Anwers to Mr. Stinky: My perspecitve of the USA

[chichi]

In case you guys are also interested, I'm posting my answers to Mr, Chou Doufu here

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr.stinky

interested in the chinese perspective of the usa. what did you

find disgusting...besides bras in the washer? what was just

too strange to understand? what made no logical sense? what

were your impressions? what were your main complaints?

what caused the most problems?

stinky (chou doufu)

what did you

find disgusting...besides bras in the washer?

The only thing I can't accept is the public laundry. It's my personal habit that I can't share washers with people I don't know about. Other things about the US are so far so good.

I don't understand you people really don't care even if the last person who has used washer is a prostitute?

I know many people here would rebuke me. Plz be kind. That's only my personal habit. It doesn't hurt anyone. If you can, plz save your rebuke. Thank you!

what was just

too strange to understand? what made no logical sense?

Girls here seem to like to be called "women" instead of girl which is just the contrary to Chinese girls. A 18-year old high school girl here would be very proud if some one said you look like 25. But if you say this to a Chinese high shcool girl, you r insulting her by indicating that she looks older than she really is.

I don't really understand that why American young girls like to be called "women". Surely women are more mature than girls. But they are also older. "Girls" are fresher, more cute and more lovely and purer. I would rather people call me girl although I'm already 23 now.（tears~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

what

were your impressions?

I'm in a small town. Basically, this town is my school and the school is the town. So I really have few contacts with all diversities of Americans. But generally, people here are very more polite. And the drivers here are not as aggrssive as those in China. But I've heard that people in big cities drive as aggressive as Chinese people. But the residents speaking spanish seem to be more rude. No prejudice, just the case I've met.

what were your main complaints?

Americans seem to have to much extra internal heat. THey like to add ice to anything they drink, even water. Maybe this is bec what they eat can always boost the internal heat and they are easily 上火

what caused the most problems?

I don't have many problems 'cause my life circle is really small

Critisisms and Rebukes and suggestion are not welcome!

[necroflux]

Lol these are some very interesting thoughts. You said critisisms, rebukes and suggestions are not welcome, so here are some observations and comments. God bless semantics.

I've never thought about the public laundry thing, I guess subconciously I've never cared because the very nature of the washing machine is to be clean at all times. I'm confident that whatever "stains" the alleged prostitute may have had on her clothes were sufficiently washed away with the soapy water, at least to an extent acceptable to any normal person. Do you have a problem eating at a restaurant where the plates could have previously been used by bird flu victims?

Agreed on the girls vs. women thing.

As for ice in our drinks, I think it goes for men and women - I don't think Americans think about "internal heat" and balance between food heat and liquid heat as much as the Chinese, although it certainly is a consideration. Personally it just feels more refreshing to me for the drink to be cold, and in the case of most liquids actually tastes better. Hot tea/coffee is more of a pre-meal post-meal occassion. Although at Chinese restaurants you will see people drink tea throughout a meal along with water.

[Xiao Kui]

Even though I'm already 31, I've preferred to be referred to as a woman instead of a girl since I was 18 and still do. Perhaps it has to do with the language - in English referring to an adult woman as a "girl" is not as respectful as "woman" and in some cases it can even imply disrespect. After a woman is of adult age she wants to be treated as an adult, not as a child.

Good luck escaping the suggestions and rebukes with that comment about Spanish speakers. No voy a decir nada esta vez.

[jfranco]

I've lived in the U.S. my whole life. I think the washing machine thing is not that big of deal. I think foreigners would likely find the food options more distressing... the portions are too big and it is overall not that healthy. The washing machines aren't that big of a deal... I think in most instances in a city you are treading on ground others have tread upon... and is a prostitute any worse than a man who frequents prostitutes? However, I do not particularly like public pools, whirlpools, and saunas... just because it feels as though you are sitting in a soup of other people. I think a lot of it comes down to personal preference.

As far as American women not liking to be called girls... I've struggled with that a bit myself... I think it is just a difference in cultural perceptions/opinions. I have a Chinese friend and he always calls me girl, but I know it is well intended and I don't take it personally.

[aeon]

Although logically hot water, soap and plenty of rinsing gets rid of whatever noxiousness the previous user of a public washing machine left on their clothes, most people prefer not to use a laundrette. Why else is it that they're only used by those who can't afford their own machines?

[necroflux]

Well.. in my case I live in an apartment where I don't have hookups for a washer and dryer. But I suppose your premise is correct that anyone who could afford their own w/d would rather do laundry that way, I'd say that's pretty obvious. In the long run it's cheaper to do that anyway, laundromats are expensive (in Chicago anyway).

[roddy]

If it's a choice between seeing someone elses underwear on the way out of the washer, and mine on the way in - I'll take yours!

[chichi]

you can always hear rap in the streets of America. But the lyrics of rap are full of dirty words. Still, people like them a lot. I don't know why vulgarity becomes popularity in the US.

[novemberfog]

what were your main complaints?

