Life and Travel in China

Merry Christmas to all my friends and strangers who visit this site. Today I'm preparing Christmas Eve, so I'll be in the kitchen! Yesterday, my Chinese friend was surprised that in Poland we usually have 2-3 days off for Christmas, and children have a week off, because in a country where Chinese New Year is celebrated, we usually have 14-20 days off. On the other hand, they have to travel thousands of kilometers to return to their hometown. Later we went shopping and my friend bought an original white plastic tree, baubles (which won't fit - she bought baubles first) and blinking lights. The Chinese increasingly want to identify with Christmas. Ironically, I received more wishes and e-cards by e-mail from the Chinese than from Poles. Have we neglected our traditions?

Yesterday evening we were at a restaurant and to our surprise - there were not many people there. Has the economic crisis affected Chinese restaurants? It seems so. Fewer people from Hong Kong come to Shenzhen now. The hairdressing salon complained that fewer and fewer people use their services. The Chinese love washing their heads combined with arm, shoulder and head massage. I guess the situation is similar in massage parlors and nightclubs. In casinos in Macao, staff will receive lower salaries. Clearly, the media-publicized crisis is affecting ordinary Chinese. They probably do not feel this crisis personally, but by limiting their expenses and giving up the pleasures of more expensive restaurants, they influence the deterioration of the situation of small service companies and restaurants in China.

In the Watsons drugstore I saw a New Year's surprise - a Solidarity chocolate box. It's nice to see something Polish in a Chinese store after two years. I really haven't seen anything from Poland for two or even three years. The whole world does great business with China, and Poland cannot offer anything here. We are offended against China. Their market offers Italian mineral waters, German cakes, Russian cucumbers, French chocolates, English perfumes... there are thousands of products from all over Europe. Of course, some are famous and branded, but there are many ordinary food products that simply sell here. Seeing something MADE IN POLAND is still rare!

DID YOU KNOW THAT... most Chinese drivers would never even pass the Chinese driving test? Their exam is very easy and has nothing to do with driving around the city, obeying signs, or letting pedestrians pass - as is the case in Poland. Well, most future drivers (read: idiots) give bribes. My friend gave 1,300 RMB (about PLN 600) to make sure I passed the exam. As you can see, human life has little value. Later, such newly minted 'drivers' cause accidents, hit pedestrians and brush against cars when parking. So if you are in China and someone drives you like a madman, you can sum it up: HE DRIVES LIKE A DRIVER FOR PLN 1,300.

Today is Chinese New Year's Eve. I write it in quotation marks because they have no such concept. It is simply a festive evening before the new year, tomorrow begins the YEAR OF THE OX. As the name suggests, it will be a difficult year, a year of hard work, sacrifice... The Chinese gather in their family homes, eat ceremonial lunches and dinners, visit friends and extended family. They play with fireworks, but there are no dances or parties (maybe the exception are young people in big cities), the tradition is different, it is more of a vigil than fun. Tomorrow everyone gives each other red envelopes with money for good luck (usually PLN 50-400). So, I wish everyone a happy new year, hopefully it will not be as difficult as it seems due to the economic crisis.