WOMAN: John, Amanda, it's nice to meet you.

AMANDA: Nice to meet you too.

WOMAN: The coach should arrive in about 10 minutes to begin our tour. In the meantime, tell me how you've been enjoying your first few days in Beijing.

AMANDA: We've had a great time. Everyone's been so patient with us.

WOMAN: I'm glad to hear it.

JOHN: Yeah, we've had a great time. Although something happened here in the hotel yesterday. We felt uncomfortable. I think we were being asked for a bribe.

WOMAN: In this hotel? What happened?

AMANDA: Well, we went to the hotel concierge to buy tickets for a show. The concierge looked down at his feet and said, very difficult.

JOHN: So I asked why it was difficult, to see if there was something that we were missing.

AMANDA: The more we pressed, the more he apologized and got embarrassed. So we finally just left. I think he was hinting for more money.

WOMAN: It's too bad you got that impression. I believe he was telling you the show was sold out.

AMANDA: Then why didn't he just come out and say it?

WOMAN: He did.

JOHN: No, he didn't. He just said that he was sorry and that it was very difficult.

WOMAN: He didn't want to say no, or the show was sold out directly, because that would be very rude and abrupt. In your culture, you expect direct answers. But here, it's more considerate to be indirect.

AMANDA: But isn't it just easier to say what you mean?

WOMAN: Well, he did. You're just not accustomed to hearing it in the Chinese way.

AMANDA: He must have thought we were pretty dense since we didn't understand him.

WOMAN: I doubt that. I'm sure he was sorry to disappoint you, however. Why don't I go to the desk and see if there are any tickets available for tonight's show instead?

JOHN: Great.