China Doll: Be In the Know

Check out this article from Buzzfeed to learn a few of the things it took me a few months to learn while living in China... Plus, I've created my own corresponding comments and photos :)

1. "Don't stick your chopsticks upright in your rice"

Do the right thing. Balance those chopsticks.

I say, don't even risk it. Never stick your chopstick upright, ever! Rice, noodles, soup, anything! I always balance them on the edge of my bowl as a habit.

2. "If you're offered a gift, refuse it a couple times"

Like my red scarf? A gift from my students.

This is a lot easier said than done, because in the US I would feel rude refusing a gift a few times. But as a teacher, I've received an insane amount of gifts, mostly concentrated around Christmas and the end of school, which made it hard to refuse because people were literally piling them into our arms. Some gifts were easy to refuse, like the tiny white box shaped like a crucifix that said "Christ" in curly pink letters. Or a super creepy doll piggy bank.

I've found that instead of refusing (which I haven't quite mastered) that instead, I'll say things like "I can't accept this, you're too kind" or "This looks too expensive" or "This is so lovely I really don't deserve this." Maybe I'll perfect it next year?

3. "Same thing with compliments"

Yea, I do this anyway in the US. I've tried accepting compliments, even if (I like to think) it's true. But compliments just make me feel uncomfortable.

4. "The Chinese population is gradually declining"

(Pre-2008) and (Post-2008)

5. "Eating dog is becoming increasingly unpopular"

Yes, though I do know a foreign friend who accidentally ordered dog. And ate it.

6. Breathing in Beijing air is not as bad as you might think"

Beihai Park in Beijing. Pollution who? Amiright?

7. "The one child policy does not apply to everyone"

Not only does the one child policy not apply to everyone (because minorities can have more than 1 child) but also wealthy people can pay to have a second child. It is my understanding that they have to demonstrate enough wealth to afford a second child, plus they need enough money to "convince" officials that they should have a second child, "convince" meaning "pay off." This is just what a Chinese friend told me, so I'm no expert. But that's what I heard along the grapevine.

SO. MANY. CHILDREN.

8. "China is not technically a communist country"

Yerp. That's correct. I have no personal photo that corresponds.

9. "Ask a Chinese person how to access blocked websites"

Or ask me. I use an Astrill VPN (or Virtual Private Network) to access Facebook, Youtube, even IMDB is blocked in China...

10. "Chinese people don't speak Chinese"

Me neither!

Although I was able to speak enough Chinese
to buy some string for my macrame bracelets

11. "You won't necessarily be the tallest person in the room"

Unless you're in a room of children!

12. "Each Chinese character [is] not an individual word"

Chinese is not just an ideographic language, it's so much more complicated than that... Reading and writing is my least favorite part of learning Chinese, but I do it anyway!