Travelling broadens the mind
The first thing that comes to mind, while visiting China is the powerful blend of ancient history and modern hypermodernity. And let’s be honest here… I have seen next to nothing of China. I only got to spend 4 days in one city: Shenzhen!
Technology
Arriving at the Airport I expected to find people to communicate with in English. Where as I didn’t count on that oncw leaving the Airport. How wrong I was!
The ladies at the Information-Point were all very friendly. But as soon as I spoke the magic words “Ni hao, do you speak English“, I got a hand hold up saying “Wait – Stop”. Having the cell phone already in their hands, they would now confront me with Google translator. Terrible! How I missed “the good old times, of communicating with hands and feet”!
Everything seems automatic, computer-controlled and mechanic. To buy a ticket, you need your phone and download an app. No interaction with a human required.
Observations
As mentioned before, only four days staying in a country is way to short to jump to conclusions. Therefore I will keep it short. I would like to give my thoughts about four “interesting” things though.
Shoes
One thing, that immediately caught my eye were the shoes people wore. Most of them wear at least two sizes too big! It looks soooo uncomfortable and hard to walk with. Then the trainers.. they have soles –God-knows – how high. It seemed to me that some feet almost vanished in the shoes they were wearing. A very interesting phenomenon.
Waste
There is way to much unnecessary waste. Fruit in supermarkets is often wrapped in plastic individually! One apple, covered in plastic! Whereas if you buy a Take-away meal it is wrapped in paper or cartonage.
If an apple has one brown spot, they will offer you a special price or just DON’T want to sell it to you. Ridiculous I found. Sometimes I really had to convince them to sell such an apple to me! And Google translator is not helpfull at all in scenarios like this.
Toilets & benches
If you need to go to the loo, you’ll be fine. There are lots of public toilets around. What is a problem, is if you want to sit down somewhere to have your lunch. It was really hard to find a bench somewhere. Except for some parks.
I saw a lot of people occupying seats at terraces to be on their phones or having their own drinks. Without consuming anything from the bar or restaurant itself. No one seemed upset about it. I guess it is a natural thing to do…. but it felt weird to me. (Maybe this in only Shenzhen….?!)
Phones at work
Not surprised by the fact, that almost everybody was constantly on the phone. It has already come to this point in Europe, in many places too. But even at work, people would look at their device instead of looking at you. Very annoying, very impersonal,… to me even impolite (…yes, I know, I am old-school… nothing has more impact than a long intense stare….).
If they were NOT on the phone, they were sleeping! Sometimes I even got the feeling, especially at foodstalls and shops, that they didn’t have such a thing as “lunch-break“. Where we shut the shop for a break, they stay open, but just take a nap.
Unfortunately I didn’t have a chance to have a converstation with a local about my oberservations. So I might got it all completely wrong here!
