This is what I keep asking myself. Out loud. In a cute Taiwanese fashion store. I am asking myself because my Chinese is non-existent. Non-existent like the shop assistant's English.
I have walked past the cutesy clothes stores many times, admiring the girlie articles- the tops trimmed with ribbons/chains/flowers/beads; the tweed shorts adorned with bows and the lace trimmed jackets. I filled my purse with wads of NT1000 notes and went shopping. I found a cute embellished t-shirt and went to try it on. The fitting room was free - but - the assistant would not have it.
No.
No?
(pointing at sign on fitting room door that read) No fittings for sale items.
I once more made the universal gesture for trying on clothes.
Shakes head.
Confused, I put the top on the counter and walked away.
Unusual. Or so I thought. Apparently, that is the norm. Not only with sale items either. I went into 3 more stores and the same thing occurred. I even purposefully chose items that were NOT on sale. No. The assistant took the items off me - to put in the fitting room I thought. No. To fold and put into a shopping bag for me to buy. So I walked out. Confused. Again. And again.
As a foreigner in Taiwan, I am finding more and more things different here. I have a feeling this is just the tip of the iceberg.
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