I love you China but please stop picking your nose in public.

One of the questions I am asked most frequently by locals and foreigners alike is "how do you like China?".  Coming back to Shenzhen from Vancouver, chatting with some Walmart visitors from the US and meeting some ex-pats here has reinforced in my mind that I actually like China.  It's not Canada, Arkansas, Ireland, England, Poland or any of a number of countries that have captured my soul in the past.  But I do like it...and it is carving out its place in my soul too.

It amazes me how people who have lived here for years hate China so much.  Or if they actually do like it you wouldn't know for all the complaining they do.  They hate the food, the people, the way things are done and the fact that no one understands what they are saying.  Here is my view on it

• It is unreasonable to come to a foreign country (any country) and be disappointed or let down because they don't have enough normal food for you.  This is China people.  The "normal" food here is Chinese.
• So you think the Western Food is not as good as back home.  There are exceptions to this of course but in general one of the biggest complaints I hear is that "XX food is not as good as back home" or McDonald's doesn't taste the same.  Newsflash folks.  Chinese food in North America (outside of China Towns in large metro cities) does not taste the same as back home in China.  I have been blown away by the flavour and variety of food here...and nary a Chicken Ball in sight
• It is unreasonable to expect people to understand you when speak English (especially when you speak really fast).  I know it is frustrating to not be able to communicate and it definitely makes things harder but people in China speak Chinese.  It is their native language.  And according to the HSBC posters in the Vancouver airport there are more people learning English in China than live in the entire country of England.  Learn some Chinese people (oh my, I am becoming a Chinese red-neck).  

The best part of my experience here so far are the people.  I have met funny, warm, ambitious, smart engaged people here.  Yep, they don't do things in the same way I do (which can be quite funny or frustrating sometimes) but I have learned a couple of lessons - there is more than one way to do things and we don't have to always do it my way.  

I think as long as I keep remembering I am a visitor here and I have as much (if not more) to learn from the Chinese as they do from me I should be fine and avoid the black hole of bitterness amongst some I have met.  That being said I do have some requests please:

• STOP PICKING YOUR NOSE IN PUBLIC - and this includes in my Taxi (you know who you are Taxi Driver from Sunday night), on the bus, metro, in a meeting, in the office, in a store...IT IS GROSSING ME OUT!
• Also please don't pick other parts of your body in front of me including toes, scabs, ears, zits...
• Do not horn up a big loogie and spit it on the ground in front of me (or worse, on my toes).
• You don't all have to fit into one elevator.  There will be others.  There always are.  The same goes for Metro Cars.

Most importantly, keep reminding me that there is joy in our differences - and frequently humour.  As long as we remember this we will be fine.

Exercise Chinese Style

After a wonderful, glorious trip to Vancouver where I was able to see some of my favourite people in the world, play with some of my favourite kids and watch me honorary brother get married while my real brother and bestie stood up for him.  It was a magical, cool (as in not stinking hot) trip that was a nice break.  Ironically it was not a break from all things Chinese because of the high Chinese population in the Lower Mainland area of BC.  We even stumbled on a Chinese/Taiwanese festival of some sorts that was like walking along the street in front of my house - Chinese medicine practitioners, People selling lots of stuff and weird (to me) food.

I was a bit worried about coming back.  Last winter I had a major depressive episode after spending Christmas in Ontario.  I am not sure if it was leaving the kids, my brothers and SIL and my other friends or if it was a case of SAD but it was hard.  And a wee bit scary.

Luckily this time coming home felt just like that - coming home.  It felt familiar and comfortable and fortunately not quite as screaming hot as when I left.  And I was able to comfortably settle back in to observing the Chinese in action.

My new favourite thing is the Chinese exercise regime and the sheer lack of self-consciousness they bring to it.  It might be because they were taught to exercise from a very early age and see it as a normal part of their lifestyle.  Besides the office work-out (which I will video really soon - I am getting quite good at it) the Chinese truly exercise everywhere and seem to get away without paying the high gym fees.

The local parks have public exercise equipment for the general public.  In fact I have a set of equipment right beside my apartment building.  And people use it - all the time.  They do push-ups, chin-ups, hang from the bars, do the twist on this twisty circle thing (sorry for the overly technical language) and ride the manual exercise bikes (see the video on the link above - it's not mine but it was a good illustration).

And they don't need equipment.  Chinese women regularly do Tai Chi in the morning in just about any large open space.  Of course we see this in North America too but I always find it magical.  Especially when you run into it in the middle of the sidewalk as you walk by.  They are usually accompanied by some badminton players. Those of you who watched badminton during the Olympics know the Chinese do not play the quiet, leisurely game we remember from summer afternoons in the backyard.  Some of the games get vicious (and these are usually the older people - really good badminton kids are sent to badminton schools so they can win the olympics).

The seawalk in front of my building is filled with walkers who clap their hands, swing their arms, stretch, jump up and down and make loud noises (very startling when you first hear them).  My all-time favourite though is the backward walkers.  There are these women who complete half their walk backwards while swinging their arms and counting.

I am really hoping they inspire me to be less self-conscious in my own exercise routine...but in the meantime I love watching them from my balcony.