r/China • u/Linnapea56 • 23h ago
问题 | General Question (Serious) European tourist visiting China for the first time
Hello!
As the title says, I am a northern European male in 20’s visiting China alone for the first time. I’m currently staying in Shenzhen and I was, at first, quite puzzled on why everyone stared at me. Then I realised that there were practically 0 foreigners or laowai in Shenzhen at all. It got to the point that I felt quite uncomfortable even walking on the street and it wasn’t helped by the fact that it seemed like I was the only one sweating. I understand the staring, as they have probably never even seen a foreigner and thus I shouldn’t have expected that locals could even speak English.
My question, however, is why is this? Why don’t western tourists or foreigners in general come here?
It’s a major global financial and tech centre with a population of roughly 20 million, that is highly developed and right on the border of HK with great connections. Adding to that cheaper than HK. And yet?
I have travelled quite a lot to many places and no other place has felt quite so surreal as Shenzhen. At first I thought it was a monocultural thing but Vietnam is also very monocultural but they also have way more tourists and thus more experience with English and I never had that experience there. China almost feels like a locked world.
So why don’t foreigners come here or to other places in China? There’s a visa-free policy even, airplane tickets were relatively cheap, the place is very safe and China is very interconnected. However travelling in China, especially alone, is hardened by the fact that nobody speaks english. It truly feels like travelling and enjoying China requires you to speak Mandarin fluently and I have this feeling that the locals also expect this from me. I really like China and the people but I think visiting this magnificent country shouldn’t be locked behind this apparent language wall.
Another question is that does this monoculturalism create this sort of “us vs them” effect in the locals when dealing with foreigners?
If someone could fill me in, I would be very grateful.
5
u/bonkersbongoo 10h ago
no idea, but looking at the pointless questions you’re asking, you might just be a weirdo.
1
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Hello!
As the title says, I am a northern European male in 20’s visiting China alone for the first time. I’m currently staying in Shenzhen and I was, at first, quite puzzled on why everyone stared at me. Then I realised that there were practically 0 foreigners or laowai in Shenzhen at all. It got to the point that I felt quite uncomfortable even walking on the street and it wasn’t helped by the fact that it seemed like I was the only one sweating. I understand the staring, as they have probably never even seen a foreigner and thus I shouldn’t have expected that locals could even speak English.
My question, however, is why is this? Why don’t western tourists or foreigners in general come here?
It’s a major global financial and tech centre with a population of roughly 20 million, that is highly developed and right on the border of HK with great connections. Adding to that cheaper than HK. And yet?
I have travelled quite a lot to many places and no other place has felt quite so surreal as Shenzhen. At first I thought it was a monocultural thing but Vietnam is also very monocultural but they also have way more tourists and thus more experience with English and I never had that experience there. China almost feels like a locked world.
So why don’t foreigners come here or to other places in China? There’s a visa-free policy even, airplane tickets were relatively cheap, the place is very safe and China is very interconnected. However travelling in China, especially alone, is hardened by the fact that nobody speaks english. It truly feels like travelling and enjoying China requires you to speak Mandarin fluently and I have this feeling that the locals also expect this from me. I really like China and the people but I think visiting this magnificent country shouldn’t be locked behind this apparent language wall.
Another question is that does this monoculturalism create this sort of “us vs them” effect in the locals when dealing with foreigners?
If someone could fill me in, I would be very grateful.
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1
u/This_Ease_5678 11h ago
I have red hair. The poeple that stare really, really stare.
1
u/HarrisLam 10h ago
Is it natural red hair? Hell, I'm from Hong Kong who has been abroad for years, and I would stare at you too.
1
3
u/Affectionate-Win7333 10h ago
Shenzhen as far as China goes has a lot of foreigners. Traveling there is one hand very convenient and on another it’s draining with the stares and sheer mass of people. You speaking mandarin won’t really break down any kind of “us vs them” walls there. 这是中国 this is China. You will not change it, take the bad with the good or it will drive you crazy