Finally Noticing a Difference

Despite not having experienced significant culture shock, I seem to be becoming more confused by Chinese culture as I go (presumably, because it is revealing its more nuanced aspects in smaller doses).  

When one walk down the street, it is not uncommon to see women carrying umbrellas and others wearing face-whitening makeup.  I assumed this style of fashion, supposed to convey that one is not a laborer, was outdated.  Although some locals have told me it is going out of style, I can’t travel more than four-hundred meters beyond the campus gates without seeing an umbrella or a paled face (which tend to be inconsistently whiter compared to the skin tone of the arms or neck).

Another interesting trend I’ve noticed is the occurrence of select males (in particularly, overweight males) wearing their shirts rolled up to reveal their stomachs.

So many double takes…

Again, I assumed something like this to be an outdated display of affluence, but have concluded that I simply do not understand this alternate standard of beauty.  Of course, there are styles similar to western attire, but anything truly western is rare (…I think…I’m the farthest one can get from a fashion expert, living within my comfort zone of earth tones).  

Moreover, I’m not saying the women here seek out beer bellies and that albinism is valued as genetic perfection, but I figure there must be a reason why certain styles have not yet gone extinct.

There are a few other key differences between Beijing culture and what I’ve become accustomed to in the US.  Two subjects, the absence of tipping in restaurants and the apparent lack of concern from lawsuits, are nuances in Chinese society that I think make China very much different from the US.

First, in a Chinese restaurant, the food is usually paid for before it arrives, and one is not required to tip for the service.  As a result, food arrives whenever it is ready, varying from person to person. This, however, is considered rather unacceptable in the US, where it is considered polite for the individuals who receive their food first to wait for the staff to deliver the remaining meals to the first’s compatriots.

When rearing children [and yes, as a college student, I am more than qualified to speak with pretentious authority on any subject], one is suggested to discipline the child immediately after an unacceptable event occurs. Similarly, I want the waiters to know that I’ve been more than slightly irked for having to wait over twenty minutes for my food after everyone else received theirs, instead of simply opting to go somewhere else in the future.

Moreover, because the diner has paid for the service of the meal before the meal’s conclusion, the staff is not obligated to wait for the diners to stop chatting before ushering in the next set of consumer. Although this has only occurred in one not-so-fancy restaurant, I was still taken aback.

Second, concerning the insufficient influence of lawyers on Chinese society, businesses, construction crews, and drivers seem not to care about the repercussions of potential accident.  I get the impression there is absolutely no fear of lawsuits, which differs so greatly from the US, where lawsuits act as a larger impetus than government mandates when it comes to handicap accessibility.

I have yet to find one business that does not have at least one step or something in the way that would hinder a wheelchair.

(I have touched on handicap inaccessibility and traffic before but) another example of the lack of precautions seen in the US is in the traffic situation.  The simplest way to explain said situation is to call it a cluster f!@# of pedestrians, bikes, carts, cars, and buses.  

Safety hinges solely on the dexterity of the individual.  Personally I go by the rule that, if the locals are walking (even when cars are edging to plow them over), it’s smarter to stick with the pack instead of playing Frogger alone when you have the right of way.

Although they do not really regard a red light as a necessary stop, a driver won’t hit multiple people because that might actually smudge the paint or mark up the windshield.

I am gradually discovering cultural nuances, such as those pertaining to tipping and the commonality of lawsuits, which actually have a significant impact on society.  I am reminded of the lyrics from Say Hey by Michael Franti & Spearhead: “…Hey, I’ll be gone today, but I’ll be back or around the way.  Seems like everywhere I go, the more I see, the less I know…”

I find it fun to try to figure this stuff out, and have seen (not read) several books dedicated to unraveling the Chinese enigma from a western perspective. I know that it would take no less than a lifetime to fully comprehend and feel at home in both cultures.

Before I forget, I should write something about my academics because –though hard for me to conceptualize on the weekends– this is not a vacation.  

My main academic focus has been on my weekly fourteen hours of Chinese 100, where my one classmate and I have been exposed to about 450 new words in Chinese script. Although we are not required to memorize all of them, we are going to be given our first test tomorrow, and I hope that I do alright considering I have retained enough to recognize about half of them.

I guess I ought to stop procrastinating by blogging…