Lǎowài life

"Lǎowài" is Mandarin Chinese and in slang means "a foreigner". Some foreigners in China consider this an insulting name (the literal meaning of the word is "an old outsider") but I personally don't mind. So when you recognize this word you will always know when people are talking about you.

To be a lǎowài in China is a special thing. In both good and bad. Chinese people adore Western culture and adapt some of it into their own culture: the mixture is no less than hilarious! Everyone has iPhones even if it costs an average Chinese person approximately three months' wages..! Insane, isn't it! Western designer bags are worn with frilly, bejeweled, lacy, over-the-top clothing which I simply call Chinese fashion. And then there's the food - Western food is considered a special, fashionable treat here but the Chinese have twisted it into their own style. Or how would you like some fruit pizza with sweet mayonnaise, "steak" that's made of ground beef and drowned in black pepper sauce, sweet popcorn, or a hamburger with deep fried sweet chicken filet instead of a beef patty. When I get cravings for something other than Chinese food it means there's not much help to be found in the nearby restaurants. Lucky I like Chinese food!

Dragon is a powerful symbol for emperors. It's also very lucky.

Nonetheless the Chinese are enthusiastic about the Western culture and want to adapt it to theirs. That's right; they don't want to adapt to it, they want to adapt the Western culture into the Chinese culture. So what is the ultimate Western culture object? Of course a genuine lǎowài, in person. Many times I don't feel like a person but more like an object, a circus animal. Strangers come up to me, wanting to touch me, talk to me, hug me and sometimes young girls or children tell me that they love me...because I'm a white lǎowài. It blows your mind. To be a white foreigner in China is like being famous. But not the nice way: more like you're a famous monkey. "Everyone knows the monkey but the monkey doesn't know anyone" fits perfectly to my existence here.

Like a superstar I get asked to pose in pictures with random strangers I meet; when I leave my house there are strangers everywhere taking my picture without asking my permission; I get special treatment and free goodies occasionally; wherever I go people recognize me and make a fuss. Sometimes I obviously enjoy the perks of being a lǎowài: I love the fact that I'm always the most important person in the room; if I say something people will regard it as pearls of wisdom (I'm not pulling your leg); my opinion always matters; I get asked to speak or perform in events as the star of the day (I've learned a lot about performing while in China!) and sometimes companies or private people will offer me for instance free food, drink or service, and of course want me to come work for them.
Yet there's no such thing as free lunch. The flipside of lǎowài life I've obviously talked a lot about in my previous blog posts.

But things I do enjoy about China are plentiful once I think about it:

Cost of living. It's ridiculously cheap to eat out in a restaurant, take a taxi, buy groceries or fly across China! In saying that I have found that many people do try to take advantage of the poor old lǎowài: I get usually asked for triple to price for anything I purchase. It takes time to understand how things work and after that it's all up to your guts and negotiation skills on how much you will actually pay for the things that have no price tag!

Sober streets. There are no drunks anywhere in public areas! When Chinese people drink it's only mostly the men and they still behave themselves quite well. No fights, no excess noise or trouble, exactly opposite to what we have in any city in the West. In this way the Chinese are super civil people! I always feel safe walking down the streets no matter what time of the day or night it is.

Corruption. A two bladed sword since if you have money or influential friends, there are no limits to what you can do. Or just fake it! For instance for many foreigners it works well: if they don't have the requirements or the experience to get a job they want, they can just make something up and/or fake certificates. Golden!

Perks. Usually your employer would want to treat you well because you are the lǎowài employee and very important for the company. I am the only lǎowài working for my school so I get taken out for free lunches, dinners, they organize little trips to entertain me and in general all my colleagues try to make my life as comfortable as possible here. It doesn't hurt to be a nice person either: I get told frequently that people are so nice to me because I'm such a lovely person to everyone.

Ego boost. People will tell you constantly how beautiful you are because you're so white! Coming from Scandinavia my skin is super white, my hair quite long and naturally dirty blonde so people are always complimenting me on my beauty. It feels nice, especially since sometimes you feel like a fat giant compared to the size 0, petite Chinese people!

All in all life as a lǎowài is always anything but boring in China. And after a while you will take it as "normal". Problem might prove to be that good old Western life could possibly seem rather dull and mundane after the Chinese lifestyle.

Long live everyday roller coaster existence!