Quick Recap

Something funny yet inspiring happened to me lately. My German teacher recommended me to some woman as a German tutor. I was totally flattered. Just for the record, I've only been learning German for 6 months. But she thought I was adequate to the job and referred to me as her best student for now. But it didn't pan out. Nevertheless, the whole thing's a nice little ego boost for me.

What also can make my day is reading comments or any other kinda of feedback about my blog. Just in case you don't know, Blogger is blocked in China mainland like forever. So to a large extent, readers of this blog are non-Chinese or Chinese who would like to read some English stuff and be capable of bypassing the GFW.

I'm not concerned too much about daily traffic driven here but I do pay quite a little attention to which of posts are most read. By far I know my most popular posts go to "I Don't Have A Dream", "Chinese people? Incomprehensible!" and "Sex and the Univercity". I'm not be swift to generalize anything I see. However, what I found out is gonna illustrate the point that foreigners are more interested in self-reflection - they're fond of reading unharmonized posts which criticize the CCP, Communism, centralization or even Chairman Mao BY CHINESE OURSELVES.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it's understandable. It's like "hunting for novelty". I assume that I'd feel the same way if I hear British people judge themselves. But the pathetic part of my case is that I'm entitled to speak up only outside the GFW, only beyond the sight of the "Internet harmonizers".

For one moment, those new notions dawn on me and I'm going for somewhat a westernized girl. But the next moment, I feel tied up by those old-fashioned values I grew up with. I can't totally let myself go. I wanna balance it all out. But from time to time, I got a bit overwhelmed by living these two lives.

Say one thing and do another - it's ironic that I actually grow into a typical Chinese. hehe, I'm in need of a bear hug.

(Below is a cartoon paraphrasing how Swedish media looks at Google's withdrawal from China.)

 （这张图片咱们中国人看看就好，外国人看不懂，呵呵。）

What Expats Don't Understand about Shenzhen?

I read this interesting report on Southern Metropolis Daily(2009-11-7). It covered 10 foreigners who already stayed in Shenzhen for some time. They encountered quite a few incomprehensible circumstances here and finally they couldn't help but bringing up many questions which even confused me. I picked out some questions and translated them into English.

Some of those questions somewhat show that they are lacking of common sense for living in China. Yet I have to admit that I feel confused in my city too. By Shenzhen, I reckon they actually mean China, because all these issues don't happen merely in Shenzhen but the whole country. People from outside of Shenzhen share the same characteristics, not to mention that most residents here are not native.

Sorry if this translation is rough, I did it within an hour.^^

Brad, American, 40, designer, here for 9 years

1. He doesn't understand why people drive without licences but with perfect assurance.

2. He doesn't understand why young people still throw plastic lunch boxes out of their car windows while there are so many environment-friendly texts in books.

3. He doesn't understand why he was asked about age, job and relationship status by total strangers even when he was on a bus.

4. He doesn't understand why people bought apartments and waited them to be revalued instead of moving in there.

5. He doesn't understand why students study hard in high school but totally unwind in college. Things are just opposite in America.

6. He doesn't understand why people are so clamorous in public. Europeans think Americans are loud, but comparing to people in Shenzhen, we're fairly quiet.

7. He doesn't understand why people often whine about the air condition in Shenzhen. It's much better than it in Hong Kong.

8. He doesn't understand why people are fond of getting some weird English names. Those names sound more like pizza shops or bistros.

Christian Buggelsheim, Austrian, 36, Hotel Manager, here for 3 years

1. He doesn't understand why business partners always drink Baijiu, nay, they tank it.

2. He doesn't understand why people fancy eating animals' organs. Everytime they ordered those spooky chicken paws, I got goose bumps.

3. He doesn't understand why Chinese can't understand his Mandarin. When he attended some social events with his girlfriend, he felt like an invisible person. They speaks too fast for me to catch up. Shenzhen is supposed to be international, but why I only found a few people here spoke fluent English.

4. He doesn't understand why there are few people in Shenzhen riding bikes. Isn't China a kingdom of bikes?

5. He doesn't understand why people in Shenzhen want to travel in Europe or America because Shenzhen seems perfect to him. This city becomes empty at holidays.

Frederic, French, 35, Executive Chef, here for 3 years

1. He doesn't understand why people can just drink or roll bones in a bar for hours.

2. He doesn't understand why there're so many bars in Shenzhen but only a few of them are worth going. Bars are full around 10 p.m.but get empty around 2 a.m..

3. He doesn't understand why people complain that "I paid that much but only got this little French food." Quantity plays a more important role here.

4. He doesn't understand why people go to a French restaurant but order American salad. They don't know "Bon Appetit" is French, do they?

5. He doesn't understand why chefs don't get enough respect in China. In Europe, chefs are appreciated as movie stars.

Daniel, American, 42, Electronic Industry, here for 2 years

1. He doesn't understand why people cough without covering their mounths and spit all the time.

2. He doesn't understand why women in Shenzhen are so realistic that they love you after knowing whether you own an apartment or a car.

