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Q: Why does Forgeners come here happy, agree on all but 3 months down the line complain so much about life, salary and people?
Just for the record, complaining and whinging is not the sole domain of us westerners.
As far as I am concerned, many Chinese are amongst the biggest complainers in the world. I have never come across a race of people with so little patience and tolerance to others.
An example to illustrate the point:
I am not an Australian but I am a big fan of the way that AQIS control the Australian borders and have subsequently prevented virtually all plant and animal related diseases entering the country. In fact I believe they are the best in the world at it. There is a real life TV show that I like to watch on Youtube when I have the time showing Australian Border Control carrying out their duties. It is also notable that a fair few of those that think they are immune to Australian laws are Chinese.
A young Chinese girl studying at a university in Australia had an undeclared suitcase of "delicious food from my mother". It contained all the usual suspects including duck and chicken products. As she should have well expected, she was stopped by AQIS. The food was confiscated and she was slapped with a standard fine. Nothing extraordinary about that.
The customs officials were carrying out their duties in a totally non discrimitory fashion especially given that the source of the food products was from a particularly high risk country anyway and at a time when avian influenza could have been transmitted. The Chinese girl obviously thought she was being discriminated against though. Typically lacking tolerance, and being obnoxious and rude.
She was not told to go home if she is not happy with the rules (as is the typical response here in China). She was just subjected to a process that any other person would be in the same situation, Australian or non Australian.
It is about time some Chinese took a long, hard look at themselves in the mirror before criticizing others!
GuilinRaf:
I was giving a lecture on extraditions a few weeks ago, and I got the usual complaint from my students about how Canada, USA and other countries do not respect China and "never" extradite Chinese suspects.
Since I have had this problem crop up since I started teaching here, I am prepared. I explain how extraditions work (due process) and how oftentimes countres will extradite someone IF the requesting country promises NOT to execute the suspect (interfering with Chinese laws!!!).
I thin give a list of various cases where the USA has had its extradition requests either flat out denied or conditioned on our not executing the individual if he is found guilty. And that many of these denials are from allied countries (Canada, France, etc.).
Now THAT always blows their minds! They just cannot believe that other countries also get "No" and that it is "not just China".
Expectations. If you come here with even any you're in for a ride!
bryan.mcminn:
i had an epiphany in my first few months in China when virtually none of my expectations were being met. I decided to have no more expectations and just deal with whatever came my way on a daily basis. That is the day that I began to love China. Now I am bored in the US and I cant wait to get back to China...
Well, foreigners come here happy in the beginning because they thought they are getting a good deal. A month of not getting any of the promised, for example, things stated in the contract -- they will let it slide. For the second month -- a bit furious but will still give some benefit of the doubt. But the third month is too much waiting and if none of the promised things written on the contract ( what I think is the source for the complaint) -- well wouldn't you also nag about it because you have been deceived into something that was false pretense from the beginning.
So, can you blame the foreigners for complaining.
Even the most robust of us suffer from bad china days. There's just so much new stuff to deal with at the start and when there's a massive language barrier even the most simplest tasks become a huge, troublesome burden. I think it's okay to complain from time to time, just to vent and get it out of your system. The reason people stay is because despite all the complaints, they really do love China deep down. There's something magical and oddly inexplicable about this country.
Chinese "are very accepting" of anything they cannot change - (or think they cannot change) this is not something that most foreigners, "are not used to doing".
I try to be patient and accepting "every day" - but it is very difficult, as there are many Chinese
"who take advantage of forigners"
(especially in English teaching jobs ) telling lies to get them to sign work contracts, holding there payments, making them work more hours than agreed !
These things in Western societys "are unlawful" and the governments there, punnish the companys and bosses, for this behaviour. So it is not easy for a foreginer to accept this kind of behaviour.
"unfortunatley" there are many "very rude and dishonest people" in China, who take advantage of CHINESE and FOREIGNERS
But i think most foreginers "know that this is only a small percentage of Chinese" -
most Chinese are warm, kind and caring - and very willing to help foreginers in China.
