As a consequence of the big difference between Swiss and Chinese customs and habits, I had to change some of mine.
Some of them I really can't change and like me a lot of foreigners struggle with, but for some, well I had to....
Crowded spaces, as soon as you arrive at the PVG Airport in Shanghai you will notice that the amount of people around you is probably not the same like in your country (depends where you are living), for me was a shock, since I am used to the few person around me in my small country Switzerland.
Taking the subway in the morning from 6:30 to 9:00 and from 17:30 to 19:00 is almost impossible if you have to reach busy and central places like People Square or taking line 2 (the green one), this is probably one of the most difficult line to take. Sometimes it is impossible to even enter in the subway station. So I had to get used to it and don't feel angry about this anymore, cause is something I cannot change. Since I'm a student I just take it easy and after school instead of going straight home, I just go to study and repeat the lessons at the public library or in a coffe shop, take some snacks and take the subway to go home a little bit later, just to avoid to be squeezed into the train and take the risk to be unable to get out at my station. Cause this also happened to me one time, I wanted to get out at People Square, where my school is and found myself 2 stations away from it, just cause I couldn't move towards the exit door, as soon as the doors opened new people just came in and push me even farther form it!
Some of them I really can't change and like me a lot of foreigners struggle with, but for some, well I had to....
Crowded spaces, as soon as you arrive at the PVG Airport in Shanghai you will notice that the amount of people around you is probably not the same like in your country (depends where you are living), for me was a shock, since I am used to the few person around me in my small country Switzerland.
Taking the subway in the morning from 6:30 to 9:00 and from 17:30 to 19:00 is almost impossible if you have to reach busy and central places like People Square or taking line 2 (the green one), this is probably one of the most difficult line to take. Sometimes it is impossible to even enter in the subway station. So I had to get used to it and don't feel angry about this anymore, cause is something I cannot change. Since I'm a student I just take it easy and after school instead of going straight home, I just go to study and repeat the lessons at the public library or in a coffe shop, take some snacks and take the subway to go home a little bit later, just to avoid to be squeezed into the train and take the risk to be unable to get out at my station. Cause this also happened to me one time, I wanted to get out at People Square, where my school is and found myself 2 stations away from it, just cause I couldn't move towards the exit door, as soon as the doors opened new people just came in and push me even farther form it!
Food, before I really didn't enjoy spicy food but now since they often put spicy seasoning to the dishes, also when I ask them not to do so, I kind of got used to it. I also don't ask myself anymore if the food I am eating is organic, biologic, fair-trade and so on...cause well, it's not!
Skin care is very important. Asian women spend so much money in skincare product, sun screen and skin care tools. Since in China the quality of the air is very bad, our skin will be affected. Spicy food and the change of our alimentation will also show up. Since we breath also through our skin, when in China is very important to give it a extra care compared to our normal skincare routine.
Some days ago I found a very interesting video about the 10 skincare steps which I also added into my skin routine. I try to protect my skin form the sun more than I used before. If you are interested just click on the video below. (I really love Wengie and her videos, especially this one cause she explain everything so clearly and makes it look easy and clear for everyone. She will talk about korean skincare routine but actually this is the skincare routine for most of asian women).
Skin care is very important. Asian women spend so much money in skincare product, sun screen and skin care tools. Since in China the quality of the air is very bad, our skin will be affected. Spicy food and the change of our alimentation will also show up. Since we breath also through our skin, when in China is very important to give it a extra care compared to our normal skincare routine.
Some days ago I found a very interesting video about the 10 skincare steps which I also added into my skin routine. I try to protect my skin form the sun more than I used before. If you are interested just click on the video below. (I really love Wengie and her videos, especially this one cause she explain everything so clearly and makes it look easy and clear for everyone. She will talk about korean skincare routine but actually this is the skincare routine for most of asian women).
