Before I got to China, while I was preparing to move and even before that, when I was dreaming of living somewhere international, I couldn't really picture in my mind what it would be like to live here. It's so distant that you almost believe that there are just a bunch of mindless robots roaming the streets. How could real people live in China?
Well one of the things that most often surprises me is the usual, the ordinary things that happen day to day, like people walking dogs, or running, or reading the paper. I prepared myself mentally to experience things that were totally different then I was used to, but it surprises me and makes me smile every time I see something familiar.
One thing I have noticed is that people are the same, even when there are cultural and language differences.
Every morning, I get up and walk out of our building and smile at the building guard. Then my roommate and I get on the bus. Sometimes there is lots of room and everyone can sit, but when it is crowded people stand up to let the elderly or small children have their seat, people are kind, they make room.
Once we get off the bus we look for a driver, these are people who have their own cars and get payed to drive you somewhere, much like a taxi only you decide on the price before hand. Now that we have been getting a driver every morning for a few weeks they recognize us, know where we are going, and how much we will pay them, so all we have to do is nod at who we want and he takes off running to get his car. I am pretty sure we are the running joke, all these men stand around and compete or take turns on who gets to drive the two foreign teachers to work each morning. Now that we know them we have our favourites as well as ones that we don't like. Being good Canadian girls we feel bad saying no to one and choosing one over another. But this one driver in particular is so awkward to take. Chelsey named him The Snakey Driver, he has a TV in the front dash of his car that has music videos of chinese pop music with half naked girls dancing around and the occasional english word such as tequila, party, or sexy. In addition to his creepy car he also tries to pick up other people to make more money. So we decided that if he tried to drive us again we would decline.
One morning we were walking towards where all the drivers stand and Snakey driver was walking our way making eye contact. Before we got close we agreed that we would say no and get someone else. He walks up and says taxi, we both look at the ground and say no, boo, and continue walking past him and then nod at the next guy who takes off running for his car. He is still behind us speaking chinese and all the other drivers were chuckling. I think it is probably a good thing that we couldn't understand what he was saying.
So there are good people, creeps, and of course those who want to rip you off. All in all, much of life here is still the same. I still have daily routines, and see familiar faces, I have favourite spots for coffee and lunch, and go to work each day. It is these similarities that often surprise me more then the unusual.
Well one of the things that most often surprises me is the usual, the ordinary things that happen day to day, like people walking dogs, or running, or reading the paper. I prepared myself mentally to experience things that were totally different then I was used to, but it surprises me and makes me smile every time I see something familiar.
One thing I have noticed is that people are the same, even when there are cultural and language differences.
Every morning, I get up and walk out of our building and smile at the building guard. Then my roommate and I get on the bus. Sometimes there is lots of room and everyone can sit, but when it is crowded people stand up to let the elderly or small children have their seat, people are kind, they make room.
Once we get off the bus we look for a driver, these are people who have their own cars and get payed to drive you somewhere, much like a taxi only you decide on the price before hand. Now that we have been getting a driver every morning for a few weeks they recognize us, know where we are going, and how much we will pay them, so all we have to do is nod at who we want and he takes off running to get his car. I am pretty sure we are the running joke, all these men stand around and compete or take turns on who gets to drive the two foreign teachers to work each morning. Now that we know them we have our favourites as well as ones that we don't like. Being good Canadian girls we feel bad saying no to one and choosing one over another. But this one driver in particular is so awkward to take. Chelsey named him The Snakey Driver, he has a TV in the front dash of his car that has music videos of chinese pop music with half naked girls dancing around and the occasional english word such as tequila, party, or sexy. In addition to his creepy car he also tries to pick up other people to make more money. So we decided that if he tried to drive us again we would decline.
One morning we were walking towards where all the drivers stand and Snakey driver was walking our way making eye contact. Before we got close we agreed that we would say no and get someone else. He walks up and says taxi, we both look at the ground and say no, boo, and continue walking past him and then nod at the next guy who takes off running for his car. He is still behind us speaking chinese and all the other drivers were chuckling. I think it is probably a good thing that we couldn't understand what he was saying.
So there are good people, creeps, and of course those who want to rip you off. All in all, much of life here is still the same. I still have daily routines, and see familiar faces, I have favourite spots for coffee and lunch, and go to work each day. It is these similarities that often surprise me more then the unusual.