My neighbours are getting married

Chinese weddings are a bit different from our weddings. Since there is no church involved, things are a bit easier. The first thing the couple has to do, is to apply for an appointment at the registry office. There they go and sign. The same evening usually, there is a party in a hall, restaurant or a hotel. Most people choose a hotel.
The event doesn't last long. There is the reception that lasts for about an hour. The couple stands in the lobby or in a place outside the room or hall where the celebration takes place and welcomes the guests. Hands are shaken, hugs and kisses given, photos taken, and of course many Hongbaos are given to the married couple. Hongbao is a red envelope that contains money. Red is the lucky colour, that's why the money is put in such an envelope. It's up to the guests how much they want to give, but there's something like a minimum of 500 RMB, a little over 50 pounds.
After an hour or so when all the guests have arrived and taken their seats, the couple enters the room. The scenarios vary. In this case, Bobo entered the stage and was taken to Cathy down the catwalk. In other cases, the bride appears on stage and the groom walks towards her doing a performance or something. Rings are exchange on stage, the groom may kiss the bride and the parents go on stage too. There is always an announcer, a host of the event and there is always a video presentation with greetings and wishes of people who couldn't make it to the wedding. Images and clips of the two are shown too.
After that, food is brought, a lot of food. There's music playing while people dine. Depending on the budget, it can be a band, a DJ or simply a CD or Playlist. While the people dine, the bride changes dresses. Unlike in many other countries, especially in the West, where the bride keeps her wedding dress on all night, here and in some other Asian countries, they take it off and wear a traditional dress.
Then the couple goes around the tables and the groom is invited to drink whatever the guests give him. In return, he receives Hongbaos. When people are done eating, roughly an hour or so later, the first guests start to leave. Three or so hours after the beginning of the reception, the event finishes. Some go to a club or KTV to party all night long.
Last night was the big night of Bobo and Cathy. They are not exactly my neighbours, because they don't live in my building, but in one opposite. Bobo has his studio across my flat, that's how we got to know each other. He is a musician, has his own band, but also has a recording studio, where other musicians come to rehearse and record their songs, and he held auditions for the Voice of China.
Cathy is an English language teacher and works in a training school. She's about to start her own business and I might be part of it.

Here are some photos of the event.

Receiving guests

 Madame Butterfly

 Waiting for the bride

 Down on my knees (lucky me, I'm young and they don't hurt)

 some funny anecdotes are told

 vows

 Thanking the guests for coming

 take a bow in various directions

 not quite the Lord of the Rings

 hugs

 and kisses

 We have made it!

 Thank you everyone!

 FOOD!!!!

 That's quite a lot of booze the groom has to drink, in order to get Hongbaos

 Drinking with the guests. Bride is wearing a traditional dress.

 Do you see the red envelopes on the table in front of Cathy and next to the box with the kinky content and the ones in her hand?

 each drink means one envelope

 Gambei!

 gifts for the guests

 reception decoration

 Bree, the sister of either Bobo or Cathy. She calls them both her siblings, so I didn't understand whose sister she really is. Chinese families are a mystery. They call each other family, even though they are not related, and if they are, they are something else of what the say. A cousin is not really a cousin, but who knows what.

 Taken with a beauty cam

Taken without a beauty cam. See the difference?

And some videos. They may not play on iPhones and iPads.

If you would like to read more by me, here are my novel and my diary from Ar'ar, in the northern Saudi desert. Both available on Amazon as soft and hard copy. 

