Song Way

This is a fragment from my reply to a friend seeking abroad study program in China.

So yes, I have a million and one questions about China, it’s beautiful places and beautiful people. Where shall I start? How about one question at a time….

1) Who are you? And what makes YOU uniquely Chinese? (Besides the fact that you were born in China). More specifically, what beliefs were you raised with?

———-Ru, Tao, Chinese history. Although twisted and transformed by the culture revolution, those are still the very origin of the belief of a Chinese.

2) Has your Chinese identity changed at all since you arrived to the US? And if so, how?

Yes. As I said before, by communicating with people from all over the world, I’m changing my own way of life to combine the merit of them all. I’m quite open minded.

3) How do Chinese people perceive Americans in China? (Americans that study abroad, versus Americans who live and work there).

They don’t distinguish American students and American workers. They think Americans are wealthy, fashionate, arrogant, cool, sex-indulging, lazy, frequent practitioners of one night stand and they won’t be surprised if an American commits any crazy deed:) Some think Americans are superior, some think Americans are foolish. All of them think Americans are from Mars or somewhere before they really meet some. And, for most Chinese who have had a fair amount of communication with Americans, they’ll be happy to learn that you are not that different from them and you’re willing to make friends.

4) Have you ever seen Latinos in China? How about South American women?

I couldn’t distinguish a Latinos or a south American women from blond in China. It’s still hard for me now.