If you really wish to be happy living in China (excluding the SARs and that Island )
Then follow this profoundly simple advice ... that might sound Cryptic enough
Make Chinese people feel happy and you will feel more happy
Thus reducing the potential stress and frustration you might have otherwise.
- but on the other hand the information in some books will certainly not provide any Magic or Magical Charm to help foreigners get what they hope to achieve. I have noticed too many foreigners who hope, wish or desire or even demand -- a quick fix .. an insider's secrets of how to outsmart, outwit or assist them by using whatever means or gimmicks -- in order to achieve their goals while living in China. As if there might be some "Magic" way to get Chinese to follow Western ideas, culture or social habits while doing business in China. . . I have seen many Western business people ask me to give them "supposedly insider gimmicks" to aid them in tricking, to influence, to deceive (fortunately this is uncommon) Chinese business people so that their Western business contracts will go smoothly and quickly . These Western business people then try to outdo the Chinese by pretending to act or behave "Chinese" better than the Chinese. i.e. Chinese will open the restaurant doors (if they are really polite ) or have polite posture in suggesting that the foreigners go through the door first ... or to enter the elevator first ... Then the foreigners try to outdo this "Chinese social habit" by insisting that the Chinese enter first .. There was a humorous cartoon years ago showing through each cartoon image that the Chinese business person look fresh, full of vigor, smiling, suit perfectly fit during the lengthy time while the foreigners look more and more unkept, suit getting crumpled , no longer smiling , but a grin and bear it posture, not looking fresh either ... at last the foreigner after probably a lengthy amount of time gives up and enters the doors or elevator ... followed politely with the Chinese business person. The Chinese people are definitely not inscrutable nor weird nor strange and certainly not irrational either.
Do You really want to be Happy living in China?
The Choice is always asked each and every morning and many times throughout each moment of the day. My coworkers go bonkers and crazy at times while I am smiling outside and inside ... Simply because I want to be Happy while living in the Middle Kingdom.
And here's another poem for your thoughts:
我感觉自己的灵魂
越来越像一个盆景
My soul - like a bonsai
has become a resplendent miniature landscape
becoming an ancient art form
spreading wings like a phoenix
radiant rainbow hues
mingling with heavenly bliss
"I felt my soul
more and more like a bonsai"
Where do your other translated words come from? Could it have a negative meaning, like my soul has been limited in its growth and artificially shaped like a bonsai?
I mean there's the old saying 'A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words', and if that is so, then what is a picture OF a thousand words worth?
Poetry is often designed to make us question certain things in life....
What does water taste like?
How do 'hotcakes' sell?
If you buy a bigger bed then why do you have more bed room but less bedroom?
What happens when an 'uphill struggle' goes 'downhill' from then on?
......What happens if one synchronised swimmer drowns - do they all have to drown too?
Questions, questions, questions !!!!!!!!!!!!
You want 'poetry'?
Do your balls hang low
Can you swing 'em to-an'-fro
Can you tie 'em in a knot
Can you tie 'em in a bow
Do you get a funny feelin' when you bang 'em on the ceilin'
Cos you'll never be a teacher if your balls hang low !
There you go......poetry at it's best!
As perfect as could be
I thought that I could keep it for a pet
I made it some pyjamas
And a pillow for it's head
Yet in the night it ran away....
But first it wet the bed !
The earth was cool and still
And a pretty little birdie
Perched on my window sill
He sang a song so lovely
So carefree and so gay
That suddenly my troubles
Began to drift away
He sang of far off places
Of laughter and such fun
Twas like his early morning song
Brought up the morning sun
I stirred beneath the covers
Crept slowly out of bed
Then quickly closed the window
And crushed it's f*ckin head
I'm not a 'morning person' !
Instead of writing more there -- I will continue here --- (happy)
I wrote -- I became invisible ( for a while until I am not so busy again )
so that I would not need to encounter more "interviews" or encounter other comments such as -- If you have lived in China for 27 years WHY are you in this international dating site? Or you are not suitable ... NOW at first I was annoyed some -- however, after more reflective thinking concerning these comments -- there is nothing wrong with these comments -- there are many different people using this Website and for those who are more practical about finding someone as quick as possible -- then asking many rapid fire questions or following a typical interview process -- would be pragmatic . However, I will think that this phenomena might not be so effective either. I became busy and I did not wish to continue being involved in this social phenomena thus changing my status to invisible will save time for me and others would might be interested in following this pattern. Secondly, I am not really sure how to help any new foreigner arriving in China for several reasons. Outside of putting really big effort into getting new teachers quickly acquainted with this School and helping them to find shops, sim cards, food, where to eat lalalalalalala and actually spending many hours to take them hither and thither -- I seldom visit expats or foreigners in Gz. (seldom is a nice way to say it ) My social lifestyle and nearly almost all expats or foreigners are quite different to say the least. I am not interested at all to join many social activities where there will be lots of westerners -- by the way I am not anti-social since I have many social activities that I am regularly involved with -- the difference being -- I spend 95% of my social time with Chinese. Thus Paul and Barry's blog plus others is most likely more helpful than mine . I also seem to have a challenge due to my economic qualifications or lack of -- for more than enough CLM members thus far. I do not have a house nor apartment nor the salary of well known business company or that of an International School -- nor do I have that misguided fantasy that Americans will receive generous retirement benefits given by the government. And should Trump be elected president of Land of Golden Opportunity then what some bloggers have predicted with different scenarios -- Well ... I guess I will not miss what I do not have in the way of affluent retirement benefits nor that large bank account along with the mortgage of a 500 grand house with 100 grand landscaping nor that really nice car. For those comments that consider some foreigners to simply be a "loser" because he or she came to China and accepted the lowly job of teaching ( and no way am I going to get involved with that extremely boring stereotype of -- he is just a kiddie english teacher or just has a white face blah blah blah ) Maybe there are some ... certainly was not me -- I used to earn 35,000+ RMB per month during the peak years. Due to several catastrophic social and financial disasters which do occur at times in some people's lives -- I continued on with life -- Thus I no longer have any townhouse ... cars (yes I had a driver's license for 22 years --) or motorcycles -- nor apartment -- I have no desire to get another driver's license either -- You can not see my Wechat moments if you have not added me -- where I took photos of huge traffic jams (which became moving parking lots ) while I was enjoying my cycling around -- Gz Metro is very convenient for me -- many people dislike it because they live in Central Gz or central Sz and must commute back and forth to work each day -- and they are truly stuck in the sardine can or the city jungle -- I am not . I have no qualms with squat toilets or many of Barry's posts or others. For Westerners -- unless you are willing to spend enough social time with Chinese -- then hopefully your potential mate will agree to enough of a radical change living with you in your desired backyard. Otherwise there could be more than enough "surprises" that might really frustrate you . For Chinese --- ditto -- There are places such as Richmond, Vancouver, Monterrey Park (Little Taipei -- California ) Toronto and probably a lot more that have lots of Chinese living there -- more to write next time ..
Why do you write like it is one big long sentence? Please for my selfish sanity break your stories into "paragraph form" so it is easier to read and stay focused on what you are trying to impart to the reader. ;)
Thank you.......(sun)(d)