Five Things I Don’t Like About China
I’ve been sitting on this list for a while, trying to pinpoint exactly what it is that’s been bothering me. Yeah, after 16 months of straight China, I’m in serious need of a break. Now before I get bombarded with comments telling me I can go home whenever I want, keep in mind that I’m still here by my own choosing, and there are still things I like about being here, too. But you don’t always get a positive post from me.
1. The attention
No matter how much I try to put myself in their shoes, I still can’t accept the staring and pointing and giggling and obnoxious “Hallooooo!” calls as anything but condescending. People have suggested moving to a bigger city, like Shanghai, to get away from the attention, but then the locals treat you like a tourist or a language opportunity, and you still don’t feel like you’re being given much respect as an individual.
2. The traffic
This is something you just never get used to. It is so unbelievable how drivers have no regard for the well-being of pedestrians. I seriously never feel safe, even when I’m using the crosswalk with the lights in my favor. Drivers (particularly e-bike drivers, who are the worst) carelessly break all the rules and still have the gumption to honk at you for not getting out of their way fast enough. Oh, it gets better. At night, they’ll even flash their brights at you.
3. The crowds
I’m from a small town in rural Utah. I find it hard to adapt to big cities, and China definitely pushes the envelope. It’s tiring and a tad frustrating having to put up with so many people everywhere you go. It’s impossible to squeeze onto the bus after 8:30, and weekends and holidays jam up the trains so much, it’s better to stay home. Unfortunately, people have taken the crowded factor as an excuse to be pushy and inconsiderate.
4. The smoking
60% of Chinese men smoke. 59% of Chinese men don’t care whether or not it bothers you. Smoking is everywhere. It’s part of the culture. Some people are convinced it’s even good for you. So very few places have no-smoking rules, and of those places, very few actually enforce them. The Chinese smoker is a persistent bugger, though, and he’ll just hide in the bathroom and make it smell even worse. Thanks, but I don’t really like dry-heaving and urinating at the same time.
5. The Internet
I didn’t want this list to become too political, but, honest to God, the Internet censorship drives me crazy. As a web developer and overall computer junkie, I’m on the Internet a lot. Some of my most frequently visited sites, however, like Youtube and Facebook and Blogspot, don’t work in China. Plus, Google periodically blocks a random search, making it hard to do something as simple as looking up teaching ideas. Workarounds exist, but I just want normal Internet.
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Responses to “Five Things I Don’t Like About China”
Comments RSS Feed – All CommentsChinamatt — 16 November 2009 @ 9:41 pm
The attention doesn’t really change when you move to a bigger city–the cat-calls of hallooo will still be around. And going to a major supermarket any day of the week is like going xmas shopping on Black Friday.
Hopfrog — 17 November 2009 @ 10:24 am
One thing that keeps coming up time and again from laowai is the whole “hallooooo” thing. I would say the majority of laowai feel that it is a condescension at their expense from what I have read. However, I just don’t see it that way and maybe I am wrong. For instance, where I live and in the business I am in there are a ton of Chinese and whenever an American learns to say Ni Hao I see them using it every chance they get and they seem to think they will be impressing the Chinese they say it to as if they are the first white people to ever discover the phrase. I tend to think the same thing is going on with the whole “halloooo!” thing. But then again I am not there, and I am sure some people are condescending but my bet is that the vast majority just want to try and impress the foreigner.
Clark — 17 November 2009 @ 6:14 pm
If it was limited to just one “hello,” I would understand. Hey, I would even appreciate the gesture! But usually it’s a series of calls designed to get a reaction out of you and a laugh at your expense. For many girls, I’m sure they only laugh out of shyness, but when a grown man delights in pointing you out to his friends and continues to shout, “Hallo!” after you’ve already answered, it’s a little patronizing.
Every once in a while, somebody will pass me on the street and politely say, “Hi,” which is perfect. More often, such encounters include the person yelling random English words (even swear words) and running away giddily. I can’t imagine the same thing happens in the US, or if it does, those people need to grow up.
May I ask what kind of business you are in?
Mark — 18 November 2009 @ 3:04 am
Dude I feel you but for #1, there are happy mediums. I spent three years in foreigner-depleted Jiangxi province (translation: hardcore China) and enjoyed and endured all of the joys and torture that comes with that, but since moving to Xiamen, I don’t know how I lasted that long there. Xiamen is a second-tier city that is fairly wealthy and has a long-running tourism tradition, which means that people are used to outsiders, both domestic and international. People are generally civil, most don’t stare, and I rarely get the “HAH-low!” on the streets. There are a lot of large cities in China that are just bloated countryside towns and at the risk of sounding condescending, these cities often lack the social graces of their more cosmopolitan counterparts. There are certainly a few of these well-mannered but not behemoth-sized cities in China where you are still a foreigner but not an extraterrestrial.
Clark — 18 November 2009 @ 4:39 am
In my travels, I’ve come across some cities like that. Unfortunately, wherever I’ve taught, I’ve had a hard time “fitting in.”
JR — 19 November 2009 @ 11:09 pm
I think the attention is the hardest one for me. I try to not let it bother me, but it’s just so irritating! Especially out in Wujin district where it feels like I’m the only foreigner. If they don’t say hello, they point and stare and make sure all their friends get a good look too. Even if I’m looking directly at them the entire time.
Hopfrog — 20 November 2009 @ 12:40 pm
Just noticed your question in rereading this post.
I am in the casino business in Las Vegas. About half of the workforce on the casino side is Chinese. Not an exaggeration.
The more I read about it, I must admit I am wrong on the Hallooo! issue. I guess I was being optimistic but almost every single laowai has described the Hallooo! as a condescension.
Clark — 20 November 2009 @ 9:00 pm
It’s actually better when you’re with other people. The attention really didn’t start to get under my skin until I came to China by myself and had to deal with it alone.
That’s interesting that there are so many Chinese people in the casino business. Does that mean anyone Asian-looking gets a “Ni hao?”
Hopfrog — 21 November 2009 @ 11:20 am
From Americans when they first learn Ni Hao… yeah, a lot of them get it, but its never a condescension.
Renaud — 23 November 2009 @ 8:01 am
Yep, good list. I would add hot pots, especially as winter is coming back and it it getting more popular!
Clark — 23 November 2009 @ 7:03 pm
Was that comment aimed at another post? I like Hot Pot…
cr7cr8 — 4 January 2010 @ 7:10 am
Since English is a second language for many Chinese (I say ‘many’ because of the ABCs), it is very likely that most of Chinese leaned it based on the text books instead of their parents, which raise their curiosity “Do the foreigners really speak in this way?”. To answer the question, the best way is to put it into real practice.
That is why the “Hello” frequently came into foreigners’ ears in China.
By the way, I am a Chinese (but not an ABC). Feel free to follow me on twitter @cr7cr8. (and I will follow you)
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