8 Reasons Why I love China
2017-05-12
Inspired by a recent WeChat re-issue of Michael Murphy's October 2015 Blog "7 Reasons I love China", I decided to post my own - after all that time I thought of eight :-)Actually some reasons I agree with but others are different - we are not all alike.
1) Chinese People - I too put this first after meeting so many wonderful people here since my first visit it 2003. Chinese true friends believe in long term relationships (rather like in business here). I have had the privilege of living in Nanjing, Beijing and Shanghai several years in each and it is great to go back and see old friends. I even have two separate friends I made long ago in Beijing when living there who now live in Shanghai where I moved back to in 2015. We still meet up regularly. Chinese friends are optimistic and fun-loving. They don't worry about the big political issues that burden many westerners.
2) Chinese and Asian Food - One has to like Chinese food to live here for the long haul - I got used to it in London but it was mainly Cantonese with the chefs coming from Hong Kong (that old British connection). I still seek out Cantonese food here but I really enjoy all kinds of Asian food too - in cosmopolitan Shanghai that includes Vietnamese in the former French Concession, Indonesian, Singaporean, loads of Thai food and more. While some Asian fusion food is expensive, some is not here - it all is in London.
3) Chinese Culture in general - I have some specific loves separately below, but the huge history, the Confucian concepts, the inventions at times we Brits were "Barbarians", the cultural change witnessed in economic transition - of course I talk about some of this with my students. The revival of the bicycle in China is a current love.
4) My work - hey there was a neat link! My mission is to help the west (especially American students) understand China better - China Through Western Eyes - a unique opportunity here working with American university students studying in China,,, and writing for China Daily since 2008.
5) Oriental massage - need not be specifically Chinese (some in Shanghai offer Thai and other variants) but it is so relaxing, affordable and accessible here - if one avoids some rip-off in-hotel massage parlours, a good one hour foot or body massage can be had for 25% of the price in London - I know! It is a crime not to have some here.
6) The Chinese Economy - Since I teach about it, I have to love it. Yet China has been such an exciting case study for the two decades in which i studied and taught about it - and Shanghai as the "City of Experiment" and Beijing as the economic planning powerhouse, both come into it.
7) Shanghai itself - The rising Global Mega-city which the municipal Government is determined will be a top Global City in the next 20 years. In 2003 I stood on The Bund and gazed across to Pudong's neon waterfront and the picture postcard of China's Economic Miracle - and fell in love with it. The 24 hour city, the Paris of the East - He who is tired of Shanghai, is tired of life!
8) China as the Asian base - I mentioned I like Asian food, massage etc. Shanghai is a great base to visit easily so much of Asia from - this year so far i have had an average 5 or 6 days in each of Vietnam, Thailand and Taiwan - that is a much longer journey and a much more expensive activity from London!
Go China!
You cant walk around auckland city at night, you can get into some serious strife. But in GZ, i have never felt threatened, even trotting around at 3am looking for photo opportunities, street food, or even a bottle of cold beer (Y4). Ive been to GZ 10 times in recent years because i speak the language, look like a local, and really love the friendly locals.
I think China is comparatively safer than other regions of the world,isn't it?
Right on!!! I have been in China since 2008 and loving it for the most part. Have made wonderful friends here, and... my wonderful spouse!
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