When my sister went to Germany on exchange, she made a list in the back of her diary of all the things which seemed strange in her eyes, and entitled it "Crazy Germans" (tongue in cheek, of course). You could make a similar list for any foreign culture, and I'm sure that when somebody visits my country and compiles a "Crazy Australians" list it will be a bloody long one! A vital step towards understanding other cultures is to realise that nothing can be taken for granted, and when we read this kind of list with an open mind we have to ask "Who are the crazy ones, us or them?"
I have put together this list of unfamilar things that I have seen in China. For a few of these customs I could give a good explanation, but I have resisted the urge to do so. For some other items, I can't make head or tail of them at all. If you can explain all of them, then consider yourself zhongguo tong (an expert on China).
Pillows are stuffed with husks from wheat or corn. The standard paper size is B5. Beds are made with only one sheet (you sleep between the sheet and the quilt). In the morning, you should fold up your quilt and place it at the end of your bed. Corn-on-the-cob is sold on the streets as a snack. And you can can even buy corn flavoured lollies and icecreams. When I applied for a bank account, I ticked the box marked "teacher or doctor". You don't have to fill out a deposit slip at the bank, you only have to sign the receipt. Some people hang their mobile phone on a string around their neck. Suncream is considered a beauty product. It comes in small, expensive bottles and often includes a "free" bottle of skin whitener. Many girls carry parasols on sunny days. Mops have long handles, but brooms have short ones: Although a lot of modern brides wear a white gown, they often travel in a procession of black cars. Coffee is available in up-market bars, but not from an espresso machine. Instead, they use a glass bulb heated over a small gas burner, making the process look like a chemistry experiment! (This is the vacuum pot method). Prices are quoted by the jin (equal to half a kilogram), but electric scales all measure in kilograms. On Mother's Day and Father's Day, did you ever ask your parents why there is no Children's Day? Well, in China there is—International Children's Day, no less! And there's a Teacher's Day too. People only shower about once a week during the winter, but they wash their feet every night before going to bed. Most people don't wear deodorant. People eat pig liver, but not grape skins. Many college students bring their own seat cushions to the classroom. And some wear sleeve protectors: Just to be fair, here are a few things that some foreigners in China do which seem strange in chinese eyes:
Wear a sachel, even if they are adults. Wear a helmet while riding a bike. Use two hands to show numbers between 6 and 10 (in China, there are signs for these numbers which only require one hand).
I have put together this list of unfamilar things that I have seen in China. For a few of these customs I could give a good explanation, but I have resisted the urge to do so. For some other items, I can't make head or tail of them at all. If you can explain all of them, then consider yourself zhongguo tong (an expert on China).
Pillows are stuffed with husks from wheat or corn. The standard paper size is B5. Beds are made with only one sheet (you sleep between the sheet and the quilt). In the morning, you should fold up your quilt and place it at the end of your bed. Corn-on-the-cob is sold on the streets as a snack. And you can can even buy corn flavoured lollies and icecreams. When I applied for a bank account, I ticked the box marked "teacher or doctor". You don't have to fill out a deposit slip at the bank, you only have to sign the receipt. Some people hang their mobile phone on a string around their neck. Suncream is considered a beauty product. It comes in small, expensive bottles and often includes a "free" bottle of skin whitener. Many girls carry parasols on sunny days. Mops have long handles, but brooms have short ones: Although a lot of modern brides wear a white gown, they often travel in a procession of black cars. Coffee is available in up-market bars, but not from an espresso machine. Instead, they use a glass bulb heated over a small gas burner, making the process look like a chemistry experiment! (This is the vacuum pot method). Prices are quoted by the jin (equal to half a kilogram), but electric scales all measure in kilograms. On Mother's Day and Father's Day, did you ever ask your parents why there is no Children's Day? Well, in China there is—International Children's Day, no less! And there's a Teacher's Day too. People only shower about once a week during the winter, but they wash their feet every night before going to bed. Most people don't wear deodorant. People eat pig liver, but not grape skins. Many college students bring their own seat cushions to the classroom. And some wear sleeve protectors: Just to be fair, here are a few things that some foreigners in China do which seem strange in chinese eyes:
Wear a sachel, even if they are adults. Wear a helmet while riding a bike. Use two hands to show numbers between 6 and 10 (in China, there are signs for these numbers which only require one hand).
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