Don’t Be Fooled by the Asian Dragon, Instead Ride It! Dos and Don'ts Pt. II

The second part is for those of you who will stay in Zhongguo for a longer period, either for a study or teaching English. Don’t be fooled by the Asian Dragon, instead Ride it!
   

 Do:     

1. Show respect to their culture. That is valid, especially, if you plan to spend more than a few days in the country. Knowing who Mao ZeDong, Qin Shi Huang or Kong Zi is will increase your chances of getting the contract or establishing a strong business relationship.2. Use the trainfor long distance journeys. You may realize the fares are quite reasonable and apart from this some destinations offer first class conditions (for example Shanghai - Lhasa). I will reveal you a secret. Sometimes, when the compartments’ seats are fully booked, the westerners are being told there are no more tickets available. The truth is if you can say in Mandarin “I want No Seat” Wu Zuo you are in. Think about it the next time you are in a hurry and don’t want to wait five more hours at the railway station. 3. Order a lot of food in the restaurant without having the intention to eat it. Once again, do as the locals do. 4. Use chopsticks. Even when you eat soup (yeah, I know it is not so funny)! Invest some time in mastering the grasp, you can do it. Don’t forget that when you go back home you can brag about your skills.5. Try the strange looking fruit you have never heard of in the groceries’ store or the open market. Lychees, Pomelos, Dragonfruits, etc.
 

   Don’t:  

1. Travel with trains unless you are a big fan of traveling with a lot of people. I know, I mentioned the opposite in the previous section, however, you may get squeezed like sardine from time to time. 2. Be surprised at the sight of two people having a quarreland a crowd of twenty around them watching and contemplating. It is just part of this nation’s mentality. Don’t be judgemental; I am sure you are not proud of everything happening in your country.3. Expect that you will make quickly friends around. Being a student is a totally different story! Bear in mind this Asian country is still a bit reserved towards the outside world. In fact, if you know what some western “friends” have done in the past to Hong Kong (opium wars) you should not be surprised.  4. Shout or yell in public places. Yes, it is true you will see the Chinese doing so, but keep in mind you are a guest.5. Buy foreign currency on the streets.