One of the top three questions almost every student will ask you is, "Do you like China?" (along with, "Can you use chopsticks?" and "Do you like Chinese food?"). I learned the hard way, but there is only one correct answer - Yes. You usually won't have to elaborate on why, but a 'no' answer will be met with faces of shock and lots of confused attempts to understand. As with most countries, the Chinese are very nationalistic.
Similarly, speaking badly about your own home country will beg the Chinese students to question your patriotism. In the same way they believe China is the best and can't imagine thinking otherwise, they expect everybody else feels the same about their home countries. It's best to remain positive rather than go into issues of politics, religion, etc.
Most schools will probably tell you this in the beginning, but because there is freedom of religion in China, it's a strictly forbidden topic in the classroom. Discussions about the bible, the Koran, and the like will likely be seen as you trying to push religion on your students. It's best to stay away from the topic completely.
Hopefully one of the reasons you're teaching abroad is to embrace other cultures, but sometimes we often can't predict our reactions to unexpected differences such as unsanitary kitchen environments, children peeing on the sidewalk, pushing and shoving on the subway, sleeping all day, etc. It's best to try and understand these things as cultural, and not judge the people.
Again, you're here to experience a new culture, so break out of your comfort zone and make friends and acquaintances with the locals. One of the unique things about Chinese culture is most holidays and special occasions are spent eating a large meal with family - a difficult thing to experience if you aren't invited to a home. You'll be more difficult to approach if you're always spending time with other foreigners, and you likely won't be as motivated to reach out either. Break away from the crowd, and you'll be glad you did.
Even though your teaching salary in China isn't high in comparison to your home country, it's likely much more than the local teachers earn, and enough for your students to ask what we might consider inappropriate questions about money.
As with any country you travel to, there are things you should learn and remember about the culture so as not to offend the locals.
It's already assumed that foreigners are "rich," so don't make matters worse by insulting someone by talking abut your "tiny paycheck," when it's much larger than their own.
While my students reacted kindly to my curious desire to travel to both Tibet and Taiwan, I later learned about the sensitivity of these subjects in China. Tibet and Taiwan are fighting for their freedom from Chinese rule, and Tiananmen Square is the location of a large democratic movement in 1989 that resulted in thousands of deaths. It's best to leave all three out of polite conversation, since likely what you know about the events differs from what your students have been told.
The Chinese are full of superstitious beliefs, such as not eating eggs before an exam (because they're shaped like a zero) and never placing one's chopsticks straight up and down in a bowl of rice (because it signals a wish of death on another); rather lay them across the bowl, parallel with the table. There are countless other situations you'll only learn by speaking with your students and other locals, but it helps to make an early classroom conversation out of it like I did.
The Chinese are blunt, and you'll go far if you keep a smile on your face. It's likely you'll be called fat, told you have a big nose or forehead, or other similar realities we don't talk about in American culture. They're not trying to be mean.
In fact, these things are often distinguishing factors of beauty in China. My face broke out in severe acne while I was there and my students asked me daily, "What about your face?" I'd likely just cried in front of the mirror, but explaining what it was with a laugh helped shun future questions and keep the mood light and open in the classroom.
The Chinese government has blocked access to all worldwide social media site, and many of your students won't know what they are. If they do, and they know you've recently been on one (via a proxy), they'll also know it's illegal. They have their own versions of these things, like Weibo and QQ, so they don't feel like they're missing out, but the reason behind the block is often lost on them.
It's always best to travel with an open and curious mind, and to question judgments before making them. Be mindful, respectful, and keep in mind that you're a guest in China. With these 10 don'ts in mind, you're sure to sail smoothly through your adventures in China!
Tags:Teaching & Learning Travel Language & Culture Expat Tales
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1. Maybe if you are teaching little kids, but some of us teach adults (and they often have more negative things to say about China thanI do) 2. I believe that true patriotism is not idly sitting by and saying "all is great." True patriotism is being able to see the bad for the bad, and the good for the good. 3. Don't preach/try to convert people... Ok. 4. Cultural relativism, right, ok. Never mind that Chinese people are condemning these things as well. 5. Yes, because associating with someone else of a similar linguistic/cultural background is BAD. 6. We don't do this in our home countries either. 7. The recent Occupy Central protests got my students VERY interested in talking about Tiananmen. 8. Not everyone is superstitious. 9. Ok. 10.Most of my students already have Facebook and Twitter. Rasklnik is right... Panda hugging
Dec 23, 2014 02:03 Report Abuse
panda hugging...come on.I mean sure, you shouldn't talk aboutpolitics with six year olds, but you are going way to far...
Dec 22, 2014 22:41 Report Abuse