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yanhua

By yanhua,
in Culture & Language Discussion

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yanhua

yanhua

Posted
Posted

Some female friends of my fiance was planning a bridal shower for me 3 weeks before I was actually arrving in the U.S. I read a lot about bridal shower on shopping mall websites but did not have an idea what it was.

 

When my fiance told me over the phone about it, i was excited and interested. But i did not feel the least interested when he told me they were going to "SHOWER" me! Shower together with 3 women????? No way! I almost screamed and said persistently there was no way i would "take a shower" with 3 women. My fiance then laughed and told me it is just how americans call it..does not mean a real shower.

 

My bridal shower finally came on Oct 16. My fiance's parents drove all the way from LV to visit us...what is the most exciting...they brought their lovely dog" princess"...god knows how much i miss my dog at home in China..and now finally i could hug something warm and hairy and feel the smell of our human beings most intimate friends" DOG"!!!

 

His parents arrived early in the morning. My eyes were still closed when my fiance told me they were on the way and it was time to get up. I jumped out of the bed and dashed into the bathroom...put on a dress and some make up and immediately ran into the kitchen. My day starts there..

 

I ran to open the door when I heard their steps. My eyes were sticked right onto their dog...a medium sized, black and sweet dog. She was the most obidient and quiet dog i have ever seen. " Does she bark?" I asked." She only barks at mailman and when someone is near the house." " The MALE man?" I was shocked and asked" does she bark at you guys too?" " Oh,no...mailman not maleman" ...

 

My fiance handed over me a piece of bill as soon as they walked in and said" here is the money." "MONEY!!!! YAHOOOOOO...!!!" I could not hide my joy, haha! What a nice future mom-in-law! Did she already know in chinese tradition, a future mom-in-law would give a red envelope of cash to the daughter-in-law when they first meet each other? I took over the money but then felt so confused about the money..WHAT money is this? It is not US dollars, nor RMB, nor EURO. I have never seen this money before!

 

" This is a 100 dollar bill from Taiwan, my brother sent it to me." She explained to me. I looked again at the bill, the founder of Chinese revolution against the imperial system Mr. Sun Zhongshan is right on the bill. "Is it worth anything?" She asked..."er..i do not know" i replied. I cannot do anything here with a note from Taiwan..and it was printed in the year 1941.

 

After 2 smoky and messy hours in the kitchen, lunch was ready. I cooked some sweet potato pies, sweet and sour chicken ( known as americans favourite chinese dish in many restaraunts), chinese vegetables, scrambled egg with shirmp. The meal was satisfying, we treated the sweet dog some chicken and icecream...everyone was happy. My hair smelt greasy i guess.

 

Shortly after the lunch break, my fiance's father drove everyone to the bridal shower where i met my fiance's female friends. It was all woman's thing so my fiance and his father then left for home.

 

We had a nice afternoon in a family like teahouse. They had fresh baked desserts and big variety of tea. Everything there looked very delicate and very much for a woman. Even the bill was tied in a nice ribbon in a pretty shape. Everyone put a bag of gifts for me on the table. I was supposed to open it in front of them and pass it to everyone else on the table to see. I was kinda of embarrassed though cause in my culture people would bring all the gifts home and enjoy them privately. On the contrary, opening a gift in front of people would not be considered very polite. The gifts were lovely, including gift cards from shopping mall and also from cookingware shops. It was really nice of them to have done that for me. We talked a lot and they had thought i was a shy and timid girl from China :o Dinner ended in California Pizza Kitchen, my fiance's parents invited us for dinner...back with a singing stomach full of pizza and dessert.

 

BTW: about spanking the hamburger: It did happen that i spanked it. I was in the kitchen mixing hamburger beef with some starch powder when my fiance told me it was not right to make like that. I asked him to show it to me and found the ways were the same. i got mad and threw the mixed beef onto the cutting board and spanked it hard to demonstrate my determination and confidence in making an american hamburger in a chinese way. Well...the truth was he liked it and said it tasted better than in-out :o

 

Recommended Recipee: Chinese Spring Pie

1.Cook 2 pieces of white meat chicken breasts in boiling water 2.Take out when cooked and cool with cold water 3. Tear off the cooked chicken meat into very small slices using your hands 4. Boil some soy sprouts for 2 mins 5. Fry chicken slices with soy sprouts together, add oil, salt, soy sauce, chilly sauce 6. Spread it on a piece of mexican tortillas ( you can buy it in supermarkets, if not just mix water and flour and make it on a flat pan).7. Roll up the pie into whatever shape you like...make sure you fold up the bottom

Portion for 2 people, 2 pies for each, serve with ice cola, YUMMY :D

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warpedbored

warpedbored

Posted
Posted

Thank you Yanhua

I think I can speak for myself and many others that we crave a glimpse into our fiance's/wive's reactions to life in America. I am sure your man delights in each new discovery of yours as much as you do.

