Top Five 'Why the Chinese are like the Americans'!

And now for something completely different:..

We present to you our top 5's of our experiences.

Granted, they are completely random, but we hope they give a good impression about our experiences in China. Starting with:
Why the Chinese have so much in common with the (former) Americans!

After travelling a couple of weeks through China, you tend to see similarities between this extremely large country and the United States. Both countries have the unique position that they have an enormous home market for which they can develop, test and produce their ideas, products and services before launching them in foreign countries. Whereas the United States historically has the best competitive advantage in this context, we see that China is a fast learner and is starting (or already has) a number of economies already in a tight grip.

Anyways, drifting off again.. These are the top five similarities between China and the US, we hope you enjoy them as much as we enjoyed putting them together and experiencing them first had during our CaretoConnect-trip!

1.) Sense of mobility.
Like the Americans the Chinese have a great sense of mobility. That is they are willing to move anywhere within their country where the opportunity's best. During our travels we met so many – predominant – young people who were studying, working or entrepreneuring vast miles from where they originally grew up. Like the Chinese medicine student growing up near the border of Kazakhstan (!), now attending her studies in the vicinity of Changsa (granted, that was during our first trip in China, but still). And the Chinese business entrepreneur of our age (31), who moved from Hunan to Kashgar, leading a Chinese handicraft wharehouse and manufacturing plant with over 3000+ employees. Little examples like these are exemplary of the Chinese (Han) people willing to move like the Americans did during the Goldrush in the 70's of the nineteenth century and to the epic centres of IT of respectively Route 128 surrounding Boston and of course Silicon Valley near San Jose.

2.) Why bother to learn foreign languages..??
You will (almost) never spot the odd American speaking a word of French, German, Spanish or other language. They don't need to and no world is as large and as important as the US. In China, Chinese people aren't taught English in primary, or secondary schools. If at all, mostly young people speak a few words of English. This is for several reasons. First of all, the Chinese government doesn't actively promote the use of English language as it will only defers its servants from the Chinese dream – too much unnecessary information is given in English language, possibly making the people a bit more streetwise than you want as a government. Second, China is large enough to spend you full life speaking Chinese without even missing the English lingo. Arguably, Lisanne and I think that when US-TV-Sitcoms are synchronized in local language, this gives a good feeling about the ability to speak a different language across-the-board.. Finally, the alphabetic and grammar system is way too distant for any Chinese to comprehend. One nice exemption on the rule is that in the running up to the Beijing Olympics in 2008, the local Beijing'ers we're taught to express themselves to foreign visitors, and to help them on their way; resulting in the 'hello, howl all u' and the 'can I hellep u'. Rather nice for a start, but a bit tricky when the second reply from the friendly China(wo)man is answered in Chinese, or a standard 'I don't know'..

3.) Rockstars
However, again of totally different nature, both countries idealize people, or institutions rather than religion. In the case of the Americans they worship any successful person (actor, president, singer), or institution (in particular they love their military combat specialist, like the Marines, but also their fearfull FBI and make complete movies, or TV-series for them). In China, admiration goes out to historic figures from by-gone periods; the hay-days of China from 220 B.C. to 1500 AD. Additionally, the Central Chinese government is an institution both feared and praised upon and has a much larger impact on the people than Religion or any other Esoteric movement – even Buddhism.


4.) Cheap transportation means
Like the US, China offers very, very low rates when it comes to – in particular – taxifares and inbound airplane tickets. Airplane tickets cost just about the same as softsleaper berths in the trains and are at least twenty times as fast. This contributes highly to a very flexible, and mobile (business) environment. You won't see students or lower/midclass in the plains – as usually these people torse over 20 kilo's of weight from one destination to the other. We've been amazed about the weight of cartons, bags and suitcases from the Chinese travellers: they just love to shift bricks from one place to the other.. Usually a taxi takes you anywhere you want for under two Euros – bring your map and Lonely Planet as otherwise it's gonna be a slightly longer ride..

5.) Bright illumination of restaurants.
While for completely different reasons most of the traditional US-eateries are very well lit, as well as its Chinese counterparts. While in America bright illumination is meant for keeping the customers focused on eating the food, rather than enjoying an ambient atmosphere, in China it proves that the restaurant owner has nothing to hide and offers a perfectly tidy eating space and dito food. At first sight you tend to think that these well lit restaurants are meant for fastfood, but nothing of the sort. Brightly lit restaurants mark the upper class restaurants with a clean environment, colourfull menus and distinguished personnel.