Raquel Park's continued reflections

I would like to say that I am very happy to have been able to come on this trip. It has been very enlightening - spiritually, personally and professionally. I truly enjoyed all of the wonderful business presentations as well as the company plant facility tours.

I have come to learn and appreciate the following:

Shoving is OK (In China) – shoving is a way to get through a crowd and is not personal on any level.

Chinese driving – IF YOU CAN DRIVE IN CHINA, YOU CAN DRIVE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD! Taxi’s, bicyclists and motorists are all aggressive drivers. Cutting other drivers off on the road, coming close to collision with another car, bus and/or pedestrian is a part of life. However, road rage is not. Again, just as shoving in crowds is a means to get through the crowd, so is aggressive driving a way to get through traffic. No angry retaliation is sought over this.

Saving face – What an interesting phenomenon! When you are out haggling for the best price on an item in the market, it is impossible to walk away without hearing, “You’re mean! You’re so tough! I lose money because of you!” I believe this response is to save face. The seller comes down to a price that may be embarrassing if the other vendors or other prospective buyers witness the transaction. So in order to “save face,” the seller has to “act” upset about the deal so as to not lead on that they have “been had.”

Tipping and/or covering another’s costs else is frowned upon – While out dining in Beijing, the bill arrived at the end of the meal, and as a gift to my Chinese friends for showing me around, I attempted to pay for their meals. I quickly learned that this form of gratitude was inappropriate. It was explained to me that tipping and/or paying for another’s costs implies a form of superiority, misconstrued as if the other person could not afford the purchase. Also, tipping is again viewed as a derogatory gesture – the people take pride in their work; extra money implies superiority and excess.

Chopstick usage – Oh My! My biggest struggle! However, even though I believe it is very important to embrace the local culture, I was happy to see how patiently hospitable the Chinese have been by handing out forks with the meals without having to be prompted.