Asian Mullets

sometimes there are days where i feel like i am in a bad chinese film where the girls hold up their hands over their mouths, look up over the tip of their fingers, look down again and giggle at a high pitched dog calling type way. i have been here now for about six weeks. i have discovered that asian culture (at least that of which i have encountered) is fairly conservative. take for example the way people dress and act socially. there seems to be an emphasis on acting and looking young. in regards to dress, women in their 40s tend to wear little girl dresses with lots of frills, lace and bright shiny shoes with kitten heels. i will try to get some pictures but it is almost the more hello kitten-ish their dress is, the better. and this morning, i was in the elevator with two other women on different floors. both of them had this sick sort of mullet going on and one even had a rockin' perm.

and that is just the outside. dating-wise, people here are BIG fans of group dates or setting people up. but no, they don't just let them go out on their own - heck no! a huge group goes out and everyone sort of whispers about what is going on with the set-up behind held up hands with lots of giggles. the whole situation is quite ridiculous. i was privy to a couple such dates and have to say i was beyond amused. at one group date i had the privilege of getting to sit next to the "couple". one was a local and the other a dude from the states. the local chick would ask amusing questions like, "do you like kittens" and "what is your favorite color" but there was a moment when she took it up a notch and asked, "so how long did you live there" to which the guy responded, "six months" (is six months living or is that just an extended business trip...discuss...). it seemed more like an interview than a date but who am i to judge...just call me judge rowley (which is my new nickname here).