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My trip to China

China

Kyle.banerjee
2004-04-07 13:15:50

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Although I saw very few foreigners while I was in Fuzhou and Xiamen, the overall atmosphere was much like many Western cities. Having said that, there are a lot more bicycles and fewer cars. As a result, their traffic flows much more efficiently and you don't see any road rage despite the fact that the population density is high.

The hospitality I received in China was amazing -- I cannot say enough good things about the time and trouble people took to make certain my stay was a pleasant one.

Many American businesses can be found in China. They basically sell the same stuff that they do in the U.S., though some products are geared toward local tastes. I have my doubts as to whether some of these places will succeed. For example, at Sam's club you can get great deals on congealed duck blood, marinated pork stomachs, and live eels (Chinese eat a much greater variety than most cultures). However, people go there by bicycle and live in small apartments, so the bulk purchasing idea just doesn't make sense.

I worked in libraries while I was in China. The Chinese libraries I saw are surprisingly similar to their American counterparts in terms of overall mission, procedures, technical sophistication, and culture.

On an aside note, many Westerners have the idea that China is a repressive place. That was not my experience. While some people I met really did seem unhappy with limited political expression, most couldn't care less. Several people asked me why so many Americans thought it was so important to be able to comment on political events that they know nothing about when there are so few who think they should publicly criticize their employers.