My distinct and utter lack of sophistication
On Friday, we were invited to a dinner party at one of the Boy's co-workers. That is the second dinner party we were invited to in as many weeks, with the second being several weeks ago, hosted by one of my volleyball friends. I decided to bring some Green & Black's Organic Vanilla Ice Cream. It was 2 for £5. It's already nearly £4 for one container, so this was a result. I would bring one for the dinner, and, I thought, keep the other for home. There ended up being more people coming to the party, so we dipped into the second container -- my container, much to my chagrin and it ended up staying with the hostess. How slack is my mentality? How am I going to bring some food to a dinner party, ask the hostess to bring hold it for me -- you can't have any -- and take it home for myself?
Boy showed up late, yet again. Thirty minutes! While waiting on him, I had seconds on the starter, as I was starving. No-one else did. When he arrived, he had brought about eight bottles of things to drink. Well, the beer was 4 bottles for £5. What is with us? Why can't me and the Boy buy sensible amounts of things? At least at this dinner party, we didn't finish our food hours ahead of everyone else, as at my volleyball pal's party. The Boy though had seconds on the curry, which was v tasty admittedly, when no one did. I had thirds on the ice cream when everyone took a discreet amount and went "Mmmm-mmm." Me: "Gimme more." At the end, we dipped into the pot of won-tons to get one more, both scolded by the hostess.
We are uncouth people. You can't take us anywhere.
One cool thing: the party's hostess lives very close to the Castle. So this was our few as we left. (Sorry, shitty picture.)
Despite our unsophisticated behaviour, it was one of the nicest dinner parties I had been to for a while. Along with me, the Boy and the Italian hostess, a Chinese couple, a Scottish woman, and a man from Benin were also there -- v international. (That is actually one thing I like about Edinburgh, how it attracts different cultures; it's not always like that in other Scottish cities) At one point, the Chinese woman turned to me. She knew my grandmother is Chinese, so she asked if I knew any Chinese. I explained my situation -- that my grandmother had limited Chinese knowledge of which she passed to my mother, and my mother tried to pass to me. By the time it got to me, I was only able to manage the phrase "Go to the bathroom," and to count in Cantonese. (Don't ask me to do it; I can't remember.) "Don't you wish you knew Chinese?" my Chinese friend asked.
To be honest, I hadn't really thought about it. My mother and grandmother know so little, so it wouldn't help me to communicate with them. But now thinking about my serious lack of knowledge of Chinese language and culture, I feel sad. It would be nice to know Chinese because that would be my only way into my Chinese culture. I mean, if you look at me, you wouldn't think of me as Chinese. You could see the Hawaiian bit and the Black bit (well, I don't know about now -- I'm scarily pale now), but Chinese? When I tell other Chinese people, they look at me dubiously. But if I could break out into some Cantonese, I could make a connection with them. It would make me a better person, I think.
Boy showed up late, yet again. Thirty minutes! While waiting on him, I had seconds on the starter, as I was starving. No-one else did. When he arrived, he had brought about eight bottles of things to drink. Well, the beer was 4 bottles for £5. What is with us? Why can't me and the Boy buy sensible amounts of things? At least at this dinner party, we didn't finish our food hours ahead of everyone else, as at my volleyball pal's party. The Boy though had seconds on the curry, which was v tasty admittedly, when no one did. I had thirds on the ice cream when everyone took a discreet amount and went "Mmmm-mmm." Me: "Gimme more." At the end, we dipped into the pot of won-tons to get one more, both scolded by the hostess.
We are uncouth people. You can't take us anywhere.
One cool thing: the party's hostess lives very close to the Castle. So this was our few as we left. (Sorry, shitty picture.)
Despite our unsophisticated behaviour, it was one of the nicest dinner parties I had been to for a while. Along with me, the Boy and the Italian hostess, a Chinese couple, a Scottish woman, and a man from Benin were also there -- v international. (That is actually one thing I like about Edinburgh, how it attracts different cultures; it's not always like that in other Scottish cities) At one point, the Chinese woman turned to me. She knew my grandmother is Chinese, so she asked if I knew any Chinese. I explained my situation -- that my grandmother had limited Chinese knowledge of which she passed to my mother, and my mother tried to pass to me. By the time it got to me, I was only able to manage the phrase "Go to the bathroom," and to count in Cantonese. (Don't ask me to do it; I can't remember.) "Don't you wish you knew Chinese?" my Chinese friend asked.
To be honest, I hadn't really thought about it. My mother and grandmother know so little, so it wouldn't help me to communicate with them. But now thinking about my serious lack of knowledge of Chinese language and culture, I feel sad. It would be nice to know Chinese because that would be my only way into my Chinese culture. I mean, if you look at me, you wouldn't think of me as Chinese. You could see the Hawaiian bit and the Black bit (well, I don't know about now -- I'm scarily pale now), but Chinese? When I tell other Chinese people, they look at me dubiously. But if I could break out into some Cantonese, I could make a connection with them. It would make me a better person, I think.
posted by Autumn at 12.3.06
6 Comments:
that's the hostel i stayed in back in 1998 when i was like, um... God, what the heck is in scotland and why do i feel like i need to move there? let's go check it out... great view of the castle for sure...
That's probably one of the nicest places to stay in Edinburgh. If I had that view, I would never leave.
I'm glad you had a great time at the party and I'll try to get on-line so we all (Z, you and I) can learn Cantonese together. Who brought the won-tons (Chinese folks, right?)? Didn't you and Matthew coordinate who was to bring what? I know that Dad always lets me bring the stuff, lately he's been giving me suggestions on what items to bring, without me asking him. Wow!!
See, I try that. That's why I brought the ice cream. It's a sophisticated, yet fun thing to bring to a dinner party. Cos it's nice ice cream, not some crap Bi-Lo's brand vanilla flavoured crap. But he still insists on bringing drink. It's the British in him. He doesn't want to be caught out with not enough to drink. Cos these parties mean that people have to interact -- always a hairy proposition to a Brit. Drink helps them do it.
i was totally relieved to find out that a few paragraphs down that you snarfed more ice cream due to the tragic situation. this is one thing i simply cannot stop being selfish with. my mom will bring back treats from somewhere and then share them with people who will try and go 'm-hmm.' i say, 'ma, don't waste that stuff on them, give it to me.' so hey.
Well said sister.
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