Culture Wise China
Leo Lacey
Travellers often underestimate the depth of cultural isolation they can face abroad, particularly in a country with a different language. To many people, China is the embodiment of ‘culture shock’, although it is used to welcoming and catering for hundreds of thousands of foreign workers and visitors each year. Not surprisingly, most newcomers find many aspects of Chinese life alien – food, etiquette, language, etc. – and some come unstuck as a result. Culture Wise China will help you understand China and its people, and adapt to the Chinese way of life. Most importantly, it will enable you to quickly feel at home.
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Other guides for China
Extracts from the book…
China is different
For foreigners, there are two very different Chinas. Firstly there are the four principal cities of Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Shenzhen, where expatriates have formed communities and where some aspects of life are similar to that of major cities around the world (except that all signs are in Chinese script). And then there’s the rest of this huge country, from provincial capitals down to rural hamlets, where life is more thoroughly ‘Chinese’ – altogether unlike anything you may have experienced before.
At the same time, you are very different from the Chinese. There aren’t, as yet, that many foreigners in China and they comprise a tiny minority. Even in a major city, if you venture away from the main shopping areas and tourist haunts, you can expect to be stared at and commented on. Your Chinese colleagues may ask a lot of inquisitive, relentless and sometimes very personal questions as they attempt to get to know you. Add to this the noise and the crowds of people you encounter in most public places – for such a large country, China can be incredibly congested – and you may find it physically and mentally exhausting.
China has many extremes of climate and weather, and you mustn’t underestimate the effects that these can have on you. The heat of summer can lead to a lack of energy, poor sleep and dehydration; in some parts of the country, temperatures can rise to 38ºC (100ºF) and the humidity makes it feel even hotter. In the subtropical south of China it rains almost incessantly – far more than in Manchester (England) – and while winters aren’t that cold, you’ll certainly feel chilly and damp. Housing in southern China often lacks good insulation and central heating is rare anywhere south of the Yellow River. Further north it’s fitted as standard, but is sometimes linked to a local government control centre which switches it on in November and off again in March, leaving you freezing if the weather changes early or late.
Wherever you live in China, you’ll be faced with a host of challenges – such as a new job and a new home – which can be overwhelming before you even begin to encounter the local culture. You may have left a job in your home country where you were in a senior position, competent at your job and knew everyone with whom you worked. In China, you may feel that you’re initially almost a trainee, and don’t know any of your colleagues or the local way of doing things. The sensation that you’re starting from scratch can be demoralising.
Even if you move to a major city, many things that you’re used to and take for granted in your home country may not be available, e.g. certain kinds of food (decent cheese is a rare treat), opportunities to enjoy your favourite hobby or sport, and books and magazines in your own language. International television is limited – you cannot use a satellite dish to beam in foreign channels – and most cinemas show films dubbed into Chinese. And if you’re used to a media that reports everything, including amusing critiques of the government, you may find Chinese newspapers stuffy in the extreme.
This lack of ‘home comforts’ can wear you down. You’ll also need to cope without your local support network. At home you had a circle of friends, acquaintances, colleagues and possibly relatives you could rely on for help and support. In China there’s no such network, which can leave you feeling lost. You can and will make friends. There’s likely to be a welcome from other expatriates and the Chinese will want to get to know you also, but first you must overcome the barriers of language and culture.
The degree of isolation you feel usually depends on how long you plan to spend in China and what you’ll be doing there. If you’re simply going on a short holiday, you may not even be aware of many of the cultural differences; although if you are, it will enhance your enjoyment and may save you from a few embarrassing or confusing moments. However, if you’re planning a business trip or intend to spend an extended period in China – perhaps working, studying or even living there permanently – it’s essential to understand the culture, customs and etiquette at the earliest opportunity.
Families in China
Family life may be completely different in China and relationships can become strained under the stress of adapting to culture shock. Your family may find itself in a completely new and possibly alien environment, your new home may scarcely resemble your previous one (it may well be smaller and have different amenities) and the climate may differ dramatically from that of your home country. The stresses of adapting to a new environment can strain family relationships – particularly an environment that’s as different as China. If possible, you should prepare your family for as many aspects of the new situation as you can, and explain to your children the differences they’re likely to encounter, while at the same time dispelling their fears.
Culture shock can affect non-working spouses and children more than the partner who works. The husband (it’s usually the husband) has his work to occupy him, and his activities may not differ much from what he was accustomed to at home. On the other hand, the wife has to operate in an environment that differs considerably from what she’s used to. She’ll find herself alone more often, a solitude intensified by the fact that there are no relatives or friends on hand. However, if you’re aware that this may arise beforehand, you can act on it and reduce its effects. Working spouses should pay special attention to the needs and feelings of their non-working partners and children, as the success of a family relocation depends largely on the ability of the wife and children to adapt to the new culture.
The fact that so many people live in high-rise apartments, and the lack of a neighbourly culture – the Chinese tend to keep themselves to themselves, at least initially – can make life very isolated for the partner who’s left at home. There may be no garden for the children to play in and no familiar shops nearby. In China, perhaps more than in other countries, a network of expatriates who’ve been through the same experiences is vital, and you should ensure that the home-based partner has someone to turn to when the other is at work.
Good communication between family members is essential, and you should make time to discuss your experiences and feelings, both as a couple and as a family. Questions should always be invited and, if possible, answered, particularly when asked by children who will be going through a culture shock of their own, in an unfamiliar school and with playmates of different nationalities. However difficult the situation may appear in the beginning, it helps to bear in mind that it’s by no means unique and that most expatriate families experience exactly the same problems, and manage to triumph over them and thoroughly enjoy their stay in China.
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PRICE: £10.95
PUBLICATION: May 2011
EDITION: 1st
PAGES: 272
BINDING: paperback
SIZE: 200 x 130mm
COLOUR PHOTOS: over 100
