Apparently the term culture shock has now been re-defined by experts as “cultural fatigue.” Emerging from Beijing Station over three years ago to experience in-your-face China for the first time, I can safely say it wasn’t tiredness that assaulted my senses like a high-voltage kick up the backside.
Whatever the terminology, for most expats cultural acclimatization (or lack of it) in Beijing is a multi-stage process. Culture shock means different things to different people, and any kind of move, whether it’s across town, across country or across the planet, can bring out the best, or worst, in all of us.
The Finnish anthropologist Kalvero Oberg first identified five distinct stages of culture shock back in the 1950’s. In Beijing each of these stages may last from a few minutes to a couple of years. By the time most expats come to leave (if they do leave) however, most have usually been through the love-hate-love cycle that characterizes, albeit in a simplified way, the transformation from Beijing greenhorn to guru.
Stage One: The Honeymoon Stage
Everything is just plain weird and wonderful. Taxis come in various colours: some have three wheels. Men in beige suits are carrying purses and have extremely long fingernails, and some girls are holding hands. Everything is covered in neon. People stare (a lot). Women have umbrellas in the sun. Cheese is a luxury product.
Stage Two: The Irritation Stage
Beijing taxi drivers always choose the longest queue at traffic lights. A simple banking operation takes half a day. It’s impossible to buy a return train ticket. It feels like everybody's trying to cheat you. The so-called Caesar salad you ordered is made with spam. Nobody holds the elevator door open. Everyone smokes, even in the hospital.
Stage Three: The Rejection Stage
Give up trying to communicate with Chinese people who don’t speak English (except your taxi driver). Give up learning Chinese. Only shop in Carrefour or Jenny Lou's. Live in a suburban compound. Complain non-stop about the traffic, pollution, bad manners, noisy neighbours, Chinese TV and poor quality products. Get BBC, CNN and a couple of humidifiers.
Stage Four: The Integration Stage
Buy a bicycle. Start to learn Chinese and practice with the taxi driver. Say hello to Chinese people who say hello to you, even when you have a hangover. Develop a level of patience that Mother Theresa would be proud of. Start shopping in the local fruit market and cooking Chinese food.
Stage Five: The Re-entry Stage
Go back home and realize how tedious “developed” life can be. Become homesick for China and make plans to return.
In August’s Cultural Connection: How to date a Chinese girl and then move in with her parents.