3. He doesn't understand why some electric appliance are so expensive here. A toast machine costs you 9.9 dollars in America but costs 400 RMB here.

4. He doesn't understand why house price is so high here while rent so cheap.

5. He doesn't understand why can't he get clothes of his size, even when he choose the XXXL ones.

Mark, American, 59, Singer and English teacher, here for 10 years

1. He doesn't understand why foreigners in Shenzhen barely know Chinese culture or Chinese people.

2. He doesn't understand why some Chinese people say they don't love China.

3. He doesn't understand why "pig ears" can be food because he thinks they're nasty.

4. He doesn't understand why China changes so fast and is not easy to catch up with.

5. He doesn't understand why Chinese people put their family at the first place but he likes this value.

Karl, American, 40, professor, here for 3 months

1. He doesn't understand why the cable and the TV remotes ares so complicated.

2. He doesn't understand those English in textbooks is confusing and is like translated by machine.
 
3 He doesn't understand why children live with their parents and parents have to look after children's children.

Sun Seungkai, Korean, 32, Manager, here for 4 years

1. He doesn't understand why girls cover their beautiful legs with tights, even in Summer.

2. He doesn't understand why people don't like wearing hats, even if their hair is a mess, even they're bold. In Korea, almost everyone wear hats.

3. He doesn't understand why taxi drivers always argue with passengers.

Sakura Takumi, Japanese, 42, board chairman, here for 9 months

1. He doesn't understand why people randomly spit and litter.

2. He doesn't understand why people jump the red light and jump the queue

3. He doesn't understand why people are constantly late for anything and what's worse is, they tell you "I'll be there soon" but it still needs half an hour.

4. He doesn't understandwhy Shenzhe is near the sea but people are more fond of going to mountains.

5. He doesn't understand why people are socasual in public. "Everytime I went back to Japan, I felt stressed out because I was not allow to take phone calls on subway or bus, even with your earphone. But in Shenzhen, people talk on the phone even on formal occasions.

In addition, the following cartoon is from a Canadian. Let's see what he's trying to tell us.

1. There're many disabled people kotowing on the streets of downtown.

2. But they're just faking it.Their heads don't reach the ground. Their hair is long so it's hard to tell. And in fact, even they reach the ground, you can't hear anything either.

3. The main activity you can do is shopping, but what's odd is that there're only expensive name brands and high-class products. It's easy to get a 'Rolex' but it's very hard to get ordinary stuff.

4. It took me 3 days to find a knife in a supermarket.

Ringing a bell now?^^ hehe, It reminds me of another translation I post some time ago, "Chinese people? Incomprehensible!".  If you're also an expat in Shenzhen or in China, I'd like to know what do you find incomprehensible.

one side effect of Spring Festival

22 is a bloody evil age since people around you, no matter how free and easy you used to think they were, started to ask about your relationship status. Sometimes parents or older relatives could be a little too helpful with it. They urged you to get involved in a marriage-oriented relationship. They kinda held the opinion that "you don't have to love him or her deeply because your passion could thrive in the long run (yea, right). You just gotta find someone good enough to have a family with". I just tried to be kind and firm but I guess I'd have a family-reunion phobia after one year or two if I stay single. Well, it's not gonna be any better even if I find my right one, because they would urge you to marry by then.

Chinese people generally tend to be family-oriented and very much appreciate our family bonds. But at every Spring Festival I got the feeling that I was brain-washed. It's no fair to blame mom or other relatives on giving me the brainwash but I have to admit that what they did and said affected my mind in some ways - I barely paid attention to the things in my routine life and I neglected school, my ambitions and even didn't bother being cynical. Instead, the definition and the concept of FAMILY became more graphic in my consciousness. Maybe that was what Spring Festival originally for.

The other day I invited my British friend over for dinner. It was not the first time for mom to meet my foreign friend, but she was still being very Chinese. When he said he hadn't really thought of marriage, mom started to enlighten him (in Chinese though). It seemed funny to me. Well, I believe foreigners like my friend would take marriage more sincerely and seriously than most Chinese people (although they get divorced more easily) because most Westerners must commit to the ones they love, but not the ones "well-matched in their social and economic status".

Still alive.

I had an issue with my mom the other day.I tried to reason with her but she upheld her own theory.It ended up we were cool though,I felt hurt and was a bit irritated.My close friends told me that that don't it too hard,because that's the way parents are.They told me whatever parents said,they meant well.
Well,I think so and I would probably tell them the same thing if they encounter the same problem.But my un-Chinese friends had different attitude,and they told me "go talk with your mom and tell her you love her and care about her".However,it's just too hard for us Chinese children(at least my age) to actually talk to parents,not to mention say "I love you" to them(I got goose bumps just thought of it).

My Filipino friend said he didn't understand why his Chinese friend didn't hug his mom before flew to the States.I kissed and hugged my mom when I was little but not any more now.There's no such a formality or rule in "Chinese family ethics".