Thank you, you are welcome, have a nice day. Probably you will hear this two sentences a very few times in China, cause wherever you go: shopping center, markets, on the street and at the tourist info point, people will always look at you with a 'kind of a cold' face. Not everybody will do it, cause I also experienced very funny and friendly people, but the most of them won't smile at you while giving you the coffe you ordered.
I got used to this and now I don't pay attention to it anymore, before I used to think they don't like me, but this is just their habit.
Language, a lot of people are really interested in visiting China but they are a little worried about the completely different language. There is a very few chinese people who can speak english fluently, but despite that if you ask them to give you their help they will try to help you gesticulating and making strange sounds, especially young people will be very happy to help you, cause they all study english in school but have very few opportunity to speak it. I experienced only a few time that people didn't want to help me, and trust me when I am in a foreign country I ask local people a LOT of questions, sometimes cause I get lost, sometimes cause I don't know where I can find the things I need and sometimes cause I just have a curiosity. I am pretty impressed with their kindness. Chinese will also ask you a lot of questions, they are very curious about us, cause we are different and a lot of them think we are very good, rich and powerful people.
Chinese will also ask you very personal questions, This is also something I had to get used to, especially with the family of my boyfriend. The first time I met his cousin we went out for dinner with her and she asked me how much I was paid as a flight attendant. When we see somebody for the first time we will never think about asking this kind of question right? Well they will. But is not a problem anymore now for me cause I will repay them with the same coin.
Life standard, as a foreign in China you will think that everything is cheap so you can afford to buy more. Actually I discovered that, the food is very cheap and is usually also good, depending on where you go to eat, but you also have to pay attention to the restaurant, unfortunately some of them wants to save money so they will use the oil to fry your food for a very long time. This is very unhealthy for your body. I got used to not be fooled by the cheap prices of the food and goods but try to give more importance to the quality of them. Cause good quality is rarely cheap (there is exceptions). Is not the first time we ear about toys and cosmetic containing very dangerous items or being toxic. So instead of going to very cheap restaurant (I like to eat cheap food too sometimes but I just pay attention not to do it too often) I choose more well known and 'clean' restaurants. For my skin care products, I don't buy the 5 dollars one anymore just cause it's cheap and I want them in all flavors and colors but will find some better ones, cause the skin is very important and deserve good and safe products. Same for contact lenses, hair product, iPhone gadgets (once I bought a cable to charge my iPhone and after 2 weeks I had to go to the apple store cause the battery of my iPhone got damaged by it), same for clothing, I know girls love to shopping and love shopping to be cheap so that they can buy more, but be aware that some very cheap pieces of clothing are artificially colored with high toxic substances. Try to find something in-between the cheap one and the expensive one of everything, to protect yourself and be safe.
Take it easy, while in China try to be more patient. Chinese people are used to take quite a long time to make decisions and start to do what is needed. I had to get used to this cause it made me go mad and sometimes still does.
Smoking, spitting, burping is OK everywhere, yes, it is. Don't get to embarrassed if somebody next to you just let it go and fart, for him/she is just...gas, nothing to be ashamed of, same for burping. Spitting is really ok to do everywhere also on most of the restaurants floor is ok. Smoking annoyes me so much, since I am a non smoker, I really don't like when people next to me smoke while I am having my meal. But some restaurant have 'no smoking' signs so I prefer to go in these ones.
Screaming, crying and 撒娇 (sajiao), this also used to get on my nervs a lot cause this is exactly what we teach to our children to NOT do. Chinese girls but also men are used to talk with very high and pitching voices also for no reason at all. Sajiao is a chinese verb that describe the act of an adult person acting like a kid in order to get what he wants. This is especially for girls, when they want something they start to make kid similar cute voices (let me add that these voices are not cute at all) to their boyfriends to make them feel guilty if they don't buy the item their girlfriend likes so much. If the boyfriend decide not to buy it they will then put on a unhappy face or even start to cry. My personal opinion: This nervs so much...
Now I really would like to make a survey and ask you, which one of these new habits will be the most difficult for you to get used to. For me is probably the fact they take it too easy sometimes and the girls acting like kids.
