Traveling Tips

Summer break is coming up. Thinking of places to visit? Traveling to Hong Kong? Or anywhere really? Here are some helpful tips:

Family Members

In our culture, we generalize our parents' siblings as our aunts and uncles. Our grandparents are just grandma and grandpa. This is all very simple. However, in Chinese culture, we not only call them by aunt or uncle or grandpa. We take into consideration of which side the relatives are on (mother's or father's), what their last names are, how old they are, and how closely related we are.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5F6Fz3ss1O41j6XViNEixKU8SG0A5ZnpTh57SHq8jC66W2GmcKgUA9Sw_4unymAnJ01RJJuFot2tSxrgiIBLbo_6tRVXEVsM_zsfUJNyH55tFGFs_R3i4_4GUOGWwqnz25qr1KFZi3n43/s400/20081116_my+chinese+family+2.JPG

Chinese Food

There are many types of Chinese food, ranging from different regions all over China. The most famous type of food you may have heard is probably DimSum. If you don't know what that is, it is usually a Chinese dish of small steamed or fried savory dumpling containing various fillings, served as a snack or main course. Looks like this:

BBQ Pork Bun, Shu Mai, Shrimp Dumpling, and pork meat
http://www.insideiwm.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Dim-Sum-Baskets.jpg

Nightlife in Hong Kong

Hong Kong, basically a Chinese version of New York City, has a great nightlife, most of it taking place in Central, Hong Kong. One of the more popular places is called Lan Kwai Fong.

A corner of Lan Kwai Fong.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/LKF_Street_View02.jpg

Gambling

In Hong Kong, gambling is a form of leisure and entertainment. Gambling in Hong Kong has been regulated since 1977 when the Gambling Ordinance was enacted in response to the frequent gambling in Hong Kong.

There is now an organization known as the Hong Kong Jockey Club that promotes responsible gambling practices and minimizing the negative effects of gambling, such as addicts. The club plans on providing social and responsible betting to meet their goal. They look for a balance between meeting the demand for gambling and maximizing the social and economic benefits of gambling for the community, while helping to minimize potential harm to the individual and the community.

Outside of the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/89/ManYueStJocketclub.jpg/800px-ManYueStJocketclub.jpg

Respecting Our Elders

If you have read my earlier post Food Etiquette, you see that the elderly is viewed very high up in society. The older you are, the more respect you are usually given in society. The white/gray hair represents wisdom. Also, since they are older, they have gone through more hardships and experiences than we, the younger generations, have, such us:

Food Etiquette

This post will be mostly about food etiquette. There will be a later post about Chinese etiquette in general.

In Western culture, we normally put our young first before the elderly. In Chinese culture, it's the other way around. We put the elderly before anyone else. The way we see it is that: older you are, the wiser you are, therefore, you deserve more respect. In Hong Kong, we normally eat dimsum for lunch and family style with the Lazy Susan for dinner.

Dimsum
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf5BWnMNyq9og_tUUQCD3GThelK3xKcr7vnovGA6zfwn4IwBofPY3DirPk-Ebh40Iv7HHdkZOwU4zRmMt4OopXd4wV3jHHC3COb-bsdzjx3k5pyapqolzJSRGssukat5muqO9TKLSaG_3i/s1600/DimSum_Table.jpg

When the tea arrives to the table, the eldest is served tea first and you work your way around the table and you serve yourself tea last. (As you will see, Chinese people put others first. It's a sign of respect and modesty.)

Chinese Medicine and Health Care

What is Chinese medicine? What's the difference between Chinese medicine and the normal medicine we receive?

In our culture, there are two types of medicine: Chinese and Western. Western medicine is made up of antibiotics, ibuprofen, flu shots, etc. They're the modern medicine and care you receive from a hospital. Chinese medicine is comprised of herbal medicine from natural ingredients, acupuncture, moxibustion, and other treatment for chronic illnesses and chronic problems that are not cured by modern medicine.

Although Western medicine is proved to be scientifically useful, Chinese medicine has been used for literally thousands of years and is sometimes believed to be a better and a more natural cure to diseases.

Pride and Prejudice: Part 2 - Prejudice

Chinese people are quite prejudiced. They discriminate against different cultures, races, and even themselves.

