True to form, these banners for the census emphasize the harmony it will bring to China. I'm pretty sure the census takers are looking to count every foreigner living in China as well, so I'll be included in the count. What a cool thing to be a part of. Apparently the Miss World competition was also in China just a few days ago (Miss USA won), but unfortunately the beautiful contestants did not visit the Great Wall on the same day we did.
After I read the article about the census, I scrolled down to read some of the comments. I don't know why I do that to myself; it just causes unnecessary stress. People can be so frustratingly close-minded and just stupid!
Posted by Kathy 39 minutes ago:
"What this articles does not mention. If you don't answer the questions, you go to jail. If the census worker finds out you lied, you go to jail. If the census worker or your neighbor doesn't like you, you go to jail."
Good ol' patriotic Golden Eagle had this to add:
And of course Carty had to go here....
What the hell? I love America to no end but comments like these make me not love Americans so much.
Kind of related:
Good ol' patriotic Golden Eagle had this to add:
"Are they including our census!
Accuracy going to be like ours!
False
Impossible to count correctly when most foreigners live on top of each other.
Known Fact!"
Accuracy going to be like ours!
False
Impossible to count correctly when most foreigners live on top of each other.
Known Fact!"
And of course Carty had to go here....
"At least China doesn't have 30 million illegal immigrants from Mexico that don't answer their door for the census. Only time they come out is to send their kid to school for free, or take them to the emergency room, for free. (or shoot someone)"
What the hell? I love America to no end but comments like these make me not love Americans so much.
Kind of related:
This summer I realized that it's difficult and insensible to characterize the Chinese people, or the people of any single country, because you can't help but use your own upbringing as a gauge of normality. In addition, there are so many things that you might never even realize about a place because you so expect certain results that you are blind to everything else.
Every once in a while I read other Light Fellows' blogs and I am surprised at how their accounts of China and Chinese life differ. One student wrote that to his surprise, Chinese people didn't eat very much rice at all, while another student wrote that he was already sick of all the rice he's been forced to eat. Another student was delighted with how friendly and attentive the waiters and waitresses in China are, while another student wrote that the service here stinks. I've written often about how the pushing, shoving, and cutting in line here KILLS me, while another girl remarked just the other day that the Chinese are so respectful.
Were these people all in the same country? It's remarkable how everyone who visits here gets a different impression and formulates different opinions. I know I've complained about certain things in China before - real juice is expensive and hard to find! People here don't eat cheese! There's terrible air pollution! But I love China. And when I get back to America I'll definitely have complains now that I know how things in China are. People are way way way too materialistic! Our population is fat and bad at math! People eat dumplings with soy sauce instead of vinegar!
Anyway, our textbook over the summer had a chapter on how Chinese people are "polite" while Americans are "blunt," so the problem clearly exists on both sides. It was great for teaching us new vocab words, though.
Other things:
Every once in a while I read other Light Fellows' blogs and I am surprised at how their accounts of China and Chinese life differ. One student wrote that to his surprise, Chinese people didn't eat very much rice at all, while another student wrote that he was already sick of all the rice he's been forced to eat. Another student was delighted with how friendly and attentive the waiters and waitresses in China are, while another student wrote that the service here stinks. I've written often about how the pushing, shoving, and cutting in line here KILLS me, while another girl remarked just the other day that the Chinese are so respectful.
Were these people all in the same country? It's remarkable how everyone who visits here gets a different impression and formulates different opinions. I know I've complained about certain things in China before - real juice is expensive and hard to find! People here don't eat cheese! There's terrible air pollution! But I love China. And when I get back to America I'll definitely have complains now that I know how things in China are. People are way way way too materialistic! Our population is fat and bad at math! People eat dumplings with soy sauce instead of vinegar!
Anyway, our textbook over the summer had a chapter on how Chinese people are "polite" while Americans are "blunt," so the problem clearly exists on both sides. It was great for teaching us new vocab words, though.
Other things:
- I tried donkey meat, cow stomach, and rabbit the other day! I wish I could say they were all delicious, but the donkey was much too fatty, the stomach was tasteless and uncomfortably chewy, and the rabbit was exactly like chicken in every way and so just made me feel guilty about eating a cute animal.
- I'm trying No-Shave November this year.
- Our fall break is next weekend and I'm currently planning where to go. Maybe Chengdu, Harbin, or Inner Mongolia.
- Got A's on both my midterm and oral midterm.
- The leaves here are turning bright gold. It's beautiful.
"One student wrote that to his surprise, Chinese people didn't eat very much rice at all, while another student wrote that he was already sick of all the rice he's been forced to eat."
ReplyDeleteExcellent point, and I love that these blogs are capturing so many differences in experience.