Americans seem to have to much extra internal heat. THey like to add ice to anything they drink, even water. Maybe this is bec what they eat can always boost the internal heat and they are easily 上火

I am really interested about this "internal heat". Could you please explain more? I ask this because I find that I am significantly "hotter" (no, not looks unfortunately...I mean body temperature) than most people in Japan. I eat the same lunch box as my coworkers, but instead of drinking hot water I choose to drink cold water. When I eat ramen with coworkers, I prefer a glass of cold tea rather than a really steaming hot cup of tea. I wonder sometimes if maybe my balance might be off. Of course I could just be naturally hot-natured. In summer, I struggle and barely tolerate the heat. In winter, no matter how cold it is I have no problems.

[jfranco]

I think there always tends to be gross generalizations. Both about China and the U.S.

Not everyone in the United States likes rap. In fact a lot of people don't. In a lot of towns you wouldn't hear it in the street and there are a lot of types of music. Unfortunately, the music that gets popularized is not of high value. I overall dislike the commercial culture that comes out of the United States and hate the impact that women like Britney Spears has on young girls globally... not to mention the kind of mentality propagated by rap music.

Not having a laundry machine doesn't denote poverty. Typically, apartments in the United States do not come equipped with a laundry machine in each unit. Rather there will likely be a set of machines on each floor and most buildings do not have any prostitutes. Also, the men who go to prostitutes are as unclean as the prostitutes themselves, whether those men be rich or poor. Finally, just because you are poor doesn't mean you are unclean, nor does it mean you are a prostitute. Likely, you would find using the public restrooms in the United States far more troubling than the laundries.

[novemberfog]

Nothing about the internal heat? Even where the idea originally came from?

[Xiao Kui]

Likely, you would find using the public restrooms in the United States far more troubling than the laundries.

jfranco - China is great, and you're going to love it when you go there to teach English, but you will be homesick for American public toilets because they are a hygiene paradise compared to Chinese ones. If American toilets make you queasy save your 2 mao and don't use the Chinese one. I've gotten used to them - even had a squat toilet in my home for 3 years. There is one particular style of Chinese toilet that I like to call "a river runs through it" (All the laowais who've lived in China know exactly what I'm talking abt) that you have to at least check out even if you don't use it.

Okay, now I'm going to wash my potty mouth out with White Cat soap.

[mr.stinky]

"...but you will be homesick for American public toilets because they are a hygiene paradise compared to Chinese ones...."

a truer statement i have not seen. yes, you shall soon be longing for the high standards

of the toilet at the greyhound station in barstow. (if you've ever been there, you understand!)

something i can't quite fathom......with a squatty, you're much closer to the target. how

the hell can you miss something the size of a briefcase when you're only 6 inches away?

and with a lifetime of training? if you can answer that one, tell me how they can manage

to hit the walls at a point which must be above their shoulders!!!!

and damn, you'd think they'd at least invent a cover for the little 'gift baskets' !!!!! (i'll take

a view of a bra in a washer anyday.)

.....and don't forget to begin collating a map showing locations of public toilets with doors

on the stalls. if you think getting stared at on the street is disconcerting............

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

[Quest]

Nothing about the internal heat? Even where the idea originally came from?

It came from traditional medical/dieting theories. Different food, the way it's prepared, spices, soup ingredients etc etc are all assigned a "hot" or "cool" property. Some are hotter/colder than others. Too much hot food makes you sick -- sore throat, bleed, fever, what not. Too much cool food makes you weak, faint...

[roddy]

.....and don't forget to begin collating a map showing locations of public toilets with doors

on the stalls. if you think getting stared at on the street is disconcerting............

Well, while we're on the subject, I never understand the guys (maybe women do it too, I'm not allowed in those toilets though) who will use a cubicle with a door, but not close it . . .

[Lu]

Women don't do that. And men do not only leave open the door in public toilets, but also at home. And I don't understand why either.

[chichi]

Talking about China's public restroom, well, that's my most painful part of my life. Thanks to the filthy restrooms, now I've formed a habit of being unable to do my business in public restroom. Even here, this habit sticks to me which keeps me from travelling long distance. I dare not sit on the toilet bowl on which many people have been seated.

I know it's hard for you guys to believe. But raised in a family of which the mom can't even bear a hair on the floor, this is the natural result.

BTW, I hate carpet here. Hairs glue to carpet.

Carpet used to be pupular more than 10 years ago in China. Then bec it's to hard to clean and it's a warm bed for bacteria, people discard carpets and use wooden floor with some rugs instead.

I like to kneel down on the wooden floor and wipe it time and time again until it's shining:mrgreen:

To Mr. Stinky:

"i find it strange, if you are chinese raised on the mainland, that

you would find public washers a dirty venue, and a simple bra

disgusting. i'd imagine you'd seen much worse, and be used

to it. the thought of you trying to stop someone from doing

icky things in china is unbelievable, how do you change the

habits of an entire nation?"

I was not trying to change the entire nation. I just couldn't bear the scene.