Embrace: Culture Shock

I had planned to write this blog a month ago and I had planned to say how cool, calm, and collected I was about the culture here in China. I had planned to say the only thing that had even gotten close to shocking me was my blow dryer when it blew up my converter….yep, that happened. Twice.

 

China has a LOT of cultural quirks that shock many people. Some of these quirks, people down right hate. These things include: people shooting snot rockets out of their noses on the streets or even on public buses, babies wearing split pants and using the bathroom on public streets, men AND women hocking loogies so loudly and spitting anywhere and everywhere (even inside restaurants), people laying on their car horns constantly, people shooting fireworks all day and all night, and people constantly breaking line or pushing you out of the way EVERYWHERE you go. (I am fairly certain that Chinese culture’s number 1 rule is, “ If you’re not first, your last.” )

Anyways, all those things had been happening around me and I hadn’t been phased. I’ve maybe gagged a few times, but I haven’t gotten bent out of shape over any of it. I felt like I was winning this game of Who Can Out Smile Culture Shock…

 

Then, I lost. China- 1, Rachel- 0.

 

It happened this one weekend in Wuhan. I wasn’t feeling well and I was hungry (aka I was in my most vulnerable state), so Austin and I decided to get Pizza Hut. Cue the happy music and hearts floating overhead. Pizza is my love language. I was so excited to rest and enjoy my most favorite thing! Then, two cute, little Asian kids sat right beside us across from their parents. Precious, right? Two of my favorite things! Kids and pizza!

 

But not today.

 

Shortly after I pointed to the exact picture of the pizza I wanted (because our waitress didn’t know any English), the kids started being so loud. They were taking their shoes off and jumping on the booth– the booth they were sharing with me. Their dirty feet were literally 2 feet away. After 30 minutes of waiting with a hangery headache, our pizza arrived! Oh, happy day!….Then I saw it. Somehow the waitress had confused the stuffed crust supreme pizza I had ordered with a deep-dish squid, calamari, octopus, shrimp, and crab pizza.

 

Oh, the horror. Oh, the heartbreak.

I say that sarcastically now, but at the time, I truly felt horrified and heartbroken.

The language barrier prevented me from even trying to explain, so I just sat there and dissected my pizza and removed EVERYTHING (excluding a little bit of cheese) from it. I wish I would’ve take pictures because my plate actually looked really funny. Imagine dissecting something for science class after it was cooked in a pizza pan. That was my plate.

 

So, all this is to say, I was proud of my culture shock coping skills… and just like that, I was humbled. Don’t think you are above anything because the moment you do, you’ll get knocked on your butt, and you’ll be on the level you were once looking down on.

 

Pride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall.

[proverbs16:18]

 

…and if you are scared of different cultures and you think I’m some kind of saint for living here- don’t. Don’t think I’m great and don’t be afraid of different types of people.

In the words of Regina Specktor,

“People are just people, they shouldn’t make you nervous.”