They met during the study of Sinology, a Petra from Maribor and Urban from Prevalje. They say that there are no exceptions when they meet new people. After the first handshake and question about studying, everybody curiously looks at them and asks: "Why did you decide to study Sinology?" Petra (Volunteer of Hostelling International Slovenia) says that even now she cannot give an exact answer, a decision was spontaneous. Urban would say if he knew, he adds with a laugh. Both of them were getting to know the Chinese language and culture while studying, something, that not many people are interested in. "I have no regret taking this decision, even though the study does not give tangible knowledge. However, it is the broad-mindedness and broadening the horizons what makes it special, "says Urban. Petra agrees and says: "After I was accepted to the third option that I wrote in the enrollment for the study, the world has opened to me. It is like the fate wonted that to happen and now I would not replace it for anything in the world."
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Globetrotter readers they shared a story about their first visit of this rather exotic country, described the problems that China is facing, provide advice on how and why travel to China. They also provided a glimpse on everyday life in Shanghai, where they’ve been living for 9 months. The megalopolis as is described by young successful Chinese writer Wei Hui in the blockbuster Marrying Buddha, is "the noisiest and most striking place in the world", that is "wildly overambitious and rushes headlong into capitalism." They confirmed her words and break some misconception about the Chinese.
What was the first impression when you first came to China?
Petra: Honestly, it was horrible! I think that were the worst days of my life. It really is a shock. I went alone and I really could not imagine what to expect. You're thinking: Ah, I'll manage. At the end everything is OK, but the shock is huge.
Urban: I think I was depressed all week for the first time in my life.
What caused the biggest cultural shock?
Petra: The fact that there are so many people, it is crowded everywhere and all the time. In addition, few people spoke English. And at that time that was a problem because we were not fluent in a language. Not to mention low standards for hygiene, all the spitting, burping and other tasteless things that happens in the middle of the street.
Urban: To give an impression I will tell a story about my arrival at the airport in Beijing after 15, 16 hours flight, lousy food on the plane and extreme fatigue. All I knew was the address where I should be at a given time. I studied in Jinan that is two Provinces lower from Beijing. And five years ago trains were still very slow so train ride lasted round 7 hours. First, of course, I waited for 4 hours just to buy the ticket. Imagine that you carry a luggage for one year. I was like a mule, people were staring at me, walked past me and spiting. There were millions of people, they ate and they were loud. In short, it was complete chaos. In addition, I was really tired. When I finally bought a ticket, it turned out that I have to wait for another 6 hours for a train! So I sat on a train station like a heap of misery on a 30 kilogram backpack and a huge bag beside me. For a complete experience I had to use the bathroom. Yes, at that time in China all they had were toilets where you cannot seat... Then I finally got on the train and it turned out I had no seat! I was tired, red in the face, almost half-dead. Few of Chinese must have felt sorry for me as they offered me a small chair so I could sit in the corridor between the seats. Immense crowds on the train did not make me any happier in addition people wanted to speak to me all the time. When I arrived in Jinan I went to first hostel I've noticed. After three hour sleep the cleaning lady woke me up. Being relay persistent that she must clean the room I did not have the strength to quarrel with her. So I picked up things and went to college where again it lasted ages to arrange necessary because the Chinese bureaucratic structure is extremely slow.
Petra: When you finally come into the room five pounds of powder with insects from the previous years is waiting for you to be cleaned. It's shocking, but it is an adventure. Once you realize you're on the other side of the world and you cannot just pack your bags and head home, you somehow reconcile yourself to the situation. Soon, everything is reversed, you get to know new people and it becomes comfortable. Now I can say it was the best year of my life.
Urban: It gets comfortable, because you get to know people, the environment and language. There is one thing that is still getting on my nerves. The Chinese (five years ago even more) watch and stare at foreigners because we are different, new and unique. For us it is insanely annoying. I still happen that someone gets up my nose, but now I tell them what I think in a relatively fluent Chinese and I must say it works. No matter what, you have to accept the situation, there is no other choice. Otherwise, people are very friendly to foreigners. It is hard to find malicious people, they would never harm you. However, they can be intrusive.
Why visit China?