But when we get upset or angry, many Chinese just see foreginers as rude and angry people, and do not considder, that it is not something that we mean to do ! -
we are just speaking our "mind" about bad and unfair behaviour.
I truely believe, that if more Chinese "spoke out about bad and corrupt behaviour" China would be an even "greater place" for everyone !
So if you see a foreigner "who is angry" - maybe they have "good reason"
and remember, just because "YOU" accept bad or corrupt behaviour, it is not fair to "JUDGE" others "WHO DONT"
Actually it's much simpler than that - complaining is a way through which people can bond.
Think about any job you've worked before. Chances are, there have been times where you've opened up to a fellow colleague about how much you hate the boss/long hours/low pay etc
It's just a way to relate to somebody else in the same situation as you.
Which, as most foreigners in China know, is quite a necessary thing to do to stop feeling alienated by such a different culture!
The three-month barrier may be the testiest time for most, as it is often the point that makes or breaks foreigners here. But essentially, it's a way to empathise with and connect to people in the same boat as you.
Lack of preparation. Lack of research. Immaturity. Unrealistic expectations.
Lack of patience. Lack of tolerance.
Etc. etc. etc.
the longer i stay here the worse it gets, sorry but its not getting better, maybe in my next life.
When comparing the UK,Germany, USA etc to china it is like being on another planet. Everything is different. The langage is incomprensible, completely different to any European langage. The customs are reversed ie In China it is customary for the younger generation to take care of the older folkes, incuding sending them money. We have the reverse. Even the right of way is reversed. A big truck has the #1 right of way, a car #2, a motor bike#3 a bycycle #4 and a pedestrian #5. It has to be that way or trafic would come to a stand still. The beds ??? The body conformes to the bed, not the bed to the body. This is probaly why there are so many Chinese, the beds are so uncomfortable that they can't sleep, so they persue other endevors. You have to get used to China, including getting ripped off. Be patient, they are really wonderful people. Franck3
Just for the record, complaining and whinging is not the sole domain of us westerners.
As far as I am concerned, many Chinese are amongst the biggest complainers in the world. I have never come across a race of people with so little patience and tolerance to others.
An example to illustrate the point:
I am not an Australian but I am a big fan of the way that AQIS control the Australian borders and have subsequently prevented virtually all plant and animal related diseases entering the country. In fact I believe they are the best in the world at it. There is a real life TV show that I like to watch on Youtube when I have the time showing Australian Border Control carrying out their duties. It is also notable that a fair few of those that think they are immune to Australian laws are Chinese.
A young Chinese girl studying at a university in Australia had an undeclared suitcase of "delicious food from my mother". It contained all the usual suspects including duck and chicken products. As she should have well expected, she was stopped by AQIS. The food was confiscated and she was slapped with a standard fine. Nothing extraordinary about that.
The customs officials were carrying out their duties in a totally non discrimitory fashion especially given that the source of the food products was from a particularly high risk country anyway and at a time when avian influenza could have been transmitted. The Chinese girl obviously thought she was being discriminated against though. Typically lacking tolerance, and being obnoxious and rude.
She was not told to go home if she is not happy with the rules (as is the typical response here in China). She was just subjected to a process that any other person would be in the same situation, Australian or non Australian.
It is about time some Chinese took a long, hard look at themselves in the mirror before criticizing others!
GuilinRaf:
I was giving a lecture on extraditions a few weeks ago, and I got the usual complaint from my students about how Canada, USA and other countries do not respect China and "never" extradite Chinese suspects.
Since I have had this problem crop up since I started teaching here, I am prepared. I explain how extraditions work (due process) and how oftentimes countres will extradite someone IF the requesting country promises NOT to execute the suspect (interfering with Chinese laws!!!).
I thin give a list of various cases where the USA has had its extradition requests either flat out denied or conditioned on our not executing the individual if he is found guilty. And that many of these denials are from allied countries (Canada, France, etc.).
Now THAT always blows their minds! They just cannot believe that other countries also get "No" and that it is "not just China".
