay with your home currency...but DON'T TRY to use the Disney dollars outside the park!!!!