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Q: Do you dislike foreigners in China?
Whenever I see another foreigner, and that's pretty often, they always just blank me or look down as if they're ashamed to acknowledge me or something. Do foreigners in China want to be the ONLY foreigner here in some sort of "look how revolutionary I am" sort of hero worship? It seems they do not like to see that other people, thousands of other people, are doing exactly what they are. Perhaps it is diluting their "achievement" to see others here as well.
Don't get me wrong, I do not expect them to see me and run up to me and shake my hand and offer me out to dinner, but they do not even look at me. They are firmly set on the pavement in front of them. Then I got to think about it, and I realised that I do not like most foreigners here, and it's because of things exactly like this.
When I am in my native UK, I see Chinese all the time and they are always willing to talk/help their countrymen, they are always in huddles, always together, that's really nice to see. They seem to want to share in experiences, but foreigners in China seem to be the opposite, they want the glory of travelling in China all to themselves. They need to realise that it's no longer special to be a foreigner travelling/living in China, you're not going to get a medal for coming here - thousands have done it before you and thousands will do after you.
This is not really a rant, more of a general wondering because this has happened to me on so many occasions. It's eiher this or the over-arrogant foreigners that try to show you how much they know in Mandarin or about local customs by speaking that bit louder or doing things that bit faster in order to catch your attention...it's pathetic, and reeks of desperation. I'd actually respect them more if they came up to me and said "look, i'm going to be showing off in a minute, can you just watch on and clap after I've finished".
Anybody got any stories or thoughts like this? or am I alone?
Good article, I hate to say it but I also dont like other foreingers here. I guess some of the things you wrote in your add applies to me. Thanks, your article really opened my eyes. From now on, I will at least attempt to have a conversation with other honkies here in China. Will see where it goes from there?
Good article, I hate to say it but I also dont like other foreingers here. I guess some of the things you wrote in your add applies to me. Thanks, your article really opened my eyes. From now on, I will at least attempt to have a conversation with other honkies here in China. Will see where it goes from there?
for me,,i'm happy to meet foreigners here in China but they are the one who don't smile at me hehehe,,since i came here i always give a smile for foreigners,sometimes i felt shy if they just past by my side haha,,anyway no offense but this is true,as if they don't want to meet some foreigners but for me i think it's better to have foreigner friends atleast i can feel happy and not always lonely.....
i love everyone but hate myself...............does that make me foreign or chinese?!!!!!................now let's get serious........i don't care if you are a foreign or chinese person.......if you are good then i will like you..........if not then you better not be around me........End of Story
I don't dislike foreigners who live & work in China, but it seems to me they dislike me. It's not that they ignore me (I am not that important to be acknowledged on the street), they notice me & turn away from me. Maybe I destroy their illusion that they're the only foreigners in China.
Talking about the Chinese being together abroad,dude Chinese are a shy and selfish lot whatever they have the want it to stay within them.secondly, they feel very inferior mixing up with others for fear of being looked upon as second class citizens and thirdly their lack of mannerism is what keeps the far away from other social groups, that explains why you have a Chinatown in every country in the world. And on the other hand foreigners believe to have been born free to do whatever the want to and to go wherever they want with or without their pals,this might be part of the reason why they don't seem to feel your presence on the street.Have u noticed that most foreigners here in China not want to live where there are other foreigners?
Unlike Chinese people, foreigners anywhere they go they mix with the Country's locals. They may avoid foreigners like themselves, but they happily want to meet others where ever they go in the world. There are some exceptions as far as I hear like in London, but the social behavior pattern is this: Chinese may not avoid their own people but they do avoid mixing with others that are not Chinese.
because most expats here are losers and are social outcast in their home country and cant hold down a job, when they come to china they think their @#$% dosnt stink most dont have an education they live a phoney life
When I'm in China and look at all the Chinese, I think they look like foreigners. That's the problem with travelling, every country i go to is full of foreigners.
Unfortunately, due to the difference in economies between China and much of the developed west, a number of people come here to take advantage of their inflated economic status. Flashing cash to pull birds and that. For me it is an embarrassment to be associated with such people. So yeh. There are some i'm not super-duper crazy about. On the whole the foreigners i've met have been pretty interesting people though. Mad Germans, psycho Yanks, a really.........REALLY dull Brit in Liuzhou, but oh.......such a nice guy.........and many many more.
<P>I've been looking for something like this on the internet for a while and actually i got an account on this website just to respond to it.</P>
<P>I'm a 19 year old English boy living and working in China.</P>
<P>To be honest i think I'm the person afraid to see other foreigners. As the town i live in is a small one i feel some kind of pride of being this town's only English guy. I agree it is completely pathetic and i hate it. i wish i didn't feel like this but every time i see another foreigner i totally turn red and try to block it out. Learning Chinese is quite important to me and my main way of thinking is "oh god, if they're in China too they must know a lot of Chinese!". and that makes me feel less than them.</P>
<P>on a few occasions i have seen the same person dining at a snack shop. one time i went in and when i ordered food the boss said she was impressed by my Chinese, compared to the other foreigner, (she couldn't speak any Chinese at all).</P>
<P>obviously that made me feel good and it got me what i wanted.</P>
<P> </P>
<P>but, i honestly just think it's because my main passion is learning Chinese. No matter what your passion is, if you excel at it compared to someone else it gives you a boost in self confidence. i just wish i didn't feel like that with this, It's just a language, and you would be hard pressed to find something only you can do, that no one has ever done before. Everyone likes to feel special, I'm sure. especially in the subject of what they try hardest at.</P>
<P>i plan on going to university in China with many other foreigners, do you think this behavior will disappear or will it get in the way? i need to get past this way of thinking. Don't get me wrong I've been in close contact with a few foreigners here and i got on well with them, but maybe it's because i felt comfortable with my Chinese level compared to theirs.</P>
<P> </P>
<P>it's embarrassing but i need to forget this way of thinking.</P>
<P> </P>
Traveler:
Interesting. You're English but use American spelling, and don't know when to use capitals. Also, at 19, in what field are you a foreign expert?
:
@AdamR
There you are, you've got what you were looking for: an environment where you can feel important and unique. If you are 19, that means you are still in a sort of Narcissistic age. Nothing to blame about it. It's natural and normal. Just don't nurture your "self" this way. Of course being the only English foreigner in the town it makes you feel like you've discovered America. But you know there are others who've already discovered it a long time before you. Don't lean on these sort of satisfaction. If I were you I would flee such comfort. Otherwise you won't be easy as getting along with the foreigners at the University, here in China.
As of how good you manage Chinese compared to others, I don't recommend you to lean on the people's praises either. The Chinese will always say something like how well you understand and speak Chinese only because you know some words. They don't mean it! At least, this is what I believe. Maybe others will confirm it.
Anyway, enjoy being a hero but try to get rid of it. It won't be very good on the long run .
bill8899:
Ahhh, to be 19 and ruled by my ego. It would be vastly better to be 19 and free of an ego, but I'll settle for the former.
Don't worry Adam, you're the only one.
Well, sometimes I dislike myself to see me in China. Or I can put it these other words: Sometimes, I dislike to see myself in China.
