During my trip in Thailand I could not help, but to make comparisons with China. It was almost like night and day. I also realized I have not fully described many of the amazing differences in China. Since I live in Shanghai and I am at a point where I am either used to a behavior or I have just accepted it in order to make my life easy. This has led me to forget to report these differences.
The two most important rules in China:
1. The only rule is that there are no rules.
2. Money buys anything!
When in China…
-Do bring tissues, napkins, and toilet paper with you. Most restaurants do not provide napkins for their customers. If they do offer napkins you should expect to pay at least 1-3元. You should always keep toilet paper with you as well because many public restrooms do not carry toilet paper. It would be a tragic event if you had to run to the toilet to relieve yourself and realize that there is nothing there to use to wipe your rear. I have not seen this be a problem in western-like places, but one can never be too safe.
-Do not use too much toilet paper because it is likely that it wont make it to the sewer. Instead, the Chinese prefer that you put soiled paper in the “rubbish bin.” I never follow this rule, but I do implore you to use one or two sheets at a time and flush FREQUENTLY! Apparently, Chinese plumbing is delicate.
-Do watch traffic always because pedestrians do not have the right of way. It goes from biggest to smallest. I have seen people get hit because they were not paying attention.
-Do pay attention because Chinese people do not.
-Do not drink water from the sink because no one knows what is in the water. It is not a case of microbes, but rather metals, chemicals, and everything else that should not be coupled with water. Go out and buy water bottles!
-Do not be upset if you are riding a bike in the correct direction and someone decides they want to go the wrong direction. It can be rush hour for bikes and there will always be one braniac who finds it more convenient to inconvenience everyone else. This rule hold true for just about everything in China.
-Do not be afraid to push people in the metro or bus…because they will definitely be pushing you out of their way. China does not have civility when it comes to right of way and just about…everything else.
-Do not be upset if people stare. Chinese people have lived in a closed society for the last few generations. People will try to take pictures and have no problem with gawking. Blond hair, red hair, blue eyes, and black people be warned.
-Do not be afraid to be a little rude by western standards. You will need this to survive in China. If you need to get a little loud to get a point across, so be it.
-Do not be upset if people cut. Chinese have no concept of lines, or they do but they try to get away with not getting in a line. Let them know it is not cool and lay the smack down.
-Do say “ni hao你好,” “qing wen请问,” “xiexie谢谢,” and “dui bu qi对不起” because these are probably the only Chinese words you will learn as a tourist and they can help you get a response or smile out of the Chinese person you are dealing with. I mean, who doesn’t like to hear a foreign attempt to speak their language?
-Do not be confused when people say kuai and not renmenbi or yuan. All are correct, but everyone calls the money kuai.
- Do not be alarmed if you see a parent running with a leaky baby. They are probably trying to find a trash can for their baby to pee in. Diapers are not widely used and you will see young children pee and poop outside on the corner.
-Do not question the cleanliness of a Chinese restaurant. Sometimes it is just better to not ask than to find out. You may never eat Chinese food. Don’t ask, don’t tell.
- Do not worry if you cannot find a dryer. Most people do not own dryers and just hang their clothes to dry.
-Do not be surprised if you see a car that you think is a Toyota, VW, Hyundai, or anything recognizable to the western eye because China has many faux car brands.
-Do not buy your dvd for 5 kuai…it should be 4 kuai.
- Do not worry about it being real or fake. You will spend more time figuring it out than the actual product will last.
-Do buy street food because it is cheaper an more delicious than Western restaurants. This includes sweets potatoes cooked in oil barrels, roasted nuts, noodles and rice of the carts at 11pm, and tons of fruit.
-Do speak to people, even in English. Many young people have some level of English. They cannot understand rapid speech, but they know enough to get by. Chinese people are very friendly and you just might find yourself a new friend or a free tour guide. Also, some Chinese people have seen foreigners if they live in Shanghai or Beijing, but the majority have not and a very few have had the chance to actually converse and have a cultural exchange. Americans fascinate many Chinese. My experiences have been positive.
- Do not be shocked if it is summer time and you see men outside hanging out in their underwear.
- Do not be shocked when you go to the gym locker room and people are naked and having a debate over some Chinese topic. Seems that conversations don’t begin until everyone is equally naked. The shower in the locker room is like the watering hole for gossip.
-Do not be upset if you are at the gym and Chinese people are just sitting on a machine reading, talking on the phone, applying makeup and perfume, or they aren’t beating their kid for being on a machine. Many Chinese people really have no experience with Western concepts of fitness; therefore, they have not developed the same manners system.
There are more, but I am tired of writing…as I think of them I will post.
