Chinese Habits that I kind of possibly maybe hate with every cell in my body

It is obvious that there are going to be many cultural differences and social habits that are different from the United States and China.  What might not be as obvious is how… not pleasing some of those habits can be.  This post is all about the non-awesomeness of some socially acceptable habits that would get you flogged in America.

Spitting.

People spit in America.  People hawk up loogies like it’s their job in China.  When people spit in America, they are subtle about it and will usually spit on the grass and always away from other people.  In China, people will spend up to 10 seconds hawking up a massive loogie and then spit it wherever they feel like.  When you walk down the sidewalk, you have to watch the ground to make sure you don’t step in spit.

Now I’m sure you are all reading this and picturing some random guy who is probably not very well off in China walking down the street and spitting.  This is not the case.  Everyone spits in China.  Little Kids.  Old Ladies.  Businessmen in suits.  Taxi drivers (they will hawk up a loogie and then open the door and spit it out).  This is one habit I:

    1.     Will not adopt

2.     Can’t stand

And 3.  Makes me miss America.

Sh*tting.  Pissing.

When we in America need to do our business, we find a bathroom, and handle the problem.  Babies have diapers and those diapers get changed in the private confines of a bathroom.

NOT IN CHINA.

In China the concept of a diaper has just not caught on for a significant amount of the population.  While adults may not poo and pee in the streets, little kids pick the burden of defiling the ground.  Little kids often wear pants that are slit in the front and back so that when it is ‘time’ they can just squat.  Now, you may say “As gross as that is, at least the little kids will drop their deuces in the woods or pee on a tree.” 

No.

The kids relieve themselves wherever they see fit.  The Sidewalk.  Trashcans.  Cultural Relics. 

I can’t talk about this anymore.  It’s making me sick.

 

Not Queuing Up.

Chinese people have a strong aversion to lines.  When you go to by food, when you go to buy a ticket to visit the summer palace, when you try and get into a cab, when you are trying to get into a taxi, when you try to just about anything, someone will cut you off and take your spot.  It’s terrible.  Most times, the people who but you in line will look at you as if to dare you to do something about it.  Being a foreigner, I usually just let it slide because I don’t want to get into a fight with someone because my Chinese language skills are not good enough to yell at someone (though I do know some decent curse words).  Other times I just can’t take it anymore and will just elbow/push the person behind me and stare right back at them daring to do something about it.  It is gratifying reclaiming my spot in line.  Very gratifying.

 

I’ll see you all in a few months when I return to the United Awesome States of America.

 

PS- Boston University hockey blows.