I looka lika Zhong guo ren

[carl.hops]

After living here for about 7 months I've been told by Yakun that people are telling her I look like I'm Chinese. Now... I didn't pay much attention to it before, until today when I was sitting at a bus stop waiting for the usual 835 to take me home from work when a young Chinese man sat down next to me and looked at me like I was a normal every day shmo, He asked me something rather simple. "does 835 come by here" I answered him in Mandarin, it was at that point I realized something was up, because I didn't get the stares, the "ni shi na ge ren?" and he wasn't afraid to sit next to me and curl up his pant leg.

 

That's when he started a conversation, and I had to stop him and say "wo ting bu dong" (I don't understand) it was after a couple of these that he said "my Putonghua is bad, I'm from Shandong" at this point I think he thought I simply didn't understand him because his accent was crap?

 

Suddenly he realized his mistake and looked at me in the "your a foreigner" eyes, and asked "ni shi na ge ren?" after I answered he told me my pronunciation was pretty good. Hah, I think I will dye my hair black and keep my sunglasses on all the time.

[tonado]

You look like a Chinese speaking foreigner.

[weiaijiayou]

After living here for about 7 months I've been told by Yakun that people are telling her I look like I'm Chinese. Now... I didn't pay much attention to it before, until today when I was sitting at a bus stop waiting for the usual 835 to take me home from work when a young Chinese man sat down next to me and looked at me like I was a normal every day shmo, He asked me something rather simple. "does 835 come by here" I answered him in Mandarin, it was at that point I realized something was up, because I didn't get the stares, the "ni shi na ge ren?" and he wasn't afraid to sit next to me and curl up his pant leg.

 

That's when he started a conversation, and I had to stop him and say "wo ting bu dong" (I don't understand) it was after a couple of these that he said "my Putonghua is bad, I'm from Shandong" at this point I think he thought I simply didn't understand him because his accent was crap?

 

Suddenly he realized his mistake and looked at me in the "your a foreigner" eyes, and asked "ni shi na ge ren?" after I answered he told me my pronunciation was pretty good. Hah, I think I will dye my hair black and keep my sunglasses on all the time.

 

there is some diversity in china, including the uigurs, who you or i could occasionally be mistaken for. their putonghua is sometimes not very clear. when my wife and i first got serious, her mom told her neighbors that i was from xinjiang...

 

one caveat: as you continue to improve your mandarin, you'll become more and more aware of the segment of the chinese population that just doesn't like us as foreigners. before my chinese was very good, i had no idea people were making these comments. now i just find it embarassing. once my wife and i stopped at a street vendor to buy some wanglaoji, the seller, perhaps assuming my wife was my translator since we hadn't said anything while browsing, suggested that i should pay double price. other times, people have said things in the streets such as "couldn't you find a chinese man?" or "why are you with a foreigner?" when those things happened it always seemed to knock me down and make me feel like i'd never really be at home in china...

[knloregon]

Interesting posts ~ and Carl's is amusing .... some of what we experience in China is just the blunt nature of Chinese communication, and the language's in ability to offer alternatives, or shade meaning, I think. Although, yes, many attempts will be made to cheat you.

 

A couple of years ago, I arrived in Zhongdian (SW Yunnan, on the eastern edge of the Tibetan plateau) after a long bus ride from Kunming. I was tired and it was late, and there was only one restaurant open---Han not Tibetan, and there was one girl who could speak broken English, but the rest of the kitchen help didn't, but they saw me as an easy mark at the end of the evening. I ordered black chicken (Silkie) and rice, from the limited offering left, and I noted that they were charging me twice the price. The girl kept coming out offering me other things at inflated prices, and even tried to charge me for the tea, while the kitchen help kept egging her on...

 

....It was a very rare moment when I was too tired to dispute a price in China, but when I finished, I threw the money down on the table, and told the girl ---- "I hope you come to America, so we can treat you just like you treated me!" ---I guess she wasn't so stupid, since she burst into tears when I got up and left....

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

Sounds you're starting to get more comfortable. A foreigner that's been in China for almost 30-years told me the other day, that no matter how long you're in China, you will always be a foreigner. I think what he meant, was that we'll always be recognized as not being a native of China.