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Guest jimb

Guest jimb

Posted
Posted
Huh?  What is American food?  What cusine have we added to the global scene?  Hamburgers....that's it.  Everything else has been stolen from others.

 

And, as always....just my opinion.  http://smilies.sofrayt.com/%5E/d/az.gif

I can think of a few that I enjoy that are American. Thanksgiving dinner. and Grilled porterhouse steak. Maine clambake with lobster, steamers and corn. Pick your favorite.

 

jimb

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Dave G.

Dave G.

Posted
Posted
Huh?  What is American food?  What cusine have we added to the global scene?  Hamburgers....that's it.  Everything else has been stolen from others.

 

And, as always....just my opinion.  http://smilies.sofrayt.com/%5E/d/az.gif

I can think of a few that I enjoy that are American. Thanksgiving dinner. and Grilled porterhouse steak. Maine clambake with lobster, steamers and corn. Pick your favorite.

 

jimb

Hummm.....

 

Lobsters, porterhouse steaks, etc....Australia has just as good BBQ and seafood.

 

And, of course, corn and Thanksgiving Dinner? Dare we say we stole that from the Native American Indians??? http://smilies.sofrayt.com/%5E/u/indian.gif

 

(Keep feeding me stuff, folks......many more emoticons up my sleeve)

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MoonCarolCafe

MoonCarolCafe

Posted
Posted
Huh?  What is American food?  What cusine have we added to the global scene?  Hamburgers....that's it.  Everything else has been stolen from others.

 

IIRC, Hamburgers are Teutonic in origin.

 

What have we added?

 

Lobster Bisque

Twinkies

Clam Chowder

Chilli (not the Mexican bean soup, but the Texan stuff you can eat with a fork. Same name, Different recipies)

Chicken Fried Steak

Fried Chicken

Hot buttered corn-on-the-cob

Corn bread

Mashed potatoes

Spam

Buffalo Wings

Ice Cream Sundaes

Carbonated soft drinks

Chewing/Bubble gum

Seafood/Chicken gumbo

Corn-dogs

 

And that's just off the top of my head.

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Dave G.

Dave G.

Posted
Posted
Huh?  What is American food?  What cusine have we added to the global scene?  Hamburgers....that's it.  Everything else has been stolen from others.

 

IIRC, Hamburgers are Teutonic in origin.

 

What have we added?

 

Lobster Bisque

Twinkies

Clam Chowder

Chilli (not the Mexican bean soup, but the Texan stuff you can eat with a fork. Same name, Different recipies)

Chicken Fried Steak

Fried Chicken

Hot buttered corn-on-the-cob

Corn bread

Mashed potatoes

Spam

Buffalo Wings

Ice Cream Sundaes

Carbonated soft drinks

Chewing/Bubble gum

Seafood/Chicken gumbo

Corn-dogs

 

And that's just off the top of my head.

Pretty good list! I'm especially proud of Twinkies.

 

Oh...you made me think of Root Beer. I don't know any other country who'll touch it. Germans think it taste like cough medicine.

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Guest jimb

Guest jimb

Posted
Posted
Lobsters, porterhouse steaks, etc....Australia has just as good BBQ and seafood.

 

And, of course, corn and Thanksgiving Dinner?  Dare we say we stole that from the Native American Indians???  http://smilies.sofrayt.com/%5E/u/indian.gif

 

(Keep feeding me stuff, folks......many more emoticons up my sleeve)

I had Australian lobster in Guangzhou, high class seafood restuarant. it cost me $65 for a large lobster. Not nearly as good as Maine lobster.

 

thanksgiving was not stolen from the native Americans, they were there for the dinner. and they are Americans.

 

jimb

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