Being stared at in Beijing?

[skylee]

I often wonder why it is such a concern for westerners that they get stared at. I got stared at a lot when I travelled to places not visited by a lot of Asians. In Libya, for example, when my very short hair was not covered at all. And also in Turkey. And in Athens (it was ATHENS, with a LOT of visitors from all over the world), a french woman asked for my permission to take a photo of me (I really didn't know why she would want that).

Last October when I was in Istanbul some teenagers asked me to help answer some questions for their homework. I agreed, and they immediately pointed their cell phone at me trying to make a video. They said it was also part of their homework. So I declined the whole thing and walked away.

So these things do happen, not just to westerners, not just in China.

PS - it is simply because 物以罕為貴.

[Lu]

Not so much a concern, just most people are not used to staring, at them or at others. Many countries Westerners in China come from are pretty diverse, so there is no staring going on at anyone, also because it's considered impolite.

Staring people down has never worked for me, but looking back at them and then smiling in greeting usually makes them smile back and then look away. Except little kids, they just keep staring.

And I agree with others it's mainly out-of-towners that stare. I've had my photo taken with many people, none of them from Beijing. I guess when they come home it's something like 'See, we saw the Great Wall, we saw Tian'anmen, we saw a foreigner.' Another exotic sight.

[Meng Lelan]

They said it was also part of their homework. So I declined the whole thing and walked away.

Oh that's so funny! For the (teacher's) life of me I can't imagine any teacher assigning that kind of homework.

[Takeshi]

The other day in Guangzhou I saw a white guy in one of those Chinese high school uniforms with a bunch of high schooler friends speaking to them in Cantonese.

I couldn't help but stare at that. Just for a little. >_<