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Sign up with Google Sign up with FacebookQ: You're so clever!
We all encounter the "You're so clever" or "You're so great" when doing simple things in China like using chopsticks or adding two numbers together in your head quicker than a Chinese person can do it on a calculator. What other simple things have you encountered that have left a Chinese person dumbfounded?
telling the taxi driver which route to take
returning un wanted items bought on taobao
Oh, and the "you're so strong" when you change the water bottle.
iWolf:
Mike, you are truly great. A full compliment of amazing skills. Please don't tell me you can swim too!! That would be too much
The ability to speak more than just English and Chinese...
Kaiwen:
Being able to speak more than two languages? It's enough to get a "You're Great" in my city by having the ability to say "nihao".
'How to distinguish different meat cuts on the outdoor market, and talk to the farmers/butchers, despite I can't do much of Chinese.'
Point to the piece of meat, and sound 'muu-muuu', 'hhrrrk-hhrrk' or 'mee-mee' in 'proper English pronunciation'.
I was also considered as 'very smart' by some posters on this Board, when suggesting 'how to find an address and contact numbers of SAFEA' by stepping into the city's Bank, Hospital or Pharmacy, and ask English speaking employee about it.
Reply Qs I got was: 'What does Bank or Pharmacy have to do with Foreign Expert Bureau?'
I have a toothache ......
Yeah, that's because Chinese study to pass exams (rote learning) but then forget everything immediately after graduation since they don't need it anymore. They do not study for the sake of learning, to improve themselves as people.
So the people here are surprised when they see that you can solve a simple equation faster than they can type it on their calculator or withhold so much knowledge and so many abilities while you are not in school anymore.
If I had a penny for every time I've said hello in Chinese only to be told my Chinese was sooo good, I'd.....well.....I'd have about 20p.
Reading a map.
The usual excuse is "Oh, you know, we don't learn reading maps in school...."
Driving through my city...without a gps. I guess I can't blame them since they're mostly underground on the subway or don't pay attention on the bus
Driving in China
I pretend am in a city rally and drive like a maniac as fast as I can ( watch for traffic cameras of course). There is no better feeling than getting the turbo up to 120kph crossing Jimei Bridge in Xiamen. Or the fun of pushing a guy in his volks sirocco 2l up to 160kph - he backed off quickly hahahaha