Travel into Writing

This one is going to be good.

Hi guys, and thanks again to show up in here.  So, no big intro today, it’s a #Daily #Brève. And it’s all about #LifeStyle again!

Have you ever wonder how Chinese people actually behave outside of their own home or the office? Yeah, like in the subway or the streets. YES, like those stories you’ve heard about them spitting EVERYWHERE! I am laughing picturing your faces right now. Let’s focus on those myths today: the Chinese life style way!

FIRST, I will write on behalf of my friendly Chinese fellows. This is NOT an attack, neither an insulting letter. So I apologize if I hurt some of my readers, but there is nothing mean here, just facts. 

Do I use tissue? Kinda… The lady’s dress will do 🙂

Spitting? That’s, indeed, a common think to see/hear while walking down those huge streets in Beijing.

This is the first thing I will excuse. Why, you may ask. Let’s say, being from Belgium originally, I have seen people spit all over for no reason, just to make it seems like they are bad-ass. Here, in China, you can understand why after living for a while in this beautiful country. The main and simple reason is: THE POLLUTION.

I dare you all to grow up in a place where, even wearing a mask, the air going in your lungs is particles of chemical clouds coming from factories pouring pollution all the time to make sure everyone has hot water and electricity. Indeed the government has some improvement to do, but Chinese people are not the ones to blame because they are too many and they spit everywhere. After only a few months during winter here, you have this weird feeling, strange taste in your mouth like daily. It almost tempts you to spit yourself as you feel like something is stuck in your throat and it isn’t good air.

Cut them some slack, even if you find it disgusting, a lot of people have been breathing that contaminated air for so long their lungs and throat are sensitive to the bad quality of the air.

On the other hand, they do blow their nose a lot but they usually don’t use tissues. When you see a beautiful elegant and classy woman walking in the street, bending against a tree and starting blowing her nose with her bare hands, that is something that will haunt you for life. It will obviously repulse you, feeling sick in your stomach as you witness that. Then, use a tissue in the subway, the reaction will be kinda reversed: THEY are going to look at you with those tiny eyes and you’ll see all the question marks above their head asking with their mind “why do you do it with a tissue”. It’s, in a way, funny thouh.

2. Polish your nails home, get rid of them outside 

Let’s follow that classy and elegant woman who blew her nose like a cavewoman in the street. Let us follow her in the subway. Let me witness for you a fun fact of that Chinese life style.

Miss BHN (Blow Her Nose) is actually on her way to the spa. She is going to have a manicure. For that, she has to cut her nails though. She forgot to do it back home though. No problem! Let her show you how easy it is to do it in the subway while watching YouKu videos on her smartphone.

YES, if you wish to scavenge precious treasures in the subway, you’ll mostly find nails. And trust me, no one will judge her for that. So, I am going to leave her alone, she is getting out of the subway. Let’s follow now her boyfriend.

3. Nailed it! The pinkie finger whispering to your ears

He is handsome, and damn Chinese guys ARE handsome and in good shape. But then, look at their hands twice before jumping on that… hum!

They are handsome and clean, still a lot of them do not polish or take that much care of their nails as the ladies may do. On the contrary, they won’t cut their nails, or not all of them. The last tiny finger will stay the same a long period of time. The nail is going to be quite long, you can’t miss it. And it has its own purpose: it is an ear-whisperer. Or a gold digger…. You get the picture? Yes, they clean their ears in another way than we do. The pinkie finger with monger nail will scavenge the hole in the ear.

He is not only there to pick up the remaining in their ear. More often, it will actually be helpful to play inside their nose orifices. As they scavenge that part as well, they will stay focus on their phone and throw away in front of them the treasure found in those tiny caves (yes, they have really small noses).

4. It’s a DRY city Beijing, no beach around. Shirtless, however, is trendy! 

Are you one of those really handsome Chinese guys I was talking about? Well, if you take a walk and keep your shirt on, you are. If you have your shirt above a greasy and round belly, you must be part of that big sect whose favorite cult is to show to the world their jelly belly. Sexy, isn’t it?

It’s a common thing to witness as well: people with a bit more weight (men) will take their t-shirt off but only to uncover their stomach because of the heat. It is a life style trend helping the body to breathe, I guess….

So, that’s all for today guys.  A bunch of funny real stories, life style experiences here.

As I said, those lines are not written in a mocking way or insulting anyone. The beauty of the #ExpatLife is to discover new cultures and their own customs. After all, I am in love with those Chinese and their country who accepted me as one of their own.

 

See you soon guys!