Firstly, if you've been reading any of the entries in this blog, I'm sure you'd agree that everything isn't in it's right place... at least in terms of my head... Where you at? I don't know... But I do know that I need a more positive attitude to dealing with this strange land. Humour laced activities, such as putting up signs in elevators are fine, but that's not going to go along way to persuading me that my time here is assisting in bringing about a better, fairer Ch!na. The theorists' theories about the 6 month cultural shock period that then subsides into a period of acceptance and authentic enjoyment of a new culture, isn't mirrored by my experience. So yeah, here I go again, venting my frustrations on the net. Other than a recently stronger effort at fighting fire with fire - deliberately staring back at those who stare at me, whipping out the finger on occasions or some choice language, what are the options? (I hear my brain ask...)
I just don't feel I've fully adjusted to life in China yet - at least not in a positive way. I'm still quite negative towards the things that p\ss me off - staring, the Govt's control, access to information, limited food choices, pollution, other peculiarities....
So right now, I'm going to rant and rant into my little blog, and then maybe, one day it will all stop... ... ...
4 comments:
Maybe the reason you can't get used to it is you're used to a society where you can say the government sucks (Howard's a wanker!) and not fear being locked up.
If that's the case, I'd like to hope you never get used to it. Reading that article you referenced makes me think China is heading for big trouble. I don't think it can hold back information and change forever.
As to being stared at, I guess that's aresult of not being exposed to the wider world. Pollution is just crap. Get out while you can!
Hey, the new ABC website is nice eh?
It's weird but over the last week or so I've moved house and part of that has been that my broadband stopped working. We were amazed how much we relied on the internet for running our lives - things as simple as looking up the bus timetables. Having your lifelines to the outside world cut-off is pretty disorienting and frustrating I guess. You can see why we would never cope going overseas, we're having enough trouble coping with a new suburb.
came across this quote today too.
"It might be a good idea if the various countries of the world would
occasionally swap history books, just to see what other people are doing
with the same set of facts." -Bill Vaughan, journalist (1915-1977)
Man that's a top quote. I like it.
And I reckon I'd find a lack of internet very distressing as well.
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