Boisterous

The older Chinese women become, the louder they must speak, and that's the law.

Whether it's increased hearing loss from years of noisy mah jong games, trying to gain the upper hand in conversation, or uncontrolled gregarious enthusiasm, they're loud. They don't seem able to turn down the volume.

Think I'm exaggerating? Let me put it into perspective.

Highway construction is going on behind our building. Our bedroom window faces the hill where this work is being done. They start early in the morning and it's discordant. I sleep through the din as I wear earplugs that filter out the racket from heavy equipment used to shatter rock off the hillside.

When my mother-in-law gets on the phone in the living room, she wakes me up. Her voice carries from the living room, down the hall, through my bedroom door and past my earplugs.

And overpowers the construction noise.

It's not just her. Many ladies whip out their mobile phones while using mass transit; when they have conversations, the rest of the passengers get to have it too. Time spent in any mall or wet market will assure you this is no joke.

Being loud isn't a complete drawback. The advantage comes during a late-morning get-together for dim sum.

To get a server's attention in a busy restaurant, have someone with you who can be heard above the crowd.

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