Chinese people? Incomprehensible!

Last year,I read this great article for the first time.The other day,I read it again and decided to translate it into English to tell you how Chinese people look at ourselves.Yi Zhongtian does have an insight into Chinese national characters.I couldn't help laughing when read this article.Well,differences exist in every country.But Chinese people share the same characters while behave differently,you always have to read between the lines.Some judge Yi that he should've brought up with some solutions about our flaws rather than just generalized them.But as I'm concerned,don’t even try to change them,unless you give us another 2000 years.

Chinese people,incomprehensible

Author:Yi Zhongtian 
Original post:http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_483c11a601008nd0.html
 

Chinese people are hard to comprehend in every case.



Take corruption as example,are Chinese people fond of that?Of course not.In fact,they all find it hateful.So do those bribees and bribers,I dare say.Why would the officials like to take the plunge of getting in jail,if they have money rolling in without corruption?And why would the bribers like to give out their sweat money,if their ways are unblocked?



So most people do not like corruption.However,they can hardly quit it.As the case stands,once Chinese people get in trouble,the first idea they come up with is how to “get in by the back door”.If the officials actually don’t accept grease of any kind,I'm afraid that people would feel disappointed and insecure because they’ve got no “promises”.Therefore,it’s not practicable either to totally forbid or to stop fighting corruption.The best way left is to establish some rules,like "It's allowed to be invited to dinner for once or twice",or "It's okay to accept one or two packs of cigarettes".There everyone is happy.



Some people reckon it's all due to the social convention in China.But I can't totally agree with that idea.When it comes to recreational activities using public funds,Chinese people seem to feel disgusted with it.Whereas,whoever you invite to join in the activity for their first time,he or she will be willing to do it and feel content.So it is obvious that people are not actually against those activities if they can reap the benefit of them.



I don’t mean that Chinese people say one thing and do another,nor they are double-faced.But there are many ways of the world,with much contradiction in terms.The ancestors left many teachings of the deceased,but some of them can't be wielded at the same time.For example,the ancestors told us to "ready to help others for a just cause",but then suggested us "not to meddling in things that do not concern you".Wait a minute!Are we doing it or not?See that’s why I call you a nerd - leave it,if it’s just an unimportant matter;go for it,if it is.So Good Samaritan is right,and standing-by is also right.There is much to be said on all sides.Each and everyone just has to claim himself is in the right.



But in that case,those experts who study the "Chinese National Characters" would have a headache to define Chinese with one expression or two.Chinese people are fairly frank but tactful,honest but sophisticated,distrustful but credulous,hidebound but flexible,self-serving but loyal,decent but incivilized,mild but ultra,economical but extravagant,old-fashioned but swanky,contented but get-rich-quick,superstitious but (mostly) irreligious,collectivistic but factious,picky but smooth,un-meddlesome but gossip,saying "Time is money" but taking time.China has vast territory,abundant resources and a splendid culture of more than 5,000 years.She “got rich first” but then experienced a period of suffering impoverishment and chronic decadence. "Lagging behind leaves one vulnerable to attack",as the history books tell us.



Anyway,Chinese people are hard to understand.Not just foreigners,even Chinese people find themselves incomprehensible.As a matter of fact,even "incomprehensible" can’t be the right word for everyone,because I’m convinced that someone will argue against it at once—"Incomprehensible?How so?I'm gonna define my people to you".Then he will talk about it in full details.I believe he'll make his point so that the listeners will all nod their agreement.But so what?They also nod when they listen to Tom, Dick or Henry,as long as they all make sense.Not to mention that in China,not every nodding means approval(while it doesn’t have to mean disapproval).It may just be a sign for “I'm listening”,or for being polite.So much as it's just a unconscious pattern of behavior.



Chinese people themselves just have too many issues,even about food.Chinese people,no matter from the North or South,are all fond of inviting or being invited to dine together. Virtually there are many differences about what to have and how to have it.If you’re treated by the Northern,chances are you get many different kinds of dishes and any of it can easily stuff you because there are normally a whole chicken or duck and much pork or lamp.You just gotta devour ravenously. At the same time,the Southern don’t order that many kinds and you won’t see much food on each plate.It doesn’t take much time to finish all of them.But those dishes seem more delicate—they make several kinds dishes from one chicken or add more ways to finish one fish.One thing led to another,the Northern start to think the Southern are petty and look down upon them,whilst the Southern think the Northern are douche.The most interesting thing is that they both call each other hypocrites.The Northern say,"we don’t even bothering using chopsticks for that little shabby food.Do you seriously wanna treat me or what?"Nevertheless,the Southern says,"we don’t have to waste anything to show our sincerity.We're not stuffed shirts.And order that much food?You must have nothing to do but eat."Thus,they’re both pure-hearted but misunderstood.



As my original point,Chinese people are literally incomprehensible.