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Adapting to your country

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shaun:
I've typed this post several times only to delete it so here it goes again,

The one thing Chinese people seem to not assimilate with.  Eating manners.  Touchy subject.

My parents raised me to have good eating manners. No smacking your lips, no slurping your drink, no shoveling food and overloading your mouth,  no elbows on the table, and many others.

I just don't do it.  I am tolerant of others and their cultural habits for the most part.  My wife smacks and slurps as my step daughter does but they do it a lot quieter.  No issue. However my son in law drives me nuts.  First he is not my favorite person.  In fact I have a very low opinion of him.  But I am tolerant because of their daughter.  She doesn't deserve the crap her dad makes her go through.

He is the loudest person, and even more so in a restaurant.  He's got to be the loudest.  He was so bad Sunday evening in a restaurant the people at the table next to us requested to move because of his gross antics.  I wanted to say, "May I go with them?"

One example: I love to eat shrimp.  I peel the shell and devein it before I put it in my mouth.  Not him.  He pops the whole thing in his mouth, crunch, crunch, crunch and spits out the shell on his plate.  He's the only one I know who does this.

I'm just venting because I can't at home. If I do there's hell to pay with my wife.

Maybe it is their culture but I don't remember any of the the five times I have been there.

My awful habit at home?  I lick my plate and elbows.

I am aware that you the reader may not share my opinion but that is OK.

Martin:
This was an interesting read...but it got really fascinating at the "I lick my plate and elbows" part.  hahahaha

I am lucky that way when it comes to table manners.  My wife is always strict when it comes to table etiquette. The children (now in their 20's) were raised with proper table manners.  The only thing she does on occasion...and it really doesn't bother me, is to eat with her hands.  This is normal in the Philippines...you can eat with your fork and spoon, or with your hands.  The only time she eats with her hands in a restaurant, is if it's in a Filipino restaurant. 

Your situation sounds like it could get frustrating.  So my question is, when you have people sitting at a nearby table that ask to move further away because of his behaviour, is anything said to him?  Does he not understand that he is in a different country, with different customs?  Does he simply not care?  Is he so arrogant?  Why when we travel to their country, we try our hardest to learn all the rules, so we don't make an ass of ourselves, and yet, the same isn't happening when he has come to the USA?  When in Rome, do as the Romans do...I live by that motto when I travel.

shaun:
Wish I never posted that comment.  Was just frustrated with the whole family mess.  Still am but...

Son in law gets scolded by wife and mother in law but he scoffs.

shaun:
THis may not be the right thread or kind of sort of.  This weekend my wife gets another first in America.   She is going to an American wedding.  One of my daughters is getting married.  Great!!!!!!!!!

Wrong!!!!!!!!  She also get to meet my ex.   I already know there will be snide and snarky remarks.  As usual I will take the high road unless she tried to get physical with my wife.   I don't think that will happen but the ex is out there.

The following was such good thought to entertain I thought it was worth sharing.

Ex:  Blah, Blah, Blah, Biah repeat 20 more times.

Me: I'm sorry, I didn't realize you missed picking the zits on my ass so much.

It is never good for me to sit and think in silence.  IF you hear me chuckle a little this is what is happening.

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