#AtoZChallenge in China: Lǎowài (Foreigner) List

Our #AtoZChallenge in China for today is a lǎowài 老外 (foreigner) list, that is, some preconceptions of a first timer in Beijing.

This letter/challenge has really bugged me for quite a while because I thought I didn’t have a strong entry. Initially I scheduled là 辣 (spicy) but it’s not entirely a representative of what a Chinese adventure is. Then I found out this entry on the Lonely Planet: China for beginners: 7 first-timer fails to avoid on your trip to Beijing.
So I got an idea: Try to “debunk” or “affirm” that list of fails a first-timer might have during their visit or stay in Beijing — based on my experience, a year and a half of being in the city.
L is for Lǎowài List
Fail #1: Building a huge Beijing bucket list

We know, you want to see it all. But take it from a writer who nearly collapsed into her hotpot after trying to cram temples and palaces into a packed day of eating, drinking, shopping and hutong crawling. It sounds counterintuitive, but making the most of your time in China’s capital means paring it down.

Last January, just before the Spring Festival/Lunar New Year, my friends came here for a short vacation. I helped them make an itinerary, but when they arrived, the guide wasn’t entirely followed. The reason? I paired the tourist spots nearest to their hotel. They wanted to stay in one spot and relish their Chinese history walk at the Forbidden City.
For first-time travelers, I suggest to just focus on one location rather than pairing two or three nearby attractions. “Nearby” in Beijing might mean near but it’s a hassle to go especially during weekends and holidays because of the sheer number of tourists.
A combination to make the most of your day is to go to a tourist location in the day and go shopping or eating at night. Well, you might want to plan what time you need to rise the following day so that you can visit another attraction.

 
Fail #2: Ignoring the smog factor

In Beijing, you need to prepare for the air. The city’s pollution levels are notorious, and its air quality will have a bigger impact on your trip than you expect. We learned this the hard way, with our eyes streaming as we explored the Summer Palace, sneezing our way past elaborate boats and gardens.

This is entirely true, and even if it is a “normal” day, the air quality index still doesn’t go lower than 50 (it’s a miracle if it hits below 30). A smoggy day will drain the hell out of any traveler because they need to wear masks (which restrain breathing, thus making walking difficult). On a “normal” bad air day, you will see gray everywhere. And you don’t want to spoil your trip by just staying at the hotel.
As explained by the Lonely Planet article (see the link), it will be wise if you download an air quality index app so that you will have an idea how bad the air will be.

 
Fail #3: Being shy at queues and crossings

Once the third, then fourth, person slips in front of you in that bathroom queue, you’ll realise it’s time to sharpen your elbows. In a city bursting with more than 11m people, it makes sense that Beijingers move with purpose. This metropolis brims with urbanites making their way, so first-time visitors can be disorientated by queue-jumping and chaotic roads.

I remember a colleague who told me that Beijingers move so slow especially on the subway compared to Singaporeans (who move at a rapid pace). The reason? Many Beijingers are hooked on their phones. But still when it’s time to enter the train, expect that they brush past everyone! And the feat is, they shove everyone while staying hooked on their phones!
So whether it’s your first time to ride Beijing’s subways or you take it everyday for work, always prepare for a war of shoulders (and breaths for chrissakes, do they know how to brush their teeth?!).

 
Fail #4: Faltering at security checks

Security checks are a way of life in many Chinese cities, but nowhere more so than Beijing. Your rucksack will be examined in train stations, X-rayed each time you go into the subway, and you may be frisked before you enter certain public spaces, like Tian’anmen Square.

This is particularly true whenever you go near to Tian’anmen where security is particularly tight. At train stations, there are mandatory bag checking and occasional frisking. When you bring a bottle of liquid, guards will ask you to remove it from your bag (if it’s water, they’ll ask you to drink it).

 
Fail #5: Trying to walk everywhere

It’s a travel writer’s cliché to describe a city as ‘compact, best explored on foot’. Well, Beijing is neither of those things so you need to hire wheels or school yourself on public transport to avoid wheezing your way between temples (they looked so close on the map…)

The good thing with Beijing is that it’s flat — hence it’s easy to walk here. But don’t be fooled by its flatness because the whole city is huge! Before I came here I had tried looking for a flat near my workplace. When I saw Beijing’s map, I thought, “Oh most of the streets are parallel and short,” but no, I was wrong. The Beijing Subway Line 1 alone is 30km long; I tried biking from the transfer station in the CBD area to the one before Tian’anmen. It was about 8.9 km and took me 45 min to bike one way.
Though nowadays you’ll see a lot of people biking because of the mushrooming of bike-sharing apps like Mobike, Ofo, and Bluegogo.

 
Fail #6: Assuming English will be spoken

A smattering of English-language signposting will ease your way around supermarkets and the subway, but English isn’t as widely spoken as you might think. Arm yourself with a language app or a phrasebook. Even a simple nĭhăo (hello) and xièxie (thank you) will ease interactions.

Of course you’re in China land with more than a billion people! One good thing when using Beijing’s public transportation systems (except taxis) is that most of them have English translation (despite having occasional broken and rather funny mistranslations). But that should help you get by when traveling.
A good way to get over the language barrier is, like what the Lonely Planet advices, to download an app. Baidu Translate works well but you need to be connected to the internet (you can download a 300MB+ pack prior). Google Translate isn’t blocked but you still need an internet connection to use it.
Even if you use a phrasebook to converse with locals, chances are they will find you amusing to the point that you’ll find them amusing too because of the way they look at you. Getting the right tone is one thing; speaking a whole phrase is another. So if you’re just visiting for a few days, it’s still good to use a translator app.
When I feel that talking to a local (especially the old ones and vendors) is nothing more than a vain thing to do, I turn to a policeman because chances are they can speak understandable English.

Fail #7: Fearing the food etiquette

There’s a terror among first-time travelers of causing offense at the table, but dining in Beijing is a casual affair. If you aren’t used to chopsticks, it’s worth practicing before your trip (if only to avoid pitying stares). But barring one offensive gesture – planting your chopsticks upright in a bowl of food, which resembles an incense offering – slurp your noodles, openly pluck bones from your mouth, grab food with chopsticks or serving spoons, and enjoy.

I’m guilty of this, but never did I experience a bad look from colleagues or anyone when I stuck my chopsticks in a rice bowl (or probably they’re too disgusted to confront me lol). While I hate hearing locals slurp noodles, other food customs I think are fine and too amusing to see, in a good way of course.
So what’s the verdict?
Okay, at first I thought I would entirely debunk the whole article but when I wrote this piece I told myself that, “Oh yes, what this fail says is true,” or “Oh, yes I experienced this one.”
I’m sure there are other things that I want to say but I’m reserving them for my next #AtoZChallenge in China entry, which will focus on the mobility and the mobile-ness of Beijing society. Thanks for reading!
Featured image shows me on a dock somewhere on Kunming Lake. 

---

See more of my #AtoZChallenge: Chinese Adventure