DATELINE CHINA: Understanding cultural differences

Written by Jonathan Brozdowski
Friday, 23 October 2009 13:22

The more time I spend in China, the more I grow to appreciate the cultural differences that affect my daily life.

Through my experiences with Chinese kindness, I have not only gained peace of mind, but also humility and great improvement of my Chinese language skills.

The Chinese have a sense of responsibility that dictates their jobs. My host mother believes she must set up and clear my dinner, right down to the crumbs that fall from my bread.

Upon my attempts to help, she’ll protest and insist I needn’t help her because I have homework to do. The homework is my job, and while she would not be offended if I helped (as I have in the past), kindness is not intruding on her job.

Whereas Americans will take any help they can get, the Chinese are more independent. I now have someone to rely on for these basic needs, giving me extra time and the peace of mind that someone else wants to make my life just a little easier.

Similarly, the commute also requires you do your job and watch out for yourself. Unlike the New Yorkers that rarely run you over, Beijingers push, shove and kick their way into any available space on the vacuum-packed subways and highways. It’s nothing personal.

Kindness isn’t part of the thought process, because the Chinese don’t have the resources for the millions of people to be comfortable. While I do slightly miss New York transit, I’ve learned to accept that things have to be this way.

However, kindness does occur with conversation. I have certainly discussed with many locals how I came to live in Beijing, but last Saturday I was even invited to spend time with a Chinese girl at a coffee shop.

While I realize she may have only desired an American friend, it was a lot of fun — a great opportunity to practice my Chinese for a solid three hours.

She, like every other native, is patient enough to hear me struggle through it. Can you imagine a New Yorker taking that much interest, giving the foreigner that chance to study native speech?

Thankfully, I’m here instead, learning how the Chinese go about working, moving, speaking, and living.

Jonathan Brozdowski of Easton is spending his junior year of high school in China through the School Year Abroad program. He will be sharing his experiences by writing a column for the Courier.