Big in China - Part 2 - Book presentation

As many of you know, I have written and published a few books. One of them is called 'Theo of Arabia' and talks about my first year in Saudi Arabia. It is about my journey from Europe over Cairo to Riyadh, and from there to Ar'ar. In this book I describe all my feelings and experiences made in a closed to tourism country. Many people found and find it useful, and it helped them, because they knew what to expect when they moved to Saudi, and others who already lived or live in Saudi, encountered more or less what I describe.
The book is available on Amazon and the link is here (opens in a new window)

Some time ago, I had the idea of presenting it to the public in Guiyang. I looked and asked around to find the right venue, and someone recommended the 'C-Shop'. The 'C-Shop' is a creative space venue in the heart of Guiyang. I WeChated Karen, the co-founder and explained to her my idea. She liked it and asked me to talk to George, the CEO of the C-Shop. She passed on his contact card on WeChat and I presented him my idea. We met a few days later and went through the details. Since it was the first book presentation for him, but not for me, we had a highly creative brainstorm and threw various ideas on the table.
About ten days later, we met again for a rehearsal, the Prova Generale, as my friends from the Symphonic Orchestra call it. Besides George and the two waiters, two of my friends played the audience. One was Gerasimos, the percussionist of the orchestra, and the other one was Mi, a colleague and one of my angels here in Guiyang. All of them gave me some feedback and came up with more ideas, and I started planning the event immediately.
George took some photos of the rehearsal and posted them on WeChat to see if there's any reaction. Many people liked, reposted and commented on the photos. This was a good sign for us. Interest was there. Bruce, George's assistant, published the advertisement a few days after the rehearsal and sent them to me, one in Mandarin and one in English. We posted them on WeChat and watched them being reposted by many people. One of my friends here, Xavier, a Mexican, even suggested to launch a chat group on WeChat to advertise the event and my books. I thought about it, and the following day the 'Book Lovers' group was born. I invited a few dozen people, and they invited many more. The group has currently, after a week of the launch, 133 members and continues to grow. What was to be just advertisement for me and my books, turned into a discussion group. There we talk about novels, poetry, etc. The members are both, foreigners and Chinese, and some don't even live in Guiyang. I came up with the idea of starting a book/reading group, and many people liked it. So, in about a month we will meet for the first time to discuss Harper Lee's 'To Kill a Mockingbird'.
Yesterday, two weeks after the rehearsal, and a lot of work and effort, was the big night, my big night. We didn't know how many people would come, and estimated about fifty. Even though the invitation asked the people to book a seat, many hadn't realised it and informed me via WeChat, that they would come. Around seventy people attended at the end.
My partner Mi and I, went there earlier to set everything up and to welcome the guests. The atmosphere was very pleasant and cheerful and many people wanted a photo with me. I was surprised to see many Chinese who didn't speak a word of English. Word had spread and they got curious and wanted to witness the event.
After an extended photo session, George welcomed the guests and introduced Mi and me. We started by showing maps of Asia and Europe and Saudi to give the people an idea of where we are, from where to where I travelled and where the book is set. The Chinese are terrible at geography, so this was a must. Then I read various pages and showed many photos. Mi translated everything into Mandarin. The people asked many questions and the event ended after three hours.
We hugged each other with a big smile and beating hearts and congratulated each other to this success. Unfortunately, we didn't have the time to go for a beer or two afterwards.
There will be a second presentation of this book, when the Chinese version is out. The translator is currently working on it.

Here are some photos:

Rehearsal. Gerasimos and Mi.

Setting up and going through the details for the last time (George and Mi)

    Mi

C-Shop gets slowly crowded

 With a fan

 With another fan

 With Tian, friend of Mi

 With my neighbour Cathy

 With the accountant of my school, Easy.

 With two of my pupils, Lilian (left) and Grace (right)

 With Grace

 With Miss Du, one of the receptionists of the building I live in, and one of my angels in GY.

 With Power, a university teacher and owner of a language training school.

George welcoming the guests and introducing us.

Having fun with Mi

 Mi's notes.

 Presenting the team of the Saudi Mining Polytechnic.

 Mi explaining everything in Mandarin

 Presentation

 Showing places

Audience asking questions

 George asking questions

If you would like to read more by me, here are my novel and my diary from Ar'ar, in the northern Saudi desert. Both available on Amazon as soft and hard copy. 

 This is the book I presented.