Comments on: Park conversations http://chinahopelive.net/2006/04/16/park-conversations A cross-cultural adventure with the personal side of China. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:35:42 +0000 hourly 1 By: Joel http://chinahopelive.net/2006/04/16/park-conversations/comment-page-1#comment-479 Joel Mon, 17 Apr 2006 15:34:05 +0000 http://chinahopelive.net/?p=175#comment-479 Funny you should bring up potty communication... one quickly-apparent cultural difference is the way some private details just aren't private here. Not only do people freely offer information, they don't hesitate to ask or comment about stuff Westerners would either politely ignore or euphemize. Last week at work, co-workers were talking (and asking) about having "running bowls." There's no "restroom" or "washroom" or "bathroom" here; it's a <em>toilet</em> in both languages, let's just call a spade a spade! High-context culture my eye! Not when it comes to bodily functions. For a non-potty example, after eating all that pig's blood cake (zhu1 xie3 gao1) I got a <em>huge </em>zit on my forehead - literally maybe the biggest in my life. And the night it was biggest we were having another New Year's dinner at our new bosses house - we were new and they were sort of giving us a special treat to make us feel welcome. One lady, at the Chinese equivalent of Christmas dinner, points to my zit and says, "How do you say in English? Plimp... plimplo... plimpler..." "Pimple. Too much ???." "Oh. Pim-pol." We'd been well warned about this cultural trait, and many of the English speaking Taiwanese are aware of it... just not that one. But you can't expect people to act outside their culture in their own country!... it's just not rude here. And when in Rome...! Funny you should bring up potty communication… one quickly-apparent cultural difference is the way some private details just aren’t private here. Not only do people freely offer information, they don’t hesitate to ask or comment about stuff Westerners would either politely ignore or euphemize. Last week at work, co-workers were talking (and asking) about having “running bowls.” There’s no “restroom” or “washroom” or “bathroom” here; it’s a toilet in both languages, let’s just call a spade a spade! High-context culture my eye! Not when it comes to bodily functions.

For a non-potty example, after eating all that pig’s blood cake (zhu1 xie3 gao1) I got a huge zit on my forehead – literally maybe the biggest in my life. And the night it was biggest we were having another New Year’s dinner at our new bosses house – we were new and they were sort of giving us a special treat to make us feel welcome. One lady, at the Chinese equivalent of Christmas dinner, points to my zit and says, “How do you say in English? Plimp… plimplo… plimpler…”

“Pimple. Too much ???.”

“Oh. Pim-pol.”

We’d been well warned about this cultural trait, and many of the English speaking Taiwanese are aware of it… just not that one. But you can’t expect people to act outside their culture in their own country!… it’s just not rude here. And when in Rome…!

]]> By: Kelly http://chinahopelive.net/2006/04/16/park-conversations/comment-page-1#comment-477 Kelly Mon, 17 Apr 2006 12:53:50 +0000 http://chinahopelive.net/?p=175#comment-477 now don't forget those important hand skills and body gestures when you have to use the restroom. they may make for a very embarassing moment, but when you have to go - you HAVE to get the message across. now don’t forget those important hand skills and body gestures when you have to use the restroom. they may make for a very embarassing moment, but when you have to go – you HAVE to get the message across.

]]> By: Miller http://chinahopelive.net/2006/04/16/park-conversations/comment-page-1#comment-476 Miller Mon, 17 Apr 2006 07:06:45 +0000 http://chinahopelive.net/?p=175#comment-476 i miss you guys so much! why didn't we hang out more when we had the chance? its only after somthing is gone that i really value it... peace i miss you guys so much!

why didn’t we hang out more when we had the chance?

its only after somthing is gone that i really value it…

peace

]]>