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Q: How do visiting family members view where you live in China?
I was really worried about my upper middle class American parents visiting my fiancee and me in China last year. They had never really spent time in the developing world (nice island resorts don't count) and I live in a gritty industrial tier 2 city in the northeast. I had a million worries - they would get sick, they would find my city dreary and depressing, they would find my fiancee's family members to be uncivilized, they would implore me to come home immediately from this shithole.
To my surprise and relief, they really liked it here. They enjoyed a variety of local food, were impressed by the city and really loved her family. The only negative was the driving scared the bejeezus out of them between some roller coaster taxi rides and dodging cars while walking on the sidewalk. I think the key to the successful visit was shielding them from the real China as much as possible. We ate at mostly higher end restaurants, went to a couple tourist spots driving on main roads, and my fiancee's family members were on their best behavior (well dressed, no smoking at the table, no ganbeis, no spitting, certain family members were not invited to the meals).
I have heard stories from others of less successful family visits ending in the family begging their son or daughter to return home from this country immediately. When your family members visited you from western countries what did they think of China? Did their visit change their opinion about you being here? What was the key to a successful visit or reason for an unpleasant one?
My brother visited me here, however I didn't take him to the town I live but to Shanghai, hence his statement was "much better than expected".
My parents experienced developing countries before, that helped a lot. They have been shielded from the worst aspects in China while tasting the best it has to offer. It went very well, although they are not blind or delusional on how things roll here (ie they saw what's life is on a small industrial town, they got an idea of the social climate), mostly good feelings. I think China is very enjoyable for many people, if you just stay a couple of months in a nice city.
my family visited me last year during Golden Week
Plenty of organising and obliging local friends made their visit memorable: they still talk about it.
They were willing to try everything and had a great time.
BUT
thankfully i was not still in Hunan province - that would have been too far and too much.
My daughter visited me once. 2 days on the seaside, German quarter and old town in Qingdao made it most enjoyable. Wouldn't have happened had we been anywhere else.
