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Q: Why do people complain about China so much but they still live here.......???
You dislike alot of stuff, you complain about the way the air makes your nose allergy trigger and you hate the squat toilets......
WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE, MR & MISS "fellow" EXPATS?
* I see how you can assume I'm from CHINA but I'm from America (land of the FREE). I'm asking because alot of my friends complain.... but their still here. For them its a LOVE-HATE stay.... ya know?
To remind people like you that I can be, and because I have to freedom to go just about anywhere I damn well please...or not.
holler_dollar:
People like me.....like what? fellow expats. so whats your complaint about china? you're missing the point with your charging rage.
giadrosich:
No rage. Just speaking from a matter of fact. That is why I'm here.
holler_dollar:
I am from the USA. DO you know where that is?
hey, if i was from those beautiful pastures... i wouldn't mind. Is that your home?
It is natural for people to complain about things they don't like, don't understand or are different from what they are used to.
I have many Chinese (and other foreign) friends that live in the US and they all love to complain about things in the US. But when asked, they love where they live.
And the Chinese friends I have in China all love to complain about things in China like food prices, housing bubbles, salary rates, government policies, etc... But they love living in China and they wouldn't want to live anyplace else.
Complaining is a natural way of coping with the stress of everyday life and seeking validation or sollutions to your problems from others.
Xpat.John:
And by the way, if you can read Chinese, try reading some of the Chinese message boards. They make this site look like a sunday school bake sale.
Unlike most people on this site, I am here because my company sent me.
After some time here I have learned to accept many things and ignore others.
Why do locals assume that because we complain about some things here we hate it here? Really?
I complain about life back home almost as much....that's the difference between people who are used to free....and I mean FREE speech...and those that are not.
I say what I want...not what is expected.
holler_dollar:
Ya, the locals assume that I dislike this place, too. There are some small things that make me go crazy like using the Fed-Ex service. Policies here and there.... but I'm here because of my fiance's business. He wants to explore... so we'll give it a try. *shoulder shrugs*
There is only love and hate, black and white, etc.
When I was a little teenager, I would read all these pop fake philosophy books praising the Chinese (like Zhuangzi,etc) for viewing shades of gray when crackers could only see black and white.
Now I find myself in modern China, where if you're not happy 100% of the time you are sabotage china meiguolao harm china obama burn xi'an. Or if you're a Chinese person who is not happy 100% of the time (or if you are happy 100% of the time but watch friends or big bang theory or listen to foreign music) you are traitor foreign-culture-obsesive destroy-chinese-culture Cao Cao who should be killed immediately for the good of China.
So, my main problem with China is that westerners sell China, as a concept, far better than Chinese people do.
derek:
I like your post kchur. "China" is sold by ignorant westerners who don't live here and more often than not, are simply going on hearsay and are rather misinformed.
LAR:
Why don't YOU drop the racist "crackers" term! ******* asshole!! :(
It is a love hate realtionship with me.
I love the culture the pride you have in your country its unmatched to other countries. even though a minority of Chinese people ruin this aspect for me hence why i complain about some things these people do.
If you go to another country you will probaly complain about some of the things we do that you may not be used to.
Being here has taught me many things that I could not get in my country.
As I said its only a group of Chinese people that ruin this country of yours and it stands out from the good of the country.
In my experience, locals confuse the concept of "stating the obvious" with complaining. That's why Seinfeld would ever be a popular sitcom here. It's based soley on his observations of life.
holler_dollar:
Naw, some are just straight up complains. I'm sure it ain't a misunderstanding. Props for Seinfield. MISS IT.
crimochina:
props to you for mixing formal english with outdated slang . maybe you'll fool some people. i'll ask this question again why do chinese hate being chinese ? china has a long prestigious history but when chinese get on sites like this they try to be anything but chinese
There is a difference between venting and complaining. Here, where there are otehr expats, we vend and complain. Why? Because then we get it out of our system and are able to enjoy the rest of the things China has to offer. Better here, where we understand each other than to keep it bottled in and then "lose it" in front of our Chinese friends.
It is like friendship, you have your dearest friend and there are things you love of your friend and things that you dont. Venting once in a while helps keep you focused on the good things of your friend.
GuilinRaf:
I just want to add, that there are things that I will happily share with another expat here but that I would not mention back home. Why? Because the expat knows how I mean it whereas back home, they would not.
Well, I asked a samily question before...
Guess when people complain that may not true.
Complain that the restaurants are dirty, but love the food so much...
Complain about the girls are so much into money, but love to date such girls...
Complain that the people are so rude, spit everywhere, never follow rules, but they do the same, and will tell u do what Chinese do...
Don't borther too much...
holler_dollar:
A complaint may not be true to you! A complain occurs when one's standard isn't met causing one to be in the vent mode. Your "poem" sounds meaningful but lets not blur the obvious reality.