 

Most foreigners travel about in groups. You don't very often see someone traveling alone, most likely because they don't know the language or are just too new to the area.

[chilton747]

Sounds you're starting to get more comfortable. A foreigner that's been in China for almost 30-years told me the other day, that no matter how long you're in China, you will always be a foreigner. I think what he meant, was that we'll always be recognized as not being a native of China.

 

Most foreigners travel about in groups. You don't very often see someone traveling alone, most likely because they don't know the language or are just too new to the area.

 

I happened to run into one of those rarities awhile back in Zhongshan. He had been living by himself in a hotel and working in the city. He was going home from work and I met him on a bus. I thought it was cool to see him there by himself and he seemed fairly happy.

My wife often tells me that I look like a Xingjian person.

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

Sounds you're starting to get more comfortable. A foreigner that's been in China for almost 30-years told me the other day, that no matter how long you're in China, you will always be a foreigner. I think what he meant, was that we'll always be recognized as not being a native of China.

 

Most foreigners travel about in groups. You don't very often see someone traveling alone, most likely because they don't know the language or are just too new to the area.

 

I happened to run into one of those rarities awhile back in Zhongshan. He had been living by himself in a hotel and working in the city. He was going home from work and I met him on a bus. I thought it was cool to see him there by himself and he seemed fairly happy.

My wife often tells me that I look like a Xingjian person.

 

 

Many Chinese people appreciate when Westerners make an effort to learn the language and culture. My wife tells me that it's considered to be very cool when a Westerner takes a bus by themselves somewhere rather than a cab, or walks into a store to buy something, even though they are not fluent in the language. I've usually always been met by helpful people, who try to understand what I'm asking for, despite the fact I still can't pronounce things correctly.

[carl.hops]

Since I do plan to stay in China for a long time, I wont give my self any illusions of the possibility I can be accepted by all but you cant let that put you down, not even the minority's here have that luxury or at current times the Arabic's in our own home. I'm glad that I can at least blend in fairly well, maybe the down right racist and ignorance that has some Chinese saying things like that to your wife will lesson as more and more people become educated as China develops into first world.

 

I love it when I go into a place and hear someone say laowai, I think its pretty funny how a lot of Chinese will state something out loud like that. They say it not really out of spite but surprise, I'll usually turn my head their way and kind of chuckle which results in us all smiling or them becoming embarrassed.

 

But after a few trips to Beijing I've noticed a lot of these little foreigner adventures we have to go through every day don't happen on the same scale because of the large foreign population, its your little home away from home if you're getting tired.

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

Since I do plan to stay in China for a long time, I wont give my self any illusions of the possibility I can be accepted by all but you cant let that put you down, not even the minority's here have that luxury or at current times the Arabic's in our own home. I'm glad that I can at least blend in fairly well, maybe the down right racist and ignorance that has some Chinese saying things like that to your wife will lesson as more and more people become educated as China develops into first world.

 

I love it when I go into a place and hear someone say laowai, I think its pretty funny how a lot of Chinese will state something out loud like that. They say it not really out of spite but surprise, I'll usually turn my head their way and kind of chuckle which results in us all smiling or them becoming embarrassed.

 

But after a few trips to Beijing I've noticed a lot of these little foreigner adventures we have to go through every day don't happen on the same scale because of the large foreign population, its your little home away from home if you're getting tired.

 

Not everybody in China likes foreigners, that's for sure; for the most part, the people are accepting and kind from my experience. Quite a while back, my wife and I were in a restaurant, sitting next to a Chinese family with a small young boy. The young boy said in Chinese, "Mama, look, laowai!"

 

I said to the boy in Chinese, "I am not laowai, this is my wife and I live here now." The family all laughed and we shared breakfast together after that.

 

 

...my wife of course reminds me that I will always be laowai, since I cannot change my big nose, eyes, or skin color....

