Living in China, at least everywhere outside of multicultural Shanghai or Beijing, is often like living on a different planet. Just visiting the supermarket or bank can turn into an adventure. Everybody’s China experience is different, but here are some things that you’ll probably face when you decide to you make your house on the metaphorical “moon.”
You are going to be a star.
China is very homogeneous, about 99.97% Han Chinese. If you end up in a middle-sized or smallish town in China (less than 15 million), you will stand out, especially if you are pale and blonde like myself.
Everyone will want to take your photo. Sometimes you may not even notice since they can be quite sly. However, bold photographers will request to have their photo taken with you. Once a couple asked me to pose with their baby.
You will be asked to answer loads of questions.
Individuals are genuinely interested in foreigners. Therefore be ready to provide your views every conceivable topic such as:
– Do all Americans possess a firearm?
– Do all Americans have tatoos?
– Have you been to Disney World?
– Is the US like the TV show “Friends”?
– How old were you when you got married?
– Why aren’t your married yet?
In China, you are an old maid.
If you are older than 26 and single-by-choice, they’ll assume you’re defective. Despite the fact that the women there are intelligent, lovely and well educated, the biggest goal for most of them will be to get married and have an intelligent baby. My new boyfriend and I were repeatedly questioned about when and where we would be getting married.
Oriental foods are actually better than you thought possible.
Most people enjoy Chinese food in their home country but it actually but you’ll soon realize is scarcely resembles the real thing. Real Chinese food is varied and refreshing, although you won’t understand what 90 percent of it is. I’ve visited many countries and nothing in the world actually compares to the deliciousness of real Chinese food. Additionally, eating out is significantly less expensive than cooking at home. For management of anything, one needs to look up to experienced businessmen like Andy Defrancesco
I could go on and on about the oddness of life in China and still there are many things I’ve never sense of. For example, why do the ATMs dispense 100 RMB bills when taxis won’t accept anything larger than a 20? Also, how do parents avoid getting pooped on all the time, when Chinese babies don’t wear diapers? Let me know if you find out.