Made in China

I know that before I even thought about coming to China I was well aware
of how often I bought things that were made in China. Usually that is an
indication that it is not great quality but I now have a quality
purchase made in china. I recently had a suit tailor made for myself. I
had it made at a local clothing market. I picked out the fabric and
style with the help of some friends who came with me. When I went back
the first time to try on the suit I was really excited but the suit was
a little big and unfinished. Today I went back and tried on the final
product and I am very happy to have a custom made suit! I really dislike
shopping so having a suit made to fit me is awesome! When I was looking
at the suit realized there wasn’t a usual tag it made me think about the
made in China labels. I have been trying to buy things here in China
that are well made Chinese crafts and products rather than the mass
produced products that often make their way to the tourist markets. Even
though I have also indulged in some touristy gifts I am proud that I
have invested some of my money into buying quality items that I will
both treasure and use and remember this amazing adventure in China.

One of the best parts of getting the suit made was talking to the
seamstress in Chinese. When I first picked out the suit I didn’t use
much Chinese since I don’t know any colors or other adjectives I needed
to use, but I tried to throw in any Chinese words I could. I’ve found
that even trying to use a little Chinese can go along way with people. I
really believe that trying to learn the language and showing Chinese
people that you are about their language and culture can really improve
a situation. When I went back to pick up the completed suit I used a lot
more Chinese. I was so proud of myself when I told the woman that the
suit was very good and thanked her. Then she asked me about studying
Chinese and I told her in Chinese that I had a test early that day and
she told me that my pronunciation was getting good. I still find it
incredible that I was able to have even that small conversation with the
Chinese seamstress. It made me feel like all my studying is paying off
and I can at least begin to communicate a little more with Chinese
people. That small conversation was a small light in the midst of the
increasingly grey and gloomy city. It has been a hard couple of weeks
for me since I’ve had a ton of work to do, and since the weather has
been warmer the pollution has greatly increased. Even though I’m often
discouraged when I can’t see the sun there are always moments when some
little thing like talking to the seamstress or the woman at my favorite
milk tea stand can be a small ray of sunlight in my day.