There are a lot of history behind the prejudices:

Pride and Prejudice: Part 1 - Pride

Pride and prejudice--no, not the book--is evident in Chinese culture. As you can see from the 2008 Beijing Olympic Opening Ceremony, China has immense pride and honor. Even children movies, like Mulan, mentions it.

"Dishonor! Dishonor on your whole family ... dishonor on you, dishonor on your cow..."

http://data3.whicdn.com/images/55259515/large.gif

That may be a bad example, but from what I have experienced, Chinese people are very prideful... and very prejudiced (which will take up a new post later).

Currency

I've always thought that the US money was very boring looking. I mean, look at this:

US bills
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/64/USDnotes.png/252px-USDnotes.png 



US coins
http://timebusinessblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/coins1.jpg%3Fw%3D480%26h%3D320%26crop%3D1

And this is after our bills were added a bit of color and chemicals so it was harder for people to illegally print their own money.

The money is China and in Hong are much prettier, and it's a lot easier to find your different bills and coins.

Let's Line Up!

You're wandering around the stores and you're suddenly feeling hungry. In America, the norm is to line up politely with at least a foot between people. In China, that's definitely not the case. The mentality: SWARM.

Chinese people "lining up."
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6161/6203238053_8b5094f77d_m.jpg

VERSUS



Americans lining up.
http://trendsettersofficialblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/a-year-ago-on-labor-day-weekend-unemployed-americans-stand-in-line-to-attend-a-job-fair-in-el-monte-ca-sept-4-2010.jpg
 

Transportation in Hong Kong

So what's the difference between Hong Kong and the US? Well, for starters, Hong Kong is pretty "squashed" together, whereas places and buildings in the US is pretty well spaced out. Hong Kong frequently uses the MTR, taxis, and buses to get around whereas Americans use our personal cars.

Buildings in the US are so spaced out that a nice open park is very do-able in many areas.
http://www.saltshaker.net/wp-content/9dejulio03.jpg



VERSUS

Hong Kong buildings tightly packed together.
http://www.nce.co.uk/pictures/586xAny/8/6/8/1307868_2102302032_89418432a5_o.jpg



Since in the US, everything is more spaced out, it is harder to get to different places with public transportation because you would have to walk from the bus stop to your destination. In Hong Kong, since it is much more compacted, buses have a stop on about every 4 blocks or so and the subway (MTR) has a station every half a mile. Having your own personal car in the US is more convenient than in Hong Kong (because you'd have to find parking on the busy streets and there isn't enough space on the street to do that in the main parts of Hong Kong).

Chinese Zodiac

There are 12 animals that are in the Chinese Zodiac. The order goes:

• Rat
• Ox
• Tiger
• Rabbit
• Dragon
• Snake
• Horse
• Goat
• Monkey
• Rooster
• Dog
• Pig

After the Year of the Pig, the cycle continues and returns to the Year of the Rat.

To answer the question: "why in this order?" There is a fable that goes with it...

Chinese New Year

Year of the Horse

Since it is coming up in a couple of days, I thought that my first post ought to be about Chinese New Year (also known as Lunar New Year.)

Not only does the Chinese follow the Western calendar, they also follow the Chinese calendar. Chinese New Year falls on the first day of the year, so it's usually around late mid-January to early February. This year, Chinese New Year happens to fall on Friday, January 31st.

Chinese New Year is celebrated all over the world, primarily in Asian-populated areas, like San Francisco, Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Singapore, just to name a few.

About my blog.

Hi there! My name is Tiffany and I am creating a blog that will mainly serve as a foreigner's guide, specifically for Americans, to the Chinese traditions, culture, and lifestyle. This blog will mainly be mostly about my personal experience about the current lifestyle and culture of Chinese people in America, mainland China, and in Hong Kong, but the primary focus will be in Hong Kong. There may be some history in some of my posts to provide background to some traditions we have.

If you haven't realized it already, I tried to be "punny" in my blog title. Instead of "way," I chose "wei." "Wei" is also used as a greeting on the phone so I thought it was semi-appropriate to use this to "greet" my audience! (I'll try to add humor to my posts, but I know I'm not the funniest human being in the world, so please don't judge me.)