Holler dollar: the day you understand how life really is outside of Chinese borders, you will understand why we complain about a few things here that in our minds and ways could be better, and that in doing so I assert my right to freely express my thoughts, and still continue to like my living here. Until then, be patient, someday you will understand.
Weena7:
-when you consider that the complains of others may not be the truth...
-that the food may taste great but the floor and walls of restaurants are filthy.....
-that in China finnancial stability is above real love for many, yet the ladies are mostly beautiful to the eye......
-and that foreigners do not spit, throw garbish on streets, and doi follow rules or get deported......
- you will realize that we are NOT the same.......
- and that we do not tell Chinese what to do.......
-just make comments on what they do, because back home we do have the right to our opinion, and to express it in whichever way we may see fit, any time, any where.
And also some day you may also realize that while China, as any other country, has some negative points, it also has positive ones. It is just human nature to talk about the negative ones.
HappyExPat:
As you yourself well said, you may be from America, but you are not American.
HappyExPat:
To me, NO, but it seems that to you, you are very sensitive about it. I judge people mby what they are, based on their own merits and demerits, noit by where they were born, nor by the color of their skin either.
Come on, everybody complains. Nobodys life is so paradisiacal that there are not things that could be improved on. I pay taxes to my home country and I'm not there. How fair is that? Trying to cross a road in China is crazy. There I have a complaint for each country. Do either of these phrases mean I should not live in either country? I like China but I see so many things that discust me. The spitting, the garbage. Last night when I went for a walk up the main drag, a guy walked up and took a piss in a tree stand, not in an alley. He really was small, didn't even show. Now he should be complaining. My complaint is this was gross public act. Shouldn't I be offended? If it was a nice looking babe maybe not ,, but still....
Hey CAT, why do you not ban these racist posters????
Just curious holler_dollar how long have you been here? I pondered this same question for about my first 2-3 weeks here...
holler_dollar:
I see........ Then, did you have China-complainers that work and hangout with you.....during your first 2-3 weeks?
MissA:
A flippant reply, but I'll take it straight. Yes, I met some people who complained an awful lot. I met some people (okay, this one guy...) who couldn't praise China highly enough. Thing is, they're both right!
The time reference was that it took me that long to understand just how intense the double-speak and lying can be here, by otherwise very nice people, and to understand just how frustrating it can be when you're not allowed to point out the blindingly bloody obvious due to the face system. And that's before you start on shoving, spitting and table manners! I now realise that no matter how nice and open I try to be and how culturally sensitive I try to be, some things are just really amazingly hard to adapt to. Some things, I don't want to adapt to. And so those things, I (and the other expats I know try) to do my best with, and then vent as neccessary.
The thing here is, that there are huge advantages to being here. The food, some of the people, the lack of financial pressure, the chance to try and understand a misunderstood part of the world... these are the good things. To enjoy the good things, you need a good pressure valve to release the frustrations of the bad things, and bitching here is one of the healthiest options available!
Incidentally, you didn't answer the question.
holler_dollar:
Excuse my dodging. I've been in this city for 8 months. What's your analysis can you come up with based on my duration?
MissA:
Luck, perhaps? Maybe you are in a more westernised city than I am?
There are going to be people no matter where in the world you are, that are going to complain about their life, their environment. There are people who complain about everything.
All you can do is smile and nod, or avoid them. Nothing you can say will change their minds, their perceptions.
People need a place to vent when they are surrounded by different, new, odd-to-them. Chill and experience China for what is. Don't let anyone jade your opinions. You seem to have some moxy. Use it.
My only real complaint is the scammers or getting ripped off because I'm foreign. but even that I can forgive. The litter gets cleaned up, the spitting- well I do wear shoes here. I like to be bare foot in the summer at my home, I have 4 acres, but I have a dog and god knows what wanders through my yard at night, so I'm used to watching where I step. I used to be able to jay walk a busy street in Canada, but I haven't lived in a city for so long that I find it hard to cross in China. The one or two cars that go past my home every day are not a problem.
Most of my complaints are small ones,,the stone side walk is slippery when it rains and I come from an country that has snow and ice.
Basically I've always thought a city is a city is a city, same thing only different.
I haven't had anyone push or be rude to me. Perhaps I'm big enough to make people think about it. I can go any where without being afraid I'll get mugged and I like the rustic worn old parts, alleys etc. The only harassment I get is for sex and I like toying with them,,, 50 is my offer,, no takers yet.,, may go to 40
ohh I thought you were going to pay me,,, no no then.
I love China ...
GuilinRaf:
So do I. Venting and complaining is not the same as disliking a place.
Old question that's been answered at least a dozen times.
