Chinese Culture Shock
Hey there travel lovers! If you noticed last week I talked about some international travel hacks & specifically one of those hacks was to learn about the culture of the place before you go! One of the longest planned out trips I’ve ever gone on was three weeks in China & Hong Kong. It was my senior year of college and I was selected to be a Holland Fellow. The Holland Fellow's program was designed where 12 business students from our university worked with 12 students from Fudan University. We spent about 8 months working on a project while living worlds apart. Then our Chinese partners came to visit us for two weeks. They toured our little college town and then we took them to Asheville & D.C.. A few weeks later we then traveled to China to present our findings at the Shanghai Forum and travel around as a group.
As part of our preparations for interacting with our Chinese partners and traveling to China, we spent about 8 months studying books on Chinese history, taking Mandarin lessons, and frequently practicing our chopstick skills. But NONE of these things prepared me for the culture shock I experienced while over there. And as someone who has traveled a lot, that’s a pretty big statement!
Below are some of the things that right off the bat stood out to me when I think about cultural differences between China and America. But know there are still MANY things we shared in common with our Chinese students. It’s all about respecting one another as you learn and experience their way of life. :) Enjoy as I take you through some of those differences.
My Chinese partner Mia and her friend Jenny always walked with their sun umbrellas even if it was cloudy.
Eating loud is the sign of a good meal.
Bonus, in their culture if fish is served it is customary that the host gives the guest the fish eye as a sign of honor. I was delighted to never have that honor during our family style meals.
Whatever you do, protect yourself from the sun.
In Chinese culture, the lighter your skin the richer you are. Having darker skin meant you were out in the sun all day working on a rice farm and was the sign of lower class. My Chinese partner Mia actually asked me to bring over white powder and foundation for her so she could look paler. That is why you see girls with umbrellas on a sunny day to shield their porcelain skin. How funny that we as Americans PAY to be tan!
3. If you are tall, blonde, red headed, African American, etc. you are sure to get some attention.
Or in my case, have someone try to pull your eyelashes out because they wanted long ones like you. We had a 6 foot 2 guy in our group and he was like their version of a celebrity sighting. You’d think we needed a bodyguard. Don’t be offended if this happens though, they are just genuinely curious!
4. Spitting is totally normal.
And you will get spit on. All human bodily sounds that we as Americans think are gross are totally normal in their culture. But I mean if I was inhaling pollution every day, I’d probably want to get that out of my system too.
5. Toilet paper is NOT supplied.
And in addition, you will be squatting over a hole. It’s glamorous really….good news is that they are smart enough to have their bathroom doors touch the ground so no one sees you. I don’t think I ever got used to it even after being there for three weeks.
6. There is no such thing as personal questions.
Personal space and personal boundaries do. not. exist. I can’t tell you how many times I was asked if I have a boyfriend, how much money do I make, when will I have kids, how old I am, etc. all while talking 3 inches from your face. But in a country with 1.386 Billion people, it makes sense that they have no personal space!
7. The peace sign syndrome is REAL.
As stereotypical as it is, it was RARE that we got a photo with our Chinese students where they didn’t throw up a peace sign. And it’s always both hands, never just one. By the end of three weeks I too was throwing up this gangsta sign in all our group photos.
8. Pollution is no joke.
I posted a comparison photo on instagram stories of the reality of the pollution in China as seen in my Great Wall photo below. Be prepared to see many people in masks. They have totally accepted this as a part of their life (especially in Beijing) and people will decorate or buy fun masks to match their outfits/personalities. I never wore a mask, but I could see the particles in the air and would have worn one if I was there for more than a few days.
The Great Wall of China, just outside of Beijing
Black Market food stand
9. Chinese food is NOT what you get in America.
We have Americanized Chinese food so much that when you are actually there you will most likely not see your favorites from local Panda Express. For instance, Dumplings are ALWAYS steamed, never fried. They also have the black market of street food. Starfish, tarantulas, dog, squid and crickets are just a few items they have down back alley ways where they fry it on the spot. To us it feels like an episode of fear factor, but to them it’s normal street food.
10. The 90’s are back in style.
Chinese boy bands are all the rage and it’s all you hear on the bus, metro, etc. And if you ever go out to a bar or club, expect to hear the top American hits from 1990-early 2000’s. Then again, I still love jamm’n to NSYNC!
Hope those differences can help you understand what to expect when traveling to China. It was definitely a trip I won’t forget! What countries did you experience culture shock in when visiting?
