The “One yuan, please” strategy started when Sprite was about eight years old. We visited a gorgeous waterfall in China. It’s a major tourist area for the province, and there were many people visiting on the day we toured. In that kind of environment, everyone has a camera, and most everyone wanted a photo with the “foreign doll” Sprite.
It’s not uncommon as a foreigner to be asked by strangers to join them in a photo. It is flattering the first few times people do it. And then it becomes distracting and annoying. (Actually, at many tourist spots, there are directions to “not ask foreigners for photos.” Look at #6 on this photo.)
At the waterfall, we were visiting to enjoy nature. We didn’t want to pose for photo shoots. Sprite especially didn’t want to stop and smile for the constant onlookers. I felt sorry for her.
On the one hand, I didn’t want her to refuse the people who were obviously smitten with her. But it also wasn’t fair to turn her into a park attraction and force her to pose against her will.
Suddenly I had an idea that put her in control of the situation! I suggested that the next time she was approached for a photo, to politely request 1 yuan (Chinese currency — about 15 cents) per shot. In that way, she wasn’t refusing, but she was also gaining something from the situation, something that made her sincerely willing to stand and pose for a photo.
The tourists laughed and most all were willing to give Sprite her small fee. Some even rounded up, not wanting change back for 5 or 10 yuan bills. Others, not willing to pay, simply forgot their request and walked away. Sprite enjoyed the chance to make some pocket money, and the other tourists admired her enterprising creativity while they got the cherished image of the “foreign doll.” When we left the park, Sprite spent her money on a bow and arrows at a small tourist stall.
Since then, the “One yuan, please” has been a strategy for dealing with the constant requests to take photographs in tourist spots. We used the method in Beijing this fall. In fact, at one particular spot, after people started lining up for a chance to take photos, we had to refuse them and walk away. I was afraid that authorities might be upset that we were causing a scene! Plus we could have stood there all day long and never seen any sights.
My solution to the problem may seem a bit mercenary, but it seems to work for us. The tourists are happy, and Sprite is happy. That combination makes me happy!
I think you came up with a clever idea to take care of a difficult situation.
Blessings,
Dawn
.-= Dawn´s last blog ..A Reading Party for Goldilocks =-.
@ Dawn, Thanks! It is rather tricky. I want to be kind to the local people, but my first obligation is to my daughter’s mental health.
What a smart idea, and one I suspect your Chinese friends find fairly sensible! When we were there a few years ago we had a fun exchange of photos with a Chinese tourist group…they got photos with us and we got photos with them. It was fun and everyone seemed to be delighted! But it would be a drag if it were as frequent as it sounds like it is for Sprite.
Smart mama!
Oh, that is so funny! The woman with her hands clapped over her mouth is especially amusing. Did you have any idea, when you first went to China, that Sprite would one day have her own paparazzi? 😉
Clever idea!
.-= Alexandra´s last blog ..Frugal Bathroom Remodel =-.
I think it was a brilliant idea! Well done Mom. :o) Very enterprising of Sprite too. My boys are always looking for ways to raise money – mainly to accompany their Dad on missions trips. Shame this wouldn’t work here too. LOL!
Brillant & Enterprising!
.-= Makita´s last blog ..At Last … Cool Chemistry is Complete! =-.
I completely understand this! My daughter is so shy that we usually let her decline, but then they snap the photo of her walking away :). We’ll have to try the one yuan policy!
.-= Paige´s last blog ..Next Year Plans =-.
Very clever!
.-= Megan´s last blog ..Desert Notebook Download =-.
I can’t believe what a novelty we must be for them. It amazes me that they want a picture with a stranger. I remember reading on your blog before about this, but didn’t realize it was this bad.
Blessings
Diane
.-= Diane´s last blog ..Beautiful Fall Day =-.
@ Diane — “It amazes me that they want a picture with a stranger.” I guess it’s like when we wait to take a pic with Mickey or Goofy at Disney! LOL!
I think that’s a great idea! So were they even more impressed when they found she could speak Chinese?
.-= Marsha´s last blog ..what a great day =-.
@ Marsha —
Yes, we get that all the time. Another kind, well intentioned thing that can turn into a frustration. Example, just tonight we were in a small grocery store picking up milk and rice. Sprite asked the clerk the price of an item. Instead of answering her question, she raves, “This foreigner speaks Chinese!” Then all the ladies in the store start talking about our Chinese. This gets annoying because we just want to shop, not talk about our language ability. Secondly, we’re still waiting for the answer to the question. And third because I come to that store every now and then. They really should know us already. Yeesh!
But like I said, they are being nice. One of those huge cultural differences. I never heard an American rave about a “foreigner’s” English. It’s just assumed that if you travel to USA, you’d better speak English.
