The Chinese - A few observations

Nihao!

Jintian, wo zhu zai Zhongguo liu ge yue le.

Oh sorry, I'm just showing off my Mandarin.  What the above says is that today, I have been in China for 6 months! (well, I hope that's what it says?!).  And what an incredible, amazing, eye opening and mind expanding 6 months it's been.  I knew that coming to China was really going to push me outside my comfort zone, and it's been worth every second.  I feel that, in my first 6 months, I have grown both professionally and personally (no, that doesn't mean I'm getting fat!).  OK, enough of the deep and meaningful stuff.

China is the world's most populous country (just in case you didn't know and you get asked that question at your next trivia night).  I am surrounded by 1.3 billion Chinese,  so I thought I would dedicate this weeks blog to a few observations I've made about the Chinese people (with my tongue firmly planted in my cheek.)

1.  Spitting

OK, so this is a big generalisation and not all Chinese spit.  But  everyday, no matter where I am, I'm guaranteed to hear the sounds of someone clearing their throat, followed by said person spitting.  I think the Chinese government should invest in the good old fashioned spittoon,  and put them on every street corner.  At least the spitting would be accompanied by the "ding" of the spittoon.  I can already see the next act on China's Got Talent.  A spittoon band!

I Googled the reason why Chinese spit, and really, there was no definitive answer.  Some say it's because of the pollution.  Others say it's because everyone does it.  But I think it is something that will be phased out over time.  It only seems to be the older generations that spits, and the teens and 20 somethings don't seem to have taken up this habit.  Maybe if Justin Bieber did it, they might take it up.

2.  Close Door button

Here's a tip for when you are riding a lift with a Chinese. If you are getting on or off the lift - be quick!  When those doors open you better jump on, or off fast!  The reason?  They love using the "door close" button.  I hesitated getting onto a lift once, and someone pushed the door close button.  The result was the doors started closing as I was walking on, and the door closing on me.  Not a very pleasant experience.  And when you are on the lift with someone, and it stops at a floor, their finger goes straight for the door close button - while the doors are still opening! Run, run for your life!

Be prepared.  Be alert. Don't hesitate!

3.  The food

Every meal I've had with my Chinese colleagues and friends is an experience.  It's part of their culture that they order enough food to ensure there will be some leftovers.  A good host will lose face if the guests eat all the food.  Guaranteed you will have enough food leftover for another meal.  I think the "doggy bag" was created in China, although in some parts of China, doggy bag has another meaning. The hardest part I have found is managing what I eat.  Because pretty much every Chinese meal is a banquet, with dishes constantly being brough out, you lose track of your portion size.  It's very easy to eat too much because you can't get an idea of "what's on YOUR plate", because you are trying all the dishes.  And don't get me started on the variety of food.  That's a whole different blog.

4.  Personal space

I suppose in a country of 1.3 billion people, personal space is a luxury.  I'm constantly fighting for space on the subway, walking down the street, fighting for cabin baggage space on a plan, even checking out of a hotel.  In Australia, you get used to people giving you your own personal space.  We obey the rules.  We don't stand on top of you when you are conducting personal business, like taking money from an ATM.  Not in China.  I was checking out of a hotel once.  I had my passport, my wallet and my credit card on the counter when someone came up and stood right next to me.  Shoulder to shoulder.  I didn't know the Chinese word for "back off", so I sort of shooed him away.  I think he got the message.  

5.  Oldies Flash mobs

I think this is one of my favourite observations so far.  You could be walking anywhere in China - outside a shopping centre, through a park, or just down the street, when suddenly someone will set up a ghetto blaster, start playing music, and begin dancing.  I first saw this outside a shopping centre in Nanjing.  It was simply a group of housewives who began dancing.   My favourite happened in Guangzhou today.  I was walking down from the Dr. Sun Yat Sen memorial when I came across another group.  And this time they were ballroom dancing.  Not  a care in the world.  Like the saying goes, "dance like no one is watching".  There was one woman dancing by herself.  I was afraid to make eye contact with her, because I'm sure dancing with a foreigner would score her some brownie points with her friends.  It's been a while since I've had to dance, so I avoided her gaze and kept walking.

Just a few of my observations during my first 6 months.  I left out driving skills, the abuse of cabin baggage limits, the leaving of doors open in hotel rooms,  the fact I have to get an official receipt for EVERYTHING, or the fascination with small dogs.  Maybe I'll write about those at the 12 month mark.

A quick thank you to everyone who reads and enjoys my blog, and thanks for the feedback.  I would like to write more, but sometimes I just don't have the time.  As I mentioned above, this is an incredible journey and I am learning so much that will set me up for bigger and better roles, once I'm ready.   Sometimes it's hard to believe that this boy from Picton, a little town in NSW with a population of 3,000, is about to launch a radio station in Guangzhou China - population 12 million.  

Zaijian!