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Q: What mistakes have you made as a result of being a 'dumbass foreigner'?
I'm talking about stuff like falling for scams, like I did in Shanghai. The teahouse scam. The bill (30 thimble-sized cups of tea) came to 1700 yuan. And no, I didn't pay it. Or not knowing the area and ending up late at night at the dead-end of a road, surrounded by rent-boys. (I was out of there quick: their prices were ridiculous!). Or trying to get a hair-cut in a brothel. (In truth I only stood in the doorway for a few moments before the penny dropped: there wasn't a pair of scissors in the joint, plus i'd never had that many ropey looking birds so eager to cut my hair before). The list goes on and on, from paying 2000 more than I should have for my sax because I didn't think the haggling thing went on in Shanghai, to giving a 100 note to a woman begging in the street, then watching her stroll off and give it to her boyfriend, probably on their way to the pub.
How green have you been?
I believed my first contract would be honoured. I don't believe any more 
I came here as an adult with my eyes WIDE open, (and my wife's over my shoulder). If I have fallen for any scams etc I'm not aware of them. Heck my wife won't even allow me to accompany her shopping (except supermarket type shopping) so we don't get Laowai prices.
mArtiAn:
I'm the same with my missus but i've gotten to the point where I just say "Sod it" and let myself get robbed. Just about a month ago I paid well over the odds for some sugar-cane. Once I got indoors I told her the price and she stormed off down the street and confronted the guy. Apparently both him and his mate wouldn't even look her in the eye, they just handed over the difference.
hmmm,, have routinely over-paid in China,, nothing crazy like the Tea House scam, but little things like taxi and e-bike taxi.
The worst mistakes I have ever made in Asia though have both happened in Manila. I disputed the 10% service charge one night and got jumped and sucker-punched by 3 of 'em. I backed-off quick 'cuz dead over $5 is not worth it.
And got mugged around 4am down in Ermita walking back-streets alone and rather intoxicated, which all us fella's who have been here awhile know is a very stupid thing to do. All they got was an old mobile-phone which I was dumb enough to have sticking out top coat pocket. Coulda been worse...
Girls & Boys new to Asia,,, watch your step please...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2255937/Stephen-Ashton-The-forei...
mArtiAn:
I reckon i've been lucky, i've been piss-drunk untold times, very often out on my lonesome at all hours of the night and i've never had a sniff of trouble. Been drugged and robbed, past out in public and one time even woke up in hospital, and each time I lost my wallet in the process, but i've never been mugged here. Touch wood.
After a couple of over-priced things, I am no longer allowed to shop in places that do not have price tags. If we need something from those kinds of places, my wife will ditch me far outside so no one sees her with the dumbass
Scandinavian:
oh, of course taxi drivers assuming I do not know the city, or they know I cannot complain.
Whenever people assume I'm Russian (happens approximately once a day in the winter), I always make the mistake of telling them I'm American. I see the light fade from their eyes as they nod and turn away. Recently I said it before purchasing socks. 8 kuai per pair, but I'm okay with it since they're the thickest/best I've found thus far here.
Too many one being that I stepped inside the silk market. I've had two incidents where I purchased things and either I got ripped off by the person swiping my card twice. I knew what she had done and when she did it I was asking why she did that the girl that was working next to her could speak english and gave me a lame excuse that I would get a refund. Yeah, after that the box was ripped and when I went back to get a replacement she was acting all funny so I knew I just got taken for my money. The other time I bought a pair of jeans that lasted less than a week.
I've been scanned before too by those crazy people that post ads about teaching. At the time some person was using multiple identities with ads about teaching. I ended up finding out that one person was behind all those ads. It was a learning experience and I would have rather learned then so that I can correct the mistakes now or avoid them.
How green have I been? 
I'm always green. And hungry -- that's my secret, actually.
I made the mistake of thinking I could show my wife's mother how much I loved her daughter, and thinking that would be enough.
I made the mistake of assuming that... ah, nevermind. I don't want to hurt the feelings of the Chinese people.
Nessquick:
Whereever i see this "I don't want to hurt the feelings of the Chinese people." I am going die of laughing :D
Hulk:
When Traveler told me about that, I laughed my ass off for days. I still think it's funny. I thought he was kidding, until I googled the phrase. Lo', and behold, there have been OTHERS who have done that.
