Since I plan on going to China my fall semester Junior year, I have been doing a lot of research on which school I want to attend. I’ve also been fairly nervous about the culture shock I’m inevitably going to experience, so I’ve read tons and tons of articles about what to expect when I get there. A lot of things foreigners (especially Americans) should expect are pretty obvious, but others, well – may surprise you! (Sorry for all of these lists lately. It makes my life easier). I’ve obviously never been to China, so these are things that other people have warned! I can’t wait to see if they’re true or not.

1. You will be treated like a celebrity. Seeing as ~ 92% of the country is Han Chinese, there’s not much diversity. You will stick out like a sore thumb no matter what. I thought I would blend in a tiny bit because of my long dark hair, but I’m also 5’6″. The average Chinese girl is 5’3″ and the average male is 5’7″, so needless to say I’m going to seem a tad tall. People that live in more rural areas will also take your picture. Most are sneaky about it, but some will even come up and ask to pose with you.

2. You will be answering a lot of questions. It’s only natural to be curious about foreigners, but some of the most common questions I’ve found are hilarious. They include:

1. Does everyone in the US have a gun?

2. Do all Americans have tattoos?

3. Have you ever been to Disney World?

4. Is America just like on Friends?

5. Why aren’t you married yet?!

3. The air quality will make you very sad. Especially in larger cities, the air pollution in China is absolutely horrible. Take New York and times it by 20. Sometimes the pollution gets so bad that it looks like it’s constantly foggy and you can’t see 5 feet in front of you. Be prepared to not be able to take nice, full, deep breaths. I guess going for a run is out of the question then. A lot of foreigner’s also develop lung problems, get extremely bad sinus infections and a permanent cough until they leave.

4. The Chinese are not cleanly. You thought America was dirty? Think again. In restaurants if an employee is sick and is coughing all over the place or even vomiting, they’re expected to stay there and continue to serve you food. No one throws their trash in garbage cans. Actually, in a lot of towns there aren’t any public trash cans. They just toss it in the bushes or down the gutter. Apparently everyone spits a lot too. This is not just true in China, but a lot of Asian countries. I wonder why? The last thing that completely horrifies me is that they don’t have diapers. Most children go commando and when they have to go, they just do it right there on the ground in front of everyone with no shame. 

Now I know the last 2 points may make China seem like a terrible place, but it’s still very lovely. Once you get used to breathing and being a little dirty, you’ll have a lot of fun. There are a lot of beautiful and amazing buildings, gardens, parks, etc. On that note, next week my blog is going to be about the top 5 places to visit! Stay tuned~