We did the same thing with my blonde daughter in 2006. Too bad we didn’t think of it sooner in the trip!
.-= Anne´s last blog ..Cable Cars and Ice Cream =-.
You are very gracious! Our kids get that kind of thing a lot when they are little, and most of them weren’t/aren’t even blond (one son was, and one other has reddish hair). I guess because my husband is Japanese, and not a fellow foreigner, he has much less tolerance for that sort of thing. He especially gets mad when people try to take photos on the sly!
It’s great that you found a way for your sweet daughter to feel like she has some control in those situations.
.-= Sue´s last blog ..This and That =-.
Great idea! I think you did a great thing, giving her some empowerment in the situation. Good job, mom!
.-= Dana´s last blog ..ben likes his new coat. =-.
Smart move!
.-= Missy´s last blog ..About Me =-.
I remember reading about this on one of your posts a long time ago, too. I’m glad you’ve turned this into more of a win/win situation! Though it sounds like it can still get out of hand.
I’m just amazed, though. And, the lady with her hands clasped over her mouth is incredible.
I think you came up with a great solution! Maybe when you visit other interesting sites in the are, you can set aside one day for your own enjoyment and one day for signing autographs! Oh, I know that’s not feasible, but still. When Sprite grows up, she’ll have some interesting stories to tell her own children…”Your mom was a celebrity in China!”
This whole concept is amazing to me! I love when you share cultural differences! What do you think is the fascination? I guess I don’t think about it normally because we’re such a mix of cultures here in the US.
.-= Wit and Whimsy´s last blog ..It’s a beautiful day! (Don’t let it get away…) =-.
I think that this is a great idea and certainly gives her a little bit of power in the situation.
.-= Kimberly @ Raising Olives´s last blog ..GyMathtics: Review =-.
That is incredible! I’ve never heard of such a thing, but I’m so glad you posted about this and I will keep it in mind should we ever take a trip to China. Emily, my oldest, has an endless obsession with China, and has been begging to go there someday. I love your ingenuity! How clever!
.-= Valerie @ Frugal Family Fun Blog´s last blog ..Please help vote for us!! =-.
I love this idea, Jimmie! I wanted to email you tonight but your link doesn’t seem to be working. I have a question for you. Would you mind emailing me? Thanks!!
Molly
.-= Molly´s last blog ..Could my child be dyslexic? =-.
I love how you handled this!
I think it must get very annoying at times.
.-= Keri´s last blog ..Living Math =-.
I love this idea and wish I had thought of that. Unfortunately I did not handle it as well as you. I did try to let my kids be incharge of the ‘photo ops’ and would stop people from taking pictures and make them ask my children if it was okay. Sometimes my kids were fine with it, and other times we said a lot of no’s, and often they would even hide behind me to stop some unwanted pictures. I must admit, that is one thing we are loving about living in Hong Kong, no pictures.
.-= Cristal´s last blog ..That’s right…..blame it on the Canadians =-.
I tried this last night at a mall when some people tried to take a picture of my teenage daughter without asking permission. They were flabbergasted and my daughter was grateful. It’s a hard cultural difference to deal with, for sure.
.-= Sandy´s last blog ..Shopping in China =-.
Great idea! When we were in China, my blond son was a celebrity too. On the Great Wall a group of teenagers actually started screaming when they saw him. My son loved the attention for the two weeks we were there but I can see where it could get very tiring. We could use your idea to pay off our next trip to China LOL.
.-= Amy´s last blog ..Summer Time Learning =-.
I find this very interesting. We were at a local natural area here in the states, and some Asian people were pointing and smiling deliriously at the girls (3 blondes). Now that I think about it, they DID ask us to take a picture of them with thick accents. I let them, and I was flattered. 😉
I love the idea of letting your daughter be in charge of her publicity. Our youngest charges too, though I’ve noticed that lately many times she’ll just quickly pose without asking for money. Do you sometimes wonder what happens to all those photos of our kids? Are they up on walls in homes all across China? One time a friend of mine in Oklahoma was hosting an exchange teacher from our old city of Chengdu. The teacher was showing pictures to the students and up popped a slide called “Little foreigner on European Street” and it was our little girl in her sweet red coat. Our friend was thrilled to catch a glimpse of our littlest!
I really enjoyed this post! My daughter goes through this exact same thing and my husband has suggested that she start charging money, although we’ve just joked about it, guess we’ll have to rethink the idea. I always feel so bad when the Chinese kids, usually the younger ones, obviously don’t want to get their picture taken with Leah and their parents will force them, obviously scared and crying, to do it. Those are the times I will usually just say “No, not today.”