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This Shanghaiist is a Shanghainese girl who doesn’t get near as much attention as the "whiteys" (or is it "whities"?) in this city do, however I/we feel your pain when you've got someone shouting “Laowai!!!” or staring at you as if you were an alien walking down the street.
This Shanghai Daily report now brings us some hope for you foreigners -- well, at least a little bit. The city is currently recruiting 400 volunteers to teach "etiquette classes" in neighborhood communities. The etiquette program, which begins on Saturday -- better find those volunteers soon! -- will focus on teaching local residents not to stare at you odd looking creatures and not to scream out "Laowai!" (what about "Hello!"?). One million local families are expected to take the classes, part of a program over the next five years to allow locals to politely welcome foreign visitors when Shanghai hosts the 2010 World Expo. The class is also going to teach people how to act in society, with family, in the office, and on campus.
The story also hinted at cracking down on pajama wearing on Shanghai's streets. Shanghaiist would prefer a crack down on shoving first, particularly on Huaihai Lu.
Image from Sinosplice.
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such arrogance. maybe some "laowai" should start taking classes to rid them of fat, lousy cnt syndrome.
Wait. Who is being arrogant here? Aren't these classes set up by Chinese? I don't think foreigners have much, if anything, to do with any of this.
Maybe the Shanghia government could send some of their "manners' teachers to teach Chinese servival skills to the "LAOWAI" who are innocently planning to visit the Olympics in 2008 in Beijing and the World Expo in Shanghai in 2010.
The Chinese manners teachers could teach the potential foreign visitors [Laowei]:
1. how to spit loudly on the sidwalks and floors in public building [including hospital and restaurants],
2. how to push into line in front of people who are already patiently waiting in line,
3. how to protect their hearing from the loud horns of the buses, taxis, motorcycles and trucks that blow them loudly and continuously at the pedestrians attempting to legally cross the street at intersections, and, especially when there is no one and nothing in front of them [just to add typical Chinese musical entertainment to amuse the foreign visitors and local Chinese people],
4. how to avoid being hit by the cars, buses, trucks, taxis, motorcycles and bicycles that drive through redlights to attack people trying to legally cross at green signaled pedestrial intersections,
5. how to avoid being hit by the many motorcycles and bicycles that ride very fast on the sidwalks blowing their horns and yelling to force the Chinese and foreign pedestrians to jump out of the way or be rudely assulted, injured and insulted,
6. how to walk in the special lanes on the street set aside for the motorcycles and bicyces to avoid being hit by the motorcycles and bicycles on the sidewalks,
7. how to pay several times the price that Chinese people pay in stores and markets for most goods and services,
Once the foreigners are prepared for the Chinese manners, maybe then they can decide if they are really want to fly to China and pay the price to enjoy it in person. I have lived here for over eight [8] years and have learned to enjoy all of the above.
what's the cnt syndrome?
Folk, from your typing I know what syndrome you're suffering from. Not up, but...
Stop being negative nancy. /Cartman
No, for the love of all things good, PLEASE don't start trying to get MORE Chinese people to say "hello" to us.
Of all things to target, why discourage wearing pajamas in public? Why not discourage people from cutting on lines, or zooming down sidewalks on bikes (my personal favorite), or spitting, or driving/ biking through red lights? (As mentioned by Shanghai Laowei above). I think wearing pajamas in public is benign and even refreshing. Pajamas never hurt anybody.
This was in Shanghai Daily today - Zat beat them by 4 days.
cnt = categorically nice tourist?
folk, I don't think it's arrogant. If the government wants to picture the city a cosmopolitan, these are necessary classes that most Chinese obligated to learn.
As for Shanghai Laowai, you sound like a bitter unhappy man.It's true those habits are not good and apparently nobody likes it, but I think the situation is getting better and better with more people aware how stupid those habits are. As for yourself, isn't it a bit sad for someone who has been living in China for 8 years just buries his/her head in the expat community like an ostrich but not noticing the changes?
I find this funny, because it is not the Shanghainese but those from outside Shanghai -- migrant workers and the like -- who are usually those saying 'Hello !' 'laowai !' etc.
Therese, Therese, what can I say, you are those people I hate most that once something bad about Chinese was criticized, it's always other's fault. As far as I know, most Shanghainese people also shout "hello, laowai" whenever they see a white face, as well as a main force of the shoving team on the street. Please, no excuses.
Zat Liu... Shanghainese usually don't use the term "laowai." We use the Shanghainese word for "waiguoren."
Seriously Shanghai Laowai, I'm guessing no one is putting a gun to your head and forcing you to stay in China (and enjoy those Chinese manners you've so diligently pointed out). No one is asking you to kiss the face you are spitting on. Such offensive manners. We Chinese do not welcome you in our country, take your arrogant attitude and 'roll back' to where you belong.
Jonathan,we shanghainese do call foreigners "laowai"