All about the Chinese behavior

Hi everyone,

As I wrote in one of my previous posts, I currently live with a Chinese Host family. There I learned some things about the behavior of Chinese people. I think the Chinese culture is one of the most interesting in the world. Even if we just have a look at the big variety of food…

The first thing I learned was that Chinese people always take off their shoes (even if they are wearing slippers) when they go upstairs. When I arrived at my host family, the grandparents showed me that I have to take off my shoes. I thought that this is normal because at home we do the same. However, later on my Spanish roommates told me that I also have to take off my slippers before I go upstairs. I still don’t know why they do that but it’s something I had to get used to.

Another thing, which was special to me at the beginning, was the food. My host grandma always cooks “special” food for me because she doesn’t want that I have to eat the Chinese food if I don’t like it. But mostly she gives me traditional Chinese food to taste. One day they had a hot pot for dinner. That means that they put a variety of vegetables, meat and sorts of tofu in a big pan with some kind of bouillon and then they cook it for a few minutes. Then they take it out and eat it with soya sauce. My host mum told me that this is special Chinese food which they always have on Sunday. Beside this meal, they eat eggs with sweet and sour sauce.

I tried all the different things and I have to say that I liked it but anyway it will be never as good as Rösti mit Bratwurst :)

What also seems weird to me is that they have noodles for breakfast. My host grandma always gets up early in the morning to cook noodles for the rest of the family. She asked me several times if I would like some noodles too but in the morning, I prefer cornflakes or toast.

Another thing, which I had to get used to, is that we never have dinner together. I’m not sure if this is typical Chinese behaviour but in Switzerland it is usual that the whole family has dinner together. That is something I miss a lot because it is amusing and nice when everyone tells his story of the day.

Anyway, eventually we get used to everything....

Lovely Chinese greetings :)