Happy Valentines Day. Now get out there and rent a boyfriend!

A headline in China Daily says that single women who want to avoid the nagging of parents when they return home during spring festival have resorted to renting fake boyfriends for the trip. The photo showed a woman holding up a sign saying fake boyfriend needed for spring festival. 10,000 yuan  (which is about 1500 US) for five days work. They had to be from 26 -30 at least 1.75 meters tall and insightful. The general conception in China is the older you get the fewer marriage opportunities you have. The idea has spread to want adds in micro-blogging sites. Hmmm sounds like a movie plot….Chinese woman hires man to play her lover so that she can get mom and dad off her back and just enjoy a nice Spring Festival dinner without any hassle. Meanwhile the guy begins to fall in love with her only to find out that they are long lost cousins! Awkward hijinks ensues……  Supporters of the idea say that it saves people from spending the holidays fighting with their families about why they haven’t gotten married and for the rented boyfriend, he gets some free travel and a place to stay.

Women feel the pressure of turning 30 with no boyfriend or possible marriage proposals. They often spend the holiday getting nagged by their parents. I imagine it goes something like this. “Your cousin is married and she is ugly! What’s wrong with you?? You need to learn how to cook! You should change your hair? Etc. etc. Mother daughter relationships are the same everywhere I think.

I was surprised to hear that Valentines Day is big in China. The flower market is happy about that. So I guess when it comes to making money these made for commerce holidays are universal. I can only imagine what will happen on Easter being the year of the Rabbit. As for me, I doubt if Valentines day is going to send cupid over to my place with his or her magic arrows. As far as I can see, there are two types of women in Beijing. Really young beautiful women in their 20s and early 30s and really old women. I don’t see much In between. To be a young single American in Beijing has to be heaven for romantic opportunities. To be an overweight bearded man in his early 50s = Not so Heaven. Most of the time as I walk down the street women just look down. This may be a big city thing. DON’T MAKE EYE CONTACT!  It does get lonely sometimes here. Wiser people than I tell me you have to be comfortable on your own before you can be good in a real relationship. I get to practice that for a while.

I don’t think I can consider myself handsome to Beijing women. I don’t really base it on any facts just looking at who their stars are on TV. Those guys don’t look like me. The only guys on TV who have facial hair beside the Monkey King, are gangsters and old kung fu masters. The Kung fu masters have those really cool long beards that go well with their long eyebrows. The other day I had a couple of security guards want to take my picture. They weren’t being sneaky like they were on foreigner patrol more like they were excited to take my picture. I let them take some snaps with their cell phone and waved. I was asking my friend Craig if this happens often. He said they probably thought I was George Clooney. Ok before you get excited. I don’t look like the handsome tuxedo wearing suave George. More like the fatter grey bearded old tired George of Syriana. I have gotten this before. I figure better to look like a chubby bearded version of George than no Clooney at all. So maybe it is time to hit the gym and someday shave off the beard. 

Now everyone has told me that Chinese women love western men. I think that is partially true. Chinese women who want to move to the U.S. do love American men. It’s not fair to make that a general statement. I think there are plenty of Chinese women who love living in China and are more independent than before. We always assume everyone wants to move to the U.S. I haven’t really been here long enough to make an educated judgment of romance in China or the opportunities for moi but at the moment I am just getting to meet new friends, trying to learn a language and find my way around in a new job. That is plenty to deal with at the moment. For now I am keeping the beard because it is COLD! Hopefully, next spring festival I won’t have to be standing around in the Forbidden City holding a sign saying Fake girlfriend for rent!