9 Life Lessons You Only Learn From Living in China
Living in China will change you forever. You’ll find yourself taking your water hot and your chicken cold. You’ll develop relationships with diverse people, but find your community in a sea of millions. You’ll come out wiser than you went in but maybe just a little ruder, and you’ll learn that the following lessons are everyday facts of life.
Weird food is the best food
Before coming to China, most people would turn their nose up at the idea of eating cow stomach or chicken heart, but when the mystery meat is placed on a stick with an unreadable name tag (or none at all) attached, chances are those same people will end up eating them. Whether by accident or on purpose, they will learn that the mystery meat is actually delicious. Then they will be the ones proclaiming that all parts of an animal are meant for consumption. Let nothing go to waste!
It’s who you know, not what you know
Don’t open up to strangers
Because of the sheer number of people in the country, Chinese tend to treat strangers as numbers rather than people. However, as soon as you become a name and a face, you are practically part of the family. So, though often cold on the surface, Chinese people are some of the most welcoming on the planet once you get to know them. It’s likely that you will leave the country with a similar outlook.
A little effort goes a long way
The Chinese language is very difficult to master but very easy to learn a little of. It is possible to get by in the big cities without so much as a “Ni hao” in your linguistic toolkit, but learning some Chinese shows respect and helps you build guanxi (yes, that word again) with the locals. Some foreigners in the country skate by on their passports alone, but those who put in the effort to integrate go far.
Change is the only constant
Don’t grow too attached to that wonton place down the street. Chances are it will be gone by Monday. China is in a period of high-speed growth, and that means that change is always on the horizon. You have to learn to love it, or it will drive you crazy.
Never pay full price
In China, you can always find something cheaper and you can always find something more expensive. Take a page out of the ayi handbook and opt for the cheaper option. Learn to distinguish quality, and you’ll soon be spending no more than RMB60 (US$9) for a manicure in Shanghai, the mainland’s most expensive city.
Your people are out there
When a city of seven million is considered small by Chinese standards, finding your place can feel daunting. But the good news about big cities is that they are full of every kind of person with every kind of interest. Want to hang out with fellow visual artists? There’s a WeChat group for that. Want to befriend other animal rescuers? There’s a WeChat group for that, too. Your people are out there, and you will find them.
“Hot water good for healthy”
In China, not only is water best served piping hot, drinking it is also seen as a cure-all for ailments from the common cold to cholera. Though there is not yet any medical evidence for the curative effects of hot water, being forced to drink it every time you eat out will make you start agreeing with Chinese on the matter. Sure it’s just hot water, but it really makes you feel better when you’re sick.
Some rules are meant to be broken
Living in China, you will quickly learn that the country is not as authoritarian as it makes itself out to be. If the city government announces a traffic crackdown on Monday, offenders will be getting away with their careless driving again by Friday. China’s rules are like a dance. Know when to follow them and when to break them, and you will feel more free in a so-called authoritarian country than you ever have anywhere else.
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.
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