| Being rude is being polite. Probably the toughest thing to get used to in China is the "rudeness". What we think of as rude in America they are taught to do from a young age!!! -spitting- not only is spitting ok, you can do it EVERYWHERE. In the middle of the street in the middle of your taxi ride (although they usually do spit out the window) in the middle of a meal, in the middle of school. We are dodging piles of spit in every possible building. I have gotten used to the spitting, but no it is not just that, you have to get that noise, the it-is-coming-from-the-pit-of-my-stomach noise, now that is gross. Spitting is neither gender, age nor class specific and both males, females, young, old rich poor will spit using lots and lots of noise. This is all done in public, doesn't matter where you are or who you are with. -personal space- I guess the best thing to say on this is well there is none. In a country of billions of people it is not all that surprising that you don't have a lot of space, but even if you are surrounded by mile upon miles of land around you a chinse person will come up and stand over your shoulder. I never was one really big on personal space, but I find my self nowadays pushing my chinses frineds a few feet away. -nose picking-american kids love it here, everyone picks their nose, and in public and are not socially reprimanded, except maybe by their parents. It is not uncommon to see seveal kids picking their noses in clases, I don't ask what they do with it!!! -pushing- someone in your way or where yo uwant to be, well just push them! Some are more polite and gentle in their shoves thanother, but all in all everyone pushes. -table manners-i really don't know what i am going to do when I go back to the states and try and eat with people. I will probably be seriously yelled at! Eating noodles is hard with chopsticks, so just slurp them up! Got food in your mouth and something to say, mei shi (doesn't matter) say your mind! -that isn't doggie poo- it is great if you are towing around a kid in this country, they need to go pottie, just visit the side of the road, everyone does it. :-) I didn't notice it as much in Beijing, and I don't really see it on the main streets of Jilin, but it is there! I have seen several parents plop out their childrens bottoms and let them do their business. I also know adults do it, although I thankfully haven't seen it in action! I know though because on the path to where the other teachers live we play dodge the poop, and I know a child can't make piles that big. You just look the other way while watching your step! An important thing to remember, that well takes a long time for foreigners to get used to is that while we think it is so rude what they are doing, they well don't, and there is nothing you can do to change a country of billions of people!!! I have gotten used to many things, but they still gross me out! Also all those gross things are what makes China unique and I don't want anyone going, "oh my god china is so distquisting I am never going there" as I know several people probably are! China is a beautiful country and a good traveller won't let cultural differences such as those to get in the way of enjoying a country. |