This week marked four months I've been in China. I think I adjusted fairly quickly to culture shock and living in a place that is equivalent to America, post WWII. Technologically, China is advanced well beyond us, I think. Politically and culturally, however, much of China is still recovering from the Culture Revolution of the '90s and is about where America was in the '50s as far as politics and cultures.
I am reading a book called, "101 Stories for Foreigners to Understand Chinese People," which is about exactly what it sounds like. The book is written by a Chinese woman who grew up in the States, married an American who now works in Shanghai and it talks about all the cultural differences between the two countries and tells funny stories and gives interesting facts and such. It's a really fascinating book and I was surprised at how much I already knew from it just from my four months here.
This particular book is more for entertainment than factual guidance. It is somewhat resourceful in the sense it gives good background information on certain aspects of the culture.
I've previously written a bit about cultural differences and the culture shock of living in China, now I can move past the obvious shockers like children in ass-less pant bottoms.
First, Beijing is an international city and there is quite a large population of foreigners like myself so it makes adjusting much easier. I work for a well-known company that isn't small in size, either. The company is really good about directing newbies to the nearest nest of foreigners. There are several neighborhoods in Beijing that have practically been taken over by foreigners. Going to these foreigner-friendly places is sometimes like entering another dimension. When foreigners make up 95% of attendance in any restaurant or bar, I always forget I'm in China. Then I walk outside and it's like being spit back into reality. It sounds bizarre, but trust me, my fellow foreigners know exactly what I'm talking about.
Crazier than that, I avoid foreign places sometimes. First, Western places are always more expensive because anything imported costs a month's rent here. Second, I have fallen madly in love with Chinese food and quite enjoy being surrounded by locals. Plus, if you're having a bad day, eating in a Chinese place helps because the stares make you feel like a celebrity, ha.
You have to be careful with food here, but you also have to branch out tremendously. For me, I'm an extremely picky eater and I have surprised myself at the things I'll eat here. I crave cucumbers now, and I voluntarily buy, and eat, lettuce. When I go to Carrefour, the Chinese Wal-Mart, I can pick out a fish that's still swimming and watch them cut it right there on a table. I pick out carrots and potatoes so fresh from a garden that they're still covered in dirt. I pick out chicken breast from a pile in the market and throw it in a freezer bag for the attendants to weigh. Going to the grocery store, honestly shouldn't be so entertaining, but it truly is. Plus, little things amuse little minds. :)
The fruit here is unbelievably delicious. I walked into work a few weeks ago and asked my co-workers if they thought fruit vendors injected their apples with steroids because they are all softball-sized. This is not an exaggeration. Bananas taste better here and the oranges are delectably juicy.
But moving on from food...
Aside form the obvious adjustments to food one must make when moving across the world to another country, there is the everyday, run-of-the-mill routines and human interactions. My personal favorite routine: my daily commute (sarcasm at its max.) You all know my feelings of the subway in Beijing. I love it so much I've decided the name for my book from this journey will be, "Beijing Metro: Have You Seen My Soul?" I absolutely despise the subway. The Chinese have zero recognition, better definition, of what personal space is. It is nonexistent here. I've adjusted to that and just accepted that there are 22 million people in one city. However, the pace at which people move is dreadful. I am an extremely impatient person, and living in China has only worsened that quality in myself. How is this rambling any different from what I've previously blogged about my passionate dislike for the subway you ask? Well, friends, now I'm quite merciless when pushing through the wave of human traffic in the subway. I try to be polite, patient and walk at the pace of my fellow Chinese peers, but sometimes I just can't. Many people are glued to their cellphones here, and it is infuriating because it distracts them from walking quickly, or sometimes, from walking at all. On that note, using headphones is often few and far between. Many people have cell phones the size of iPads, which they use to watch TV and movies at a volume which all fellow passengers can enjoy. Or not enjoy in my case. These annoyances on the subway, I fear will never change. The headphone thing is a lack of manners and respect to others and the walking is just.. well, I just can't stand it.
Aside front the lack of human movement in the subway, the rest is bearable. Three weeks ago when I lost my iPhone and was unable to listen to my music (visa headphones) as I usually do, I became quite fond of my daily commutes. You notice a lot when you have no other option but to hear what's going on around you. I began to repeat the subway stops in my head and can now say all 13 I pass daily quite well. (Trust me this is a bigger accomplishment than you'd think.) I learned the word for "arrived," which has been useful in cabs. Also, I always have my headphones in because I like writing or reading on the train to work and constant conversation is obviously a big distraction for me. However, since I don't understand Chinese, it's not distracting at all.
One more thing about the subway that has turned into a bit of a game is the stares. I've informed you all of the staring situation. A few weeks ago I was riding home with a co-worker and she and I decided that at any given moment on the subway, you could look up and catch at least three people staring, and that's only in one direction. So far, we haven't miscalculated. It's entertaining enough.
Last subject on the subway. In New York, I learned to ignore beggars and preachers on the subway. Although I could speak their language and read their signs, I became hardened by it all. It's often hard to decipher who is truly in need and who isn't. The same applies here in Beijing. However, I find myself feeling more sympathetic here. I don't act on this emotion, but because I can't understand them I feel worse because even if I believed they were in need I'd never be able to communicate what it was they were needing. On the subways, the beggars have these radios that BLAST a depressing Chinese song that I assume is the equivalent of Sarah McLaughlin's, "Arms of the Angel." It's extremely depressing and for whatever reason they feel the need to play said music at maximum volume which makes me pity them less (to sound like a totally heartless jerk.) Just as in the States, many of these peoples are performers and make more money than the rest of the community at the end of the day. However, I've also heard from several people that gangs often find the run-down and force them to beg and perform and such. This is where I become saddened. I couldn't imagine being forced to the ultimate form of shame. In China, these acts are extremely shameful. It's very frowned upon to carry your child around begging for money. Pride is a dangerous thing. I often fear it'll be the death of this country.
The last form of adjusting that is a daily struggle is obviously the language barrier. I am learning a new word or phrase each day and I repeat said word or phrase until it drives my peers crazy. I will just go around saying a random Chinese word at whatever opportunity I can in hopes of it sticking in my mind. Knowing single words has actually helped because by knowing the word for "this" and "what," I realized the other day I knew how to ask, "what's this?" Quit proud of myself I have lately been asking "What's this?," in Chinese about things I know the answer to. Just knowing how to say hello, thank you, goodbye, count and other basics is an extremely helpful resource. Also, the Chinese locals love when a foreigner speaks Chinese to them, They realize how hard the language is to us and thank is is incredible when we can say, "ni hao," or "xie xie." However, that can sometimes be a problem because they'll continue to speak excessive amounts of Chinese and you have to just smile and say one of the four phrases you know for, "I don't know."
So, that's life as of now. I'm still very much in love with the students, even the naughty ones. I love my family here and I love never knowing what is going to happen next. :)
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