When my Mother-In-Law originally started talking about going to Taiwan, it was to see the 2010 Taipei Flower Expo. She was going to go with a tour group that had the primary focus on the Flower Expo. When MIL told me about it, she had a whole spiel down about the acreage of the expo grounds and the thousands of kinds of flowers there, yada yada yada.
When she found out we were also going to be in Taiwan then, she ditched the tour group idea, but not the flowers. (Dear God, I hope she doesn’t expect to spend the whole trip with us!) Ever time we see her, she tries a new (crazy) tactic to convince us we should really see the flower show.
Attempt #1: You should order tickets now for the flower show because they will be discounted if you buy them in advance!
Attempt #2: The children will love the flower show! They love beautiful colors. It will be very educational for them to learn about flowers and also their Taiwanese homeland!
Attempt #3: This is the most amazing flower show in the whole history of the entire world! We can’t miss it!
Shockingly enough, Mr. A and I really don’t want to go to the flower show. I could not care less about looking at stupid flowers. I am not going to drag the girls around looking at a bunch of dumb flowers while we are surrounded by a bazillion elderly Chinese and Taiwanese tour groups complete with visors and cameras. I would much rather spend an afternoon looking at the interesting crap that will be available in the Japanese department store near our hotel while drinking bubble tea.
Tonight, Mr. A called his mom to work out some details about visiting the 8,000 relatives I didn’t know he had in Taiwan when his mom started in again on the flower show and how it is absolutely VITAL that we go there.
Simultaneously, Mr. A’s dad was visiting our house to pick something up. While Mr. A was on the phone, he started telling me about the damn Taipei flower show. He said we should contact a travel agent and get a package deal because regular people would have to wait in line for TWO HOURS (he was outraged) while the tour groups could go right in.
To be clear, Mr. A’s mom and dad are divorced and do not speak to each other. How it came to be that I was trying to convince Mr. A’s dad that No, we are REALLY REALLY NOT INTERESTED in FUCKING FLOWERS while Mr. A was also on the phone telling his mom that NO! We will NOT GO WITH HER TO THE FLOWER SHOW, I don’t really know.
But OMG, I am afraid they might actually wear us down. Will we go to the 2010 Taipei Flower Expo? I am tempted to give in just to make the campaigning STOP.
You might want to avoid the flower show. My friend went on a Monday, and 61,000 other people had the same great idea. He ended up waiting in line with his family for 5 hours. It’s like Disney world without the reward of rides at the end.
AmFam — you sound a bit like you’re in denial. Of course she plans on spending the entire time with you. And, it appears that she’s going to try to get you to spend the while time with her (i.e. flower show) rather than spend the whole time with you. If I were you, I would hide.
Mostly trying to be funny, but, know a bit too much about asian families to really think it’s completely funny. For example, I’m guessing you’re actually related to everyone in Taiwan, and will have to have a cup of tea with ever single person there. That’s what happened when I visited my home country.
I vote to buy disguises in the US before you leave so you can eventually **hide** from MIL when you need to … just a thought.
I can’t wait to read the posts when you come back!
tell her you bought the tickets, then just don’t go.
perhaps there was a complication at the door and you couldn’t get in???
and perhaps it’s time to get her itenerary so you can confirm you will be in different places/ cities/ bubble tea shops than her while there. best of luck to you!
Good Gawd, do not give in!!
Although deceitful I really like Amber’s idea!
It doesn’t seem possible to me to explain to your in-laws that while a flower show is interesting at their age, interest would fade quickly for your girls.
Or perhaps you have horrible allergies? I can’t breath if I’m in the vicinity of a rose, so perhaps you can’t go due to allergies;)
ahhh! it’s going to be super crowded! don’t go!!
I adore any post about your mother-in-law. This one is so funny. I hope you don’t have to spend time in the stupid flower show. I’ve been to one in Beijing and it was as crowded as it was boring. Please do keep us posted!
[...] have agreed to attend the flower show on Wednesday [...]