September 13, 2009
Chinese don't wear shoes inside homes. At church, which is held in a home, everyone takes off their shoes at the door and puts them in shoe racks or piles them on the floor. So far, we've all come away with our own shoes, but I can imagine finding more attractive shoes than my own. There is a degree of informality, almost levity, in everyone padding around in bare feet or just socks at church. Sofia would prefer the world without shoes, so going barefoot at church is a nice perk. When the fix-it men came tonight to unclog one of our bathroom drains, they hesitated at the door and asked about their shoes. Given the job to be done, shoes were in order, but it took Jacek several tries to convince them that crossing the threshold clad would not incur our wrath.
UTAH here we come
16 years ago
Hi Kif: We wear shoes at church in Spain. Just wanted to let you know I enjoyed reading! Un abrazo, Valerie
ReplyDeleteWith the things Alex has tracked into the house on the bottom of his shoes (after traipsing around the next-door neighbors' chicken coop), I wouldn't mind introducing this cultural norm at home.
ReplyDelete