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gratefulmurray

Great article! Very funny. Smoking: I would bet it is more with smoking than anything, smokers spit to get the flem out. Massages: Great, love it. Will miss being able to get an affordable massage in America. Pushing: Funny, obviously exaggerating about knocking down old ladies, chill out people. Pecking Order: Again, I think it is a subconscious thing, people want to think that they have achieved something in their time here that newbies haven't, but will in time.

May 21, 2013 21:23 Report Abuse

sharkies

The author only pays his ayi 30RMB per hour? How stingy can you get!

May 21, 2013 18:46 Report Abuse

ruthallen

Mmmmmm, well as an exapt, I'll respond this way: 1. Ayis for those of us who actually work are not a "guilty pleasure." They are essential to long-term life if you don't have family here. Chinese people have Granny and Granddad living with them or near them. That way Mom and Dad can both work full time jobs and there's someone there to clean, cook, shop, pay bills and innumerable banks that have no non-working hours hours, go to the police station to register and do whatever else and pick up the kids from school. If they don't have family living nearby, they hire ayis too. It's not a luxury for most busy people: it's a necessity you must budget for if you want to stay for a while and don't plan on living in a pigsty. 2. I don't spit, and I don't know any foreigner who does. 3. I'll grant you that one. If you're not pushy, you can't survive or get anything done. But I never run into or push the elderly, and again I don't know any foreigner who does. 4. This is an interesting point, but I think it has a lot more to do with how much a person has paid attention and how self-absorbed a person is than how long they've been here. I've been here 14 years–I know people who have been here almost twice as long and yet are stunned when something happens that is completely in keeping with Chinese culture to anyone who knows about it. I also know people who've been here half as long as I have who know as much or more than I do about China and the culture. The only really annoying expats are the ones who think knowing where a certain bar in Beijing or Shanghai is, or remembering when Beijing still had minibuses and only one subway line somehow qualifies as understanding China. 5. I hate being touched by strangers, and therefore have never had a massage. Of the 10 expats I can think of just right off the top of my head without trying, (all have been here 10+ years, so they know where to go and how to get things if they want) only 1 ever gets massages, and that only rarely. An interesting list, but seemingly it only applies to this author's particular little circle of friends.

May 21, 2013 15:58 Report Abuse

jknox00

Then you just might be a douchebag too

May 23, 2013 04:52 Report Abuse

Guest908042

Am I the only one that thought that this article was completely tongue-in-cheek? Granted it's not "hard-hitting journalism", but I thought it was pretty funny, and I could relate to several of the items. People need to relax...

May 21, 2013 13:29 Report Abuse

DaqingDevil

No you're not the only one. I thought it was pretty humorous and tongue in cheek too. Many people seem to have adopted the Chinese way of criticizing everything, or hang on, is that a western custom? Not all things written about and listed need to apply to you but I can relate to a couple. Got a cold? I occasionally have a spit. I feel guilty about it but hey.....when in Rome..! I push back these days too. Survival of the fittest. I don't have an ayi but if I could find one around 28 years old I might consider it. I don't have massages but will soon. And the pecking order? Yeah I think it exists subconsciously but ruthallen's comments about that are pretty close to the mark as well.

May 21, 2013 20:41 Report Abuse

R2Badger

This article was a complete waste of time and poorly written as well. It would be nice to get meaningful stories as opposed to this composte.

May 21, 2013 10:41 Report Abuse

carlstar

The writer sounds like they are probably a bit of an Ahole. Stop spitting and pushing, it is not hard to show some 'Etiquette' in the face none or is that just the American way, person that lumps us all together. Or to put it in the writers words "how this new batch of foreigners totally don’t understand what it means to live in China. Don’t be that guy."

May 21, 2013 12:19 Report Abuse

chamaflauge

I totally agree...Useless articles just lists of things with descriptions, no prose or creativity.

May 22, 2013 09:57 Report Abuse

chamaflauge

Man this is a horrible article....You don't speak for all foreigners. I don't spit, push and I rarely ever go to massage parlors...The pecking order thing is a joke right...I have been here a long time and I am not very proud of that statistic....Just say that you do these things...and stop putting us all under one umbrella... You are saying that Americans, Canadians, French, Saudi Arabians, Kenyans, Tunisians, Costa Ricans, Mexicans and every other culture in between think a -like? So you disregard all other cultures and practices? This article sucks, sorry.

May 21, 2013 10:20 Report Abuse