 

Edited June 15, 2009 by ShaQuaNew (see edit history)

[GZBILL]

After living here for about 7 months I've been told by Yakun that people are telling her I look like I'm Chinese. Now... I didn't pay much attention to it before, until today when I was sitting at a bus stop waiting for the usual 835 to take me home from work when a young Chinese man sat down next to me and looked at me like I was a normal every day shmo, He asked me something rather simple. "does 835 come by here" I answered him in Mandarin, it was at that point I realized something was up, because I didn't get the stares, the "ni shi na ge ren?" and he wasn't afraid to sit next to me and curl up his pant leg.

 

That's when he started a conversation, and I had to stop him and say "wo ting bu dong" (I don't understand) it was after a couple of these that he said "my Putonghua is bad, I'm from Shandong" at this point I think he thought I simply didn't understand him because his accent was crap?

 

Suddenly he realized his mistake and looked at me in the "your a foreigner" eyes, and asked "ni shi na ge ren?" after I answered he told me my pronunciation was pretty good. Hah, I think I will dye my hair black and keep my sunglasses on all the time.

 

People here can sometimes be quite ignorant.

 

My first three years in China I would always go out for lunch or dinner with another colleague from Boston -- also an American. Over this time period at least several dozen times people would ask him if he is Chinese. After the inevitable denial, they'd then ask him if one of his parents or grandparents was Chinese. Their logic: He has black hair so somewhere down the road he has Chinese blood in him.

 

I guess I shouldn't have said people can be quite ignorant. The correct term would be they can really be morons at times.

[Guest jin979]

After living here for about 7 months I've been told by Yakun that people are telling her I look like I'm Chinese. Now... I didn't pay much attention to it before, until today when I was sitting at a bus stop waiting for the usual 835 to take me home from work when a young Chinese man sat down next to me and looked at me like I was a normal every day shmo, He asked me something rather simple. "does 835 come by here" I answered him in Mandarin, it was at that point I realized something was up, because I didn't get the stares, the "ni shi na ge ren?" and he wasn't afraid to sit next to me and curl up his pant leg.

 

That's when he started a conversation, and I had to stop him and say "wo ting bu dong" (I don't understand) it was after a couple of these that he said "my Putonghua is bad, I'm from Shandong" at this point I think he thought I simply didn't understand him because his accent was crap?

 

Suddenly he realized his mistake and looked at me in the "your a foreigner" eyes, and asked "ni shi na ge ren?" after I answered he told me my pronunciation was pretty good. Hah, I think I will dye my hair black and keep my sunglasses on all the time.

 

People here can sometimes be quite ignorant.

 

My first three years in China I would always go out for lunch or dinner with another colleague from Boston -- also an American. Over this time period at least several dozen times people would ask him if he is Chinese. After the inevitable denial, they'd then ask him if one of his parents or grandparents was Chinese. Their logic: He has black hair so somewhere down the road he has Chinese blood in him.

 

I guess I shouldn't have said people can be quite ignorant. The correct term would be they can really be morons at times.

 

 

GZbill,

 

you should eat somewhere else.

[whome?]

After living here for about 7 months I've been told by Yakun that people are telling her I look like I'm Chinese. Now... I didn't pay much attention to it before, until today when I was sitting at a bus stop waiting for the usual 835 to take me home from work when a young Chinese man sat down next to me and looked at me like I was a normal every day shmo, He asked me something rather simple. "does 835 come by here" I answered him in Mandarin, it was at that point I realized something was up, because I didn't get the stares, the "ni shi na ge ren?" and he wasn't afraid to sit next to me and curl up his pant leg.

 

That's when he started a conversation, and I had to stop him and say "wo ting bu dong" (I don't understand) it was after a couple of these that he said "my Putonghua is bad, I'm from Shandong" at this point I think he thought I simply didn't understand him because his accent was crap?

 

Suddenly he realized his mistake and looked at me in the "your a foreigner" eyes, and asked "ni shi na ge ren?" after I answered he told me my pronunciation was pretty good. Hah, I think I will dye my hair black and keep my sunglasses on all the time.

 

there is some diversity in china, including the uigurs, who you or i could occasionally be mistaken for. their putonghua is sometimes not very clear. when my wife and i first got serious, her mom told her neighbors that i was from xinjiang...

