By continuing you agree to eChinacities's Privacy Policy .
Sign up with Google
Sign up with Facebook
Q: What are the common mistakes foreigners make in China?
In the European tradition, I once tried to kiss a married woman on the cheeks to say goodbye after a dinner with lots of Chinese friends.
She grunted uncomfortably and tilted her head back in an effort to evade my looming lips. Most awkward moment ever.
I hugged my teacher, and she got apprehensive. -_-
lchickman:
hahahahaha . Exact opposite happened to me . I always expect Chinese people to not be touchy feely so when my Chinese teaching assistant hugged me without warning it utterly freaked me out and caught me off guard .
I think the most common mistake that foreigners make is not doing any research beforehand on the customs and habits of China. Come on, you're moving to another country, do your homework!
Also, woah, you kissed/hugged someone? Even back home, I think that might be a little much. I've never hugged a teacher, and I don't kiss people on the cheek, tradition or otherwise. They don't do that in public here, even if they're really good friends. Holding hands is ok though.
Where do you guys live that people (couples) don't do this? Where I am in Shanghai I see soooooooo much PDA it's ridiculous. They really might have the French beat on that. But beyond bf/gf I wouldn't think hugging/kissing would be okay here. Everyone's a lot more reserved, almost standoffish sometimes.
Anyway to answer the OP's question I'd say kind of similar to Jnus except not only regarding cultural things but just not even knowing useful things that could save you so much time and energy (not to mention face). Knowing how to speak basic Mandarin, being aware of the area around you and doing things to minimize being pick pocketed (I know so many expats who have been robbed without even realizing it), having a general idea of how much to pay for things so that they don't get ripped off, etc. Many people come here and live exactly like they do back home. While it doesn't necessarily hurt you, knowing those kind of things really could benefit you so much and make living in China smoother and easier.
Most comman mistake....They let this place get to them, and start focusing on the bad things. Sure China can be shit at times. I won't disagree with that at all, but too many foreigners get tunnel vision on the bad and it kills the magical honeymoon feeling, like when they first arrived. They worry too much about all the dirt and pollution that they miss out on trying so great food or don't take the chance to have an adventure of a lifetime.
lchickman:
I think you have to be really careful to not let the bad things get to you, cuz when they do they will really consume you. For me it was the people. Constantly being stared at and talked about by people really got to me at first and I hated being here and was always miserable. I'm getting better but it's definitely a process. While I know that not all Chinese people are like that it doesn't change the fact that it does seem that way when literally everyone around me is behaving that way. Having Chinese students who are younger adults in their 20's-30's who like to discuss ideas and the world and who acknowledge their country's problems is really helping me to cope better and see those people I pass on a daily basis as only part (albeit the majority) of the population. Good advice Daben.
The most common mistake I've seen is that foreigners get off the plane, having never been to China, and they think they know what's going down after reading the in-flight magazine. Or they think that they need to "spread civilization to the heathens." It makes me sick and honestly, if I could meet some foreigners that weren't like that (that's about 90% of the foreigners I've met here) then I'd be happy to be friends with them.
