There is a conversation that we have at least 10-20 times a day with the locals that is usually a variation of the following:
Vendor: You Japon?
Us: No.
Vendor: Where from?
Us: Canada.
Vendor: Canada? (look of confusion) But you look Japon.
Us: Our parents are Chinese.
Vendor: Ahhhhhhhhh. Chiiiiina. I see. (look of confusion disappears) You wanna buy hat? How much you pay?
Us: No, no thank you No hat today.
Vendor: I give you good price.
Us: No thank you. We already have hat.
Vendor: How about scarf? Best price.
Us: No, no thanks. Don't want to buy anything today.
Vendor: How about fan?
Us: No thank you. No money. (starting to walk away)
Vendor: How about tee shirt?
Us: No. (walking away)
Vendor: Pants?
Us: (no response)
Vendor: (calling after us) Massage? My sister's shop gives good massage
Us: (still no response)
Vendor: Ok, no problem. You come back tomorrow?
And then we meet Majid. Majid is Iranian born but has been living in Sweden for the past twenty seven years and has also been traveling around Sri Lanka for the past couple of weeks. While discussing the topic of bargaining with the locals, Majid mentioned how he always gets accommodations for a bargain price by saying that he's from Iran and has no money instead of being from Sweden.
And so we decided use use his logic to our everyday situation and now our conversations go something like this.
Vendor: You Japon?
Us: No, not Japon
Vendor: Where from?
Us: China.
Vendor: Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh. Chiiiiiina. I see. (pauses for a second). You see hat? Made in China.
Us: Ah, yes. (feigning recognition)
Vendor: How much in China?
Us: (pausing to look at item). About 50 rupees.
Vendor: I sell for 100. (smiles)
Us: Yes, China very cheap. (walking out). Have a good day.
Vendor: Yes, yes, have a good day!
Problem solved! Now the only question we have is, where do we say we're from when we get to China?
Vendor: You Japon?
Us: No.
Vendor: Where from?
Us: Canada.
Vendor: Canada? (look of confusion) But you look Japon.
Us: Our parents are Chinese.
Vendor: Ahhhhhhhhh. Chiiiiina. I see. (look of confusion disappears) You wanna buy hat? How much you pay?
Us: No, no thank you No hat today.
Vendor: I give you good price.
Us: No thank you. We already have hat.
Vendor: How about scarf? Best price.
Us: No, no thanks. Don't want to buy anything today.
Vendor: How about fan?
Us: No thank you. No money. (starting to walk away)
Vendor: How about tee shirt?
Us: No. (walking away)
Vendor: Pants?
Us: (no response)
Vendor: (calling after us) Massage? My sister's shop gives good massage
Us: (still no response)
Vendor: Ok, no problem. You come back tomorrow?
And then we meet Majid. Majid is Iranian born but has been living in Sweden for the past twenty seven years and has also been traveling around Sri Lanka for the past couple of weeks. While discussing the topic of bargaining with the locals, Majid mentioned how he always gets accommodations for a bargain price by saying that he's from Iran and has no money instead of being from Sweden.
And so we decided use use his logic to our everyday situation and now our conversations go something like this.
Vendor: You Japon?
Us: No, not Japon
Vendor: Where from?
Us: China.
Vendor: Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh. Chiiiiiina. I see. (pauses for a second). You see hat? Made in China.
Us: Ah, yes. (feigning recognition)
Vendor: How much in China?
Us: (pausing to look at item). About 50 rupees.
Vendor: I sell for 100. (smiles)
Us: Yes, China very cheap. (walking out). Have a good day.
Vendor: Yes, yes, have a good day!
Problem solved! Now the only question we have is, where do we say we're from when we get to China?