 

one caveat: as you continue to improve your mandarin, you'll become more and more aware of the segment of the chinese population that just doesn't like us as foreigners. before my chinese was very good, i had no idea people were making these comments. now i just find it embarassing. once my wife and i stopped at a street vendor to buy some wanglaoji, the seller, perhaps assuming my wife was my translator since we hadn't said anything while browsing, suggested that i should pay double price. other times, people have said things in the streets such as "couldn't you find a chinese man?" or "why are you with a foreigner?" when those things happened it always seemed to knock me down and make me feel like i'd never really be at home in china...

 

and the same would or will be her feeling in the USA ....

 

people are people all over the world ... there are those in USA who will never accept your Chinese wife and will try to cheat here just as there are those in China that do the same

[whome?]

Since I do plan to stay in China for a long time, I wont give my self any illusions of the possibility I can be accepted by all but you cant let that put you down, not even the minority's here have that luxury or at current times the Arabic's in our own home. I'm glad that I can at least blend in fairly well, maybe the down right racist and ignorance that has some Chinese saying things like that to your wife will lesson as more and more people become educated as China develops into first world.

I love it when I go into a place and hear someone say laowai, I think its pretty funny how a lot of Chinese will state something out loud like that. They say it not really out of spite but surprise, I'll usually turn my head their way and kind of chuckle which results in us all smiling or them becoming embarrassed.

 

But after a few trips to Beijing I've noticed a lot of these little foreigner adventures we have to go through every day don't happen on the same scale because of the large foreign population, its your little home away from home if you're getting tired.

 

Why do you think this ? you mean racism and ignorance does not exist in "developed" countries?

[weiaijiayou]

Sounds you're starting to get more comfortable. A foreigner that's been in China for almost 30-years told me the other day, that no matter how long you're in China, you will always be a foreigner. I think what he meant, was that we'll always be recognized as not being a native of China.

 

Most foreigners travel about in groups. You don't very often see someone traveling alone, most likely because they don't know the language or are just too new to the area.

 

I happened to run into one of those rarities awhile back in Zhongshan. He had been living by himself in a hotel and working in the city. He was going home from work and I met him on a bus. I thought it was cool to see him there by himself and he seemed fairly happy.

My wife often tells me that I look like a Xingjian person.

 

there are many foreigners like this in beijing (where i usually go when i go to china). many aren't american, though. the only other foreigners i am close with in china are korean. one is a grad student in history at beijing normal university and the other works at a chinese company.

 

i can't imagine wanting to live there without the ability to be independent...

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

Sounds you're starting to get more comfortable. A foreigner that's been in China for almost 30-years told me the other day, that no matter how long you're in China, you will always be a foreigner. I think what he meant, was that we'll always be recognized as not being a native of China.

 

Most foreigners travel about in groups. You don't very often see someone traveling alone, most likely because they don't know the language or are just too new to the area.

 

I happened to run into one of those rarities awhile back in Zhongshan. He had been living by himself in a hotel and working in the city. He was going home from work and I met him on a bus. I thought it was cool to see him there by himself and he seemed fairly happy.

My wife often tells me that I look like a Xingjian person.

 

there are many foreigners like this in beijing (where i usually go when i go to china). many aren't american, though. the only other foreigners i am close with in china are korean. one is a grad student in history at beijing normal university and the other works at a chinese company.

 

i can't imagine wanting to live there without the ability to be independent...

 

 

I understand what you're saying, but let's also say that everyone has the ability to be independent. It's just a really tough place to get to. It isn't like you wake up one day and say I'm going to go out of town, or on a trip by myself to a place where they can only speak Chinese. Everybody is a little bit different that comes to China from another country. Some are very inquisitive and want to learn. Others, are shut in, and don't venture out much. I'm somewhere in the middle. I have to resist the temptation to stay at home rather than go out and experience things by myself. It can be quite unsettling. I've found that if you push through it, and try it anyway, the rewards are similar to what a child feels the first time they walk or ride a bike.

 

Still, there are many that just figure it's too much, and give up after a while. You've got to make a decision to become a part of it and learn it, or get eaten alive.