I got used to this and now I don't pay attention to it anymore, before I used to think they don't like me, but this is just their habit.
Language, a lot of people are really interested in visiting China but they are a little worried about the completely different language. There is a very few chinese people who can speak english fluently, but despite that if you ask them to give you their help they will try to help you gesticulating and making strange sounds, especially young people will be very happy to help you, cause they all study english in school but have very few opportunity to speak it. I experienced only a few time that people didn't want to help me, and trust me when I am in a foreign country I ask local people a LOT of questions, sometimes cause I get lost, sometimes cause I don't know where I can find the things I need and sometimes cause I just have a curiosity. I am pretty impressed with their kindness. Chinese will also ask you a lot of questions, they are very curious about us, cause we are different and a lot of them think we are very good, rich and powerful people.
Chinese will also ask you very personal questions, This is also something I had to get used to, especially with the family of my boyfriend. The first time I met his cousin we went out for dinner with her and she asked me how much I was paid as a flight attendant. When we see somebody for the first time we will never think about asking this kind of question right? Well they will. But is not a problem anymore now for me cause I will repay them with the same coin.
Life standard, as a foreign in China you will think that everything is cheap so you can afford to buy more. Actually I discovered that, the food is very cheap and is usually also good, depending on where you go to eat, but you also have to pay attention to the restaurant, unfortunately some of them wants to save money so they will use the oil to fry your food for a very long time. This is very unhealthy for your body. I got used to not be fooled by the cheap prices of the food and goods but try to give more importance to the quality of them. Cause good quality is rarely cheap (there is exceptions). Is not the first time we ear about toys and cosmetic containing very dangerous items or being toxic. So instead of going to very cheap restaurant (I like to eat cheap food too sometimes but I just pay attention not to do it too often) I choose more well known and 'clean' restaurants. For my skin care products, I don't buy the 5 dollars one anymore just cause it's cheap and I want them in all flavors and colors but will find some better ones, cause the skin is very important and deserve good and safe products. Same for contact lenses, hair product, iPhone gadgets (once I bought a cable to charge my iPhone and after 2 weeks I had to go to the apple store cause the battery of my iPhone got damaged by it), same for clothing, I know girls love to shopping and love shopping to be cheap so that they can buy more, but be aware that some very cheap pieces of clothing are artificially colored with high toxic substances. Try to find something in-between the cheap one and the expensive one of everything, to protect yourself and be safe.
Take it easy, while in China try to be more patient. Chinese people are used to take quite a long time to make decisions and start to do what is needed. I had to get used to this cause it made me go mad and sometimes still does.
Smoking, spitting, burping is OK everywhere, yes, it is. Don't get to embarrassed if somebody next to you just let it go and fart, for him/she is just...gas, nothing to be ashamed of, same for burping. Spitting is really ok to do everywhere also on most of the restaurants floor is ok. Smoking annoyes me so much, since I am a non smoker, I really don't like when people next to me smoke while I am having my meal. But some restaurant have 'no smoking' signs so I prefer to go in these ones.
Screaming, crying and 撒娇 (sajiao), this also used to get on my nervs a lot cause this is exactly what we teach to our children to NOT do. Chinese girls but also men are used to talk with very high and pitching voices also for no reason at all. Sajiao is a chinese verb that describe the act of an adult person acting like a kid in order to get what he wants. This is especially for girls, when they want something they start to make kid similar cute voices (let me add that these voices are not cute at all) to their boyfriends to make them feel guilty if they don't buy the item their girlfriend likes so much. If the boyfriend decide not to buy it they will then put on a unhappy face or even start to cry. My personal opinion: This nervs so much...
Now I really would like to make a survey and ask you, which one of these new habits will be the most difficult for you to get used to. For me is probably the fact they take it too easy sometimes and the girls acting like kids.
Thank you so much for reading and don't forget:
Trust in yourself and follow your heart,
Lisa
Trust in yourself and follow your heart,
Lisa