Stephen

Ramblings of a seriously bored person in Hainan, China

Dancing at a Funeral

You've probably heard someone say something along the lines of, "when you die, I'll dance on your grave." Obviously this kind of remark is one of disdain. Who wants to dance on someone's grave, or even at their funeral, unless you really want to drive the point home that you hate that person. Now hold that thought, because that might not be entirely true.

Paid mourners have been around for centuries. In some countries, like the Middle East for instance, this activity still continues today. Now I'm not writing this post to condemn the practice though I do find it a very curious one. Paying strangers to cry is, to me, strange. I know this is done for several reasons, one of  which is to give the deceased a good sending off. The more mourners or larger the crowd; the greater the send off.

Well, leave it to the world of enterprise to cash in on this tradition, or at  least on a segment of the population that holds to this type of practice.

You may have read the article posted on Yahoo News concerning "Dancing at a Funeral", (my title). Apparently, the enterprise of strip-tease funerals is now coming to an end in a part of rural China. Enterprise at it's best, wouldn't you say. I mean, what better way, and creative one at that, to attract a large crowd of folks to send off a deceased family member.

I've already told me wife not to cry when I die, but now think I had better tell her not to dance and strip either; after I die that is!

posted by: stephenthegreat at 23:40 | link | comments (1) |
china, hainan, haikou city, teaching english

Zai Jian (Bye Bye)

Since Stephen hasn't posted the news yet, I thought I would do it for him. Stephen has left us here alone. Yep, he's returned to the States. I don't know if or when he will be back, but just in case you're a fan of his or if YOU, Stephenopolis, are reading this - We miss you dude!!!!!!

So, I think I'll start doing a little writing in an attempt to revive this blog. In case you are wondering who this is....well..this Homie. Yeah I know, what kind of a stupid name is that. Fact is...I like it.

Also, as a memorial to S. I'm not going to change the name or the profile because, after all, he started this.

So without any further ado, I'll write a little snippet on something that happened roughly two weeks ago. I received an email from CBS asking if they could interview me. My first reaction was, "this has got to be a joke and how in the world did they find me." I answered the email anyway figuring what harm could it do. A little spam maybe, who knows. Then I get a second email from another CBS person asking the same thing. I didn't reply to that one. The next day I received a telephone call from.....yep, none other than CBS from Beijing. I gotta tell you, I kinda freaked out.

Anyway, they flew down from Beijing just to interview my wife and I about living abroad in a place that has a lot of typhoons. They arrive in Haikou and the next day, I get a phone call and give her directions to my apartment complex. Now I'm thinking, she sounds nice and friendly and she assured me that the interview would be painless and that I would do fine.

Shortly after lunch, they call me informing me that they were on their way. Now I'm getting really nervous. After all, I don't want to come across as an idiot. Well, no more than I already am! While they're on their way, I'm picturing a Barbara Walters type individual. Not so....I meet them at the main gate and out from the van comes a very attractive young woman. Was I shocked. It's amazing how your mind conjurs up all kinds of images.

The interview lasted about an hour and she told me that it would be nationally televised in the States. I knew being in two movies here would one day pay off. So if you, my man J. Doom read this, take that! And for the sake of not embarrassing this lovely CBS reporter, I'll forgo revealing her name. Suffice it to say, if you're in China and get a call from CBS, do the interview.

posted by: stephenthegreat at 23:13 | link | comments |
china, hainan, haikou city, teaching english