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From Magic City Morning Star R.P. BenDedek
Recently an American Friend wrote me stating that after reading that article, she was a little concerned at how she would be received in China, given that she is American. Her concerns came from the following points which I made in that article.
Quotes from Chinese students:
This is a copy of my friends' email:
This now, was my reply:
With the 3 boys in my household, I went to Chibi across the river to show them the museum park. While we were looking for the buddhist temple, the boys became a little perturbed and kept hurrying me on. I thought nothing of it at the time, but one later told me that one of the villagers had said: 'The last time foreigners came here they (the Japanese) killed a lot of people. Maybe we should kill THIS foreigner!'. As a 'joker' I could see the funny side, and wondered if the whole purpose of saying it wasn't to actually scare the life out of the kids. Anyway.... to answer your questions - DON'T WORRY! IT IS NORMAL! There have been students who were really obnoxious..... and you just know they have these thoughts in their heads (about Americans) and since I am white - I'm obviously American. I like to stir the locals when they point and call me a foreigner. One day I was walking down a narrow pathway and two boys were headed toward me in deep discussion. I knew that they would soon look up, and I knew one would utter 'Laowai' - foreigner. I always say something back in Chinese.... spin around as if searching and then ask 'Where' I see no foreigner.... etc etc etc but on this occasion, what came out of the boys mouth was 'Meiguodi' - American! I not only shocked them, and everyone else within earshot, but myself as well, for I automatically in Chinese shouted (S-H-O-U-T-E-D) I'm not American! I'm Australian! Anyway, no worries. You will be accepted as you are, as a person. The Chinese are racist, but not in the western NASTY way (usually).
Be happy, be genuine, be humourous, be kind, be happy, be friendly, be happy, and finally be happy and humourous and everyone will love you. The Chinese can be very arrogant - but it is an arrogance that derives from a feeling of inferiority. I could explain this with examples at length..... so if there is one thing likely to put a chinese person off, it will be anything that they see as a superiority complex. Be happy, friendly and humourous - do not turn your nose up at anything you see no matter how you react on the inside. This is a Chinese custom. Honour everyone as you want to be honoured. Simple really. Do you feel better?
So there! Being an American in China is not like being an American in Palestine, or a foreigner in any Islamic country currently held in the sway of offense at the Danish Cartoons. Maybe they don't like your country, or your politics, or feel economically inferior, but the Chinese will usually stick to custom and honour you as a guest. And should they be disinclined to do so, they are nevertheless well aware of Chinese Law, which treats very severely those who make trouble for foreigners. R.P.Bendedek Email: rpbendedek@hotmail.com
Photographic Stories from China< The King's Calendar' is a synchronous chronological presentation of the history of Ancient Israel, as principally recorded in the Biblical books of Kings and Chronicles, and sets forth Apologetics for and the results of R.P.BenDedek's discovery of an "artificial chronological scheme" running through the Books of the Bible, Josephus,the Damascus Documents of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and Seder Olam Rabbah. www.kingscalendar.com. © Copyright 2002-2008 by Magic City Morning Star |
