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Q: What do a person need (mentally and physically) to survive in china ?
What do a person need (mentally and physically) to survive in china ?
Apathy, if you care too much about what you see around you you will lose your mind
ScotsAlan:
Aye. The blank stare. I can do that.
On the way to work today... "oh look, there seems to have been a fatal accident here. An e-bike and an articulated truck had a fight,,, the truck won"
Is it apathy about the incident, or is it apathy about the stupidity that led to the incident...? Don't know. Don't care. I got to work.
Learn to live and let others live too ! (Like the "FOUR MONKEYS")
One with hands covering ears, other covering mouth, another with hands covering eyes, and last one with hands covering crotch.
earthizen:
Actually, in the past (photo of ancient monument), there were three only, the fourth would be considered disgraceful. But, in PRC, yes, the fourth is advisable......
Thick skin, confidence, patience, inner peace, adaptability should about cover it?
Apathy, if you care too much about what you see around you you will lose your mind
ScotsAlan:
Aye. The blank stare. I can do that.
On the way to work today... "oh look, there seems to have been a fatal accident here. An e-bike and an articulated truck had a fight,,, the truck won"
Is it apathy about the incident, or is it apathy about the stupidity that led to the incident...? Don't know. Don't care. I got to work.
You have to be able to self-delude. Well. The happiest expats I know say things like, 'China has grooves on the sidewalk to help the blind. See? They do so much more for their handicapped population than (country of origin).' They say these things like they really want to believe.
Being either a bit mad, oblivious or delusional. First option is the best. Take it as a show to be enjoyed with a beer, popcorn, and a face mask.
Patience.
Chinese waste a lot of time, bring up a lot of problems without solutions... and take a long time to learn any ideas outside of their social approval.
You have to be thick skinned, spot cons quickly, get out of bad situation fast and pick your battles wisely. You have to be able to disarm people and manipulate pawns.
do should be does. thank you.
Captain Grammar
anyway, to answer your q ~ earplugs and a decent job,,,, that means a real job with a real FEC, Work Permit, Contract. I say this just because I couldn't imagine the stress of working/residing illegally.
Watch a video about Peru then you realise China is not so bad
BHGAL:
people call me crazy...... a few hours a week, I just go raking the beach. impact, minimal... peace of mind, .. well I get a little ... I don't accept plastic bags and I hate litter....except my cig butts... and they are burning up my place back home.
'Stamani'
Is that English word? It sounds Greek-ish
By Yahoo-gle it's' 'stamina', sorry!
The ability to put aside everything you've learned and begrudgingly accept a new "common sense." An iron stomach doesn't hurt, either.
It's like the game Darkest Dungeon. No matter how well you prepare, over time the darkness will consume you and eat away at your soul.
Don't worry about what you need mentally and physically to survive. Worry about the post-traumatic stress disorder that you'll develop and which will affect you once you leave.
Raindrops keep falling on my head
http://www.xiami.com/song/1216308
Sound of Silence
http://www.xiami.com/song/1770778887?spm=a1z1s.3061781.226669510.12.6NVP...
some "mellow" music often helps me through the day.
《Sound Of Silence》歌词：
Hello darkness my old friend. 嘿，黑夜啊。我的老友。
I've come to talk with you again. 我又来找你聊天了。
Because a vision softly creeping. 因为有个幻影轻轻爬进来。
Left its seeds while I was sleeping. 趁我熟睡时暗暗播下了种子。
And the vision that was planted in my brain. 使这个幻影深植入我脑海中。
Still remains. 萦绕盘旋不去。
Within the sound of silence ! 在寂静无声的此刻！
In restless dreams I walk alone. 在无数不平静的梦中我茕茕独行。
Narrow streets of cobble stone. 行走在鹅卵石铺成狭窄街道上。
Neath the halo of a street lamp. 头顶上街灯的光晕将我笼罩。
I turned my collar to the cold and damp. 我竖起衣领以抗御这湿冷的夜。
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light. 当我的眼睛为刺眼的霓虹灯闪烁所迷时。
That split the night. 霓虹灯的闪烁也划破了夜空。
And touched the sound of silence. 打破了黑夜的沉静。
And in the naked light I saw. 在无遮灯照耀下我看到
Ten thousand people maybe more. 人头攒动
People talking without speaking. 有的人在说着无聊的话语。
People hearing without listening. 有的人在漫不经心的听着别人说。
People writing songs that voices never share. 有的人在写着那些从不会被传唱的歌。
And no one dare. 但没有人敢于去
Disturb the sound of silence. 打破这份静默。
"Fools" said I, "You do not know. 我说道：愚蠢的人啊，你们不知道
Silence like a cancer grows. 静默会像癌细胞那样扩散。
Hear my words that I might teach you. 听我的话,我才能教导你。
Take my arms that I might reach you. 抓紧我的手,我才能救你。
But my words like silent rain-drops fell. 但是我的话却如寂静无声的雨点落下。
And echoed in the wells of silence. 徒然回响在沉静的井里。
And the people bow and prayed. 人们仍然顶礼膜拜着。
To the neon God they made. 自己塑造的霓虹灯神(文明)。
And the sign flash out its warning. 霓虹灯(文明)以它闪烁的文字显出其预兆。
In the words that it was forming. （文明）警告的话语渐渐成型。
And the sign said "The words of the prophets. 预兆显示:先知的话语
Are written on the subway walls and tenement halls. 已被写在地铁的墙上以及出租公寓的走廊上。
And whispered in the sounds of silence. 也在无声的静默中被轻声传诵。
diverdude1:
Simon & Garfunkle hard to beat.... I daydream of Brooklyn every time I hear that song....
'neath the halo of an E Street lamp....Learn some Chinese, or when you get lost you can't ask for the way.
Too many people come to China with too less patience and too much trust...you indeed need a lot t of patience...but less trust
Mentally: I must always remember that I am in China and this is China.
Physically: I must not patronize KFC, McDonald's or else after several months later, I wont be able to find decent clothes anymore. Clothes shops here cater only for Chinese body types.
But my ultimate survival solution is camouflaging. I am lucky that I don't get much attention wherever I go and whatever I do here in China because I am Asian too. So, somehow, I feel belong. Good luck to the very "foreign" looking expats. 
