The Chinese custom of removing shoes at the door..

[Yuanyang]

Did you notice that at Chinese Hotels, they provide paper slippers.

163504[/snapback]

Trouble with the hotel slippers is that my size 12s barely make it in them... I bring my house slippers with me now.

[notrevorich]

My laopo has another variation in the apartment in China ... lose street shoes at the door and wear house shoes around the common areas of the apartment  ... but barefoot in the master bedroom and bath.

 

Her position is simple when we discuss living in the US, "When in China we do it the Chinese way, when in American we do it the American way."

 

163189[/snapback]

I grew up on a Farm ,so We NEVER WORE SHOES into the house,

I still do this

I think it is a great habit to have ,so does that make me and my Parents Chinese ?

[jim_julian]

My laopo has another variation in the apartment in China ... lose street shoes at the door and wear house shoes around the common areas of the apartment  ... but barefoot in the master bedroom and bath.

 

Her position is simple when we discuss living in the US, "When in China we do it the Chinese way, when in American we do it the American way."

 

163189[/snapback]

I grew up on a Farm ,so We NEVER WORE SHOES into the house,

I still do this

I think it is a great habit to have ,so does that make me and my Parents Chinese ?

164679[/snapback]

(Jim bites his tongue and drives all the thoughts about jokes revolving around Georgia and farms from his mind)

 

Errrr ... Mr. Notrevorich ... there are always exceptions of course ...

 

(... there, that was pretty diplomatic ...)

[notrevorich]

I think most people (Chinese as well as American) take off their shoes before entering the house.

163363[/snapback]

Huh??

 

Tony, are you saying most Americans take off their shoes ... or did I not understand?

 

I don't personally know of any Americans who have been here for more than one generation who routinely remove their shoes when entering their home.

163379[/snapback]

Well Jim , maybe you live in some part of So. California that I have not been but I can think of at least twenty homes that I went to in the La area where the common practice was to take off shoes, - not Chinese or Japanese families either - maybe just very nice homes - some exceptions for dinner parties etc . but as a routine practice it is more common than you may realize

Same in Florida , Colorado , Missouri ,Iowa and NewYork

Also I'm Not from Georgia - try California and Colorado for your Jokes

Rich

[jim_julian]

Rich ... the info under your avatar says Metter, Georgia ... but I've always thought your accent sounded more like SoCal!

[Guest pushbrk]

My SO explains it very simply. The streets of China are very dirty and all that stuff gets on your shoes when you walk. It's disrespectful to track all the crap that gets on your shoes throughout someone's home.....

 

 

....it is a good sanitary habit to have. I believe that my SO will bend on this, but I really have no problem removing my shoes when I enter my home, or someone elses. The best part though is you don't have to share your home with your ex wife...

 

163176[/snapback]

I get the cleanliness part and I commonly take off my shoes at the door as a matter of comfort. The problem I had in China was not simply with removing shoes. First, the slippers available were all too small and I'm only a 10 1/2.

 

In my wife's brother's home the procedure was to take off shoes at the door and put on slippers. They found a pair I could get my feet into with only a little effort. The trouble was that when transitioning from the living areas to a bedroom and back, they would walk out of the slippers and go with socks in the bedroom. They were all very talented and quick about this, simply walking out of their slippers without missing a step. For me, the process was much more cumbersome because the slippers fit too tight to walk out of.

 

What's the reason for all the transitioning inside the house?

 

The exception, of course was when taking pictures before leaving for the wedding. Then, Sherry wore her heels in the living room and I was asked to put on my shoes for the pictures. I'm all for doing in China as they do in China, but I'm going to have to bring my own slippers the next time.

[tonado]

My wife wears her sneaker at home. When I asked her about this, she said the shoes never went outside.

[mercator]

I've always taken my shoes off at home. I'm half German, the other half Norwegian, so it isnt because I am Chinese. I think it has to do with having wood floors or having light-colored carpets.

 

Also, here there is snow half the @#$% year and so its a mess if you don't. We even have rooms for that sort of thing - mud rooms.

 

In China, I can't imagine not taking my shoes off. There was stuff on the ground and in the gutter I don't even want identified.

 

Also, GZ in summer I wanted to be shoeless. One more way to cool off. At her family home they all wore slippers/sandals with socks in the house, but I ran into the foot size issue too. I think I was wedged into about an 8 and I wear an 11. We looked and never did find a pair that fit. When I go back, I will bring a pair with me and leave them there. Not just practical, but also makes a little statement to her family.

[tonado]

I just spent 30 minutes washing the kitchen floor. So dirty. I don't know how the dirt got in. Somehow I think my wife has been wearing her dirty shoes around the house.

[ptcrusier333rph]

I just spent 30 minutes washing the kitchen floor.  So dirty.  I don't know how the dirt got in.  Somehow I think my wife has been wearing her dirty shoes around the house.

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wife got you scubbing the floors?!!!!

[SheLikesME?]

My laopo has another variation in the apartment in China ... lose street shoes at the door and wear house shoes around the common areas of the apartment  ... but barefoot in the master bedroom and bath.

 

Her position is simple when we discuss living in the US, "When in China we do it the Chinese way, when in American we do it the American way."

 

163189[/snapback]

Yep thats my SO policy as well. Only variation is half the bathroom you wear the slippers (arond toilet) and over by the shower and sink be barefoot. NEVER wear the slippers in that part of the bathroom or bedroom. After a couple of weeks I got pretty good at it. I went and bought the largest pair of slippers I could find. Made it much easier to do all the changinf one has to do. Just try it on a train ride in 1st class bunkers. Oh boy.

 

I wear my shoes into the house here in USA, anywhere. She said she will do it my way when here, but I take off my shoes at the closet. I usually wear socks around anyway.

Edited December 14, 2005 by SheLikesME (see edit history)