Urban: I would recommend to all Slovenes to come to China for a year or two.
Petra: In order to see what a beautiful country we live in, what a pearl we've got.
Urban: In order to see that there is not only Slovenia; to broaden the horizon. In my opinion, Slovenians have negative perspective about almost everything, all the time looking at what others have and what I lack. It is like that: If to a next door neighbor cow dies I'm most happy farmer in the village. The first thing you see in Shanghai, the city with population of 24 million, is how the huge mass of people lives together, but everything somehow works. They have a good tax system and orderly public transport. Infrastructure is impressive. The case is interesting from any point of view. I would warmly recommend to politicians, economists to visit Shanghai to see the bigger picture.
Petra: Of course, there are two sides to this coin. There are things because of which people do not want to come to China. For example pollution, not only air pollution, but also pollution of food and water. More and more foreigners worry about whether it will be safe enough to live here in a few years. 20 years of heavy industrialization in Shanghai took its toll. Consequences are now seen at every aspect of life here. As an environmentalist I know the future it will not be bright if Chinese will not begin to act in the opposite direction. It can happen that life here will no longer be possible. Even now every 6 seconds a Chinese dies of cancer, but here nobody knows that, because these data are hidden. The society should not start massively complain because it would cause problems. The system here is like that. There are advantages and disadvantages, which are both worth seeing, as you begin to appreciate your home town.
How has the situation in China changed since you were there for the first time?
Petra: When I came back to Shanghai five years later, the first thing that I’ve noticed was throngs of new buildings. This is the first thing that caught my eye. What is disturbing is that Shanghai does not have a large green area. It has a couple of parks, but mostly here are just buildings, so you are surrounded by the concrete. Tianjin, a city where I’ve lived at the time of the study, has also completely changed, as they rebuilt the city almost from a scratch. The pollution is becoming a bigger problem every year. Also the gap between rich and poor is even greater. It is obvious that capitalism and the American way of life took Chinese by storm. It is simple: the only purpose in life here is money, irrespective of how they will achieve this goal. And that is what concerns me, because there is no ethics, there are more and more dirty deals and superficiality. Many people who grew rich overnight have the wrong idea of what it means to have money. It is hard to describe them. The money for them is not the mean to buy things. In Europe rich people usually hide their wealth. Chinese will show what they have. If you’re rich here, you’ll buy five Porsches and wear not one, but few incredibly expensive watches. Showing off with all this wealth… that is what is so interesting in this culture. With a growing number of wealthy Chinese this is even more visible. This is a big change, five years ago situation was different. Now, surrounded with all this wealthy people I sometimes feel poor.
Urban: I have to add that our lives also changed. We both graduated and got a regular income. Once you're a student, you are around different group of people and it certainly affects the image that we’ve get. As a student we didn’t have the possibility to come in contact with such people as I do today. It is also true that five years ago there were not that many rich people. 4, 5 years means tremendous changes in China. Especially the speed of economic progress here is explosive. Only look at GDP: here the growth is 8 percent, in Slovenia -1. This in itself is a big indicator of differences. Everything saturates. If back then problems were small today are bigger. If the gap between social classes was not so big, it has grown now. Environmental problems have been and now are even worse. But it's a lot of good things associated with China, which do not come into the media. It should be pointed out that in China ten years ago the pension system did not exist. Now the situation is getting better. Also, public transport in most of the second-track cities was basically in ruins. In fact, it was devastating! Now they are improving it.
Both of you are employed in China. Petra, how did you get work in the Slovenian company Gorenje?
Petra: Actually, it was easier because I've already been here. That was a big plus. Now I am doing internship. It is very interesting; we are working in a culturally diverse environment. We are a group of Slovenes, Filipinos and Chinese. It is great way to learn about business in China. But Urban will tell more about it as he works in a Chinese firm as the only foreigner and have completely different experiences.
Urban, and you? Where are you working?
Urban: I'm currently working on a private golf course as a golf academy head teacher. Before me an American was employed, but he went back home. So they needed a foreigner to replace him. I am a golf instructor, I also provide law and order in the golf academy and teach mostly VIP guests.
Learn more about working and living in China and do not miss tips for travel to this remote land in the next issue of Globetrotter.
