Really Living in Shanghai

Don't worry, Americans feel that way about most countries. That is why they are so adorable! They drive up to Canada in July, dressed in heavy winter clothing, skis on their roof racks.....and wonder where is the white stuff!More than 10% of American high school kids can't find their country on the world map.

People who matter know about Shanghai. That is what's important.

Giggle,

Just returned from Jinzhou, which is *not* Shanghai, but loved the people. Sorry, but the U.S. is not the centre of the world & my mother said I should be kind to those less fortunate than me.

What do you expect from a country (USA), where 3% of the population (Fluently) speak a second language and 5% have a passport?

don't worry mate, it's not your fault. everyone's got an 'ignorant american' story, so here's mine. was in america, met a woman, she asked where i was from. i said 'uk'. she had never heard of it. so i said 'britain'. never heard of that either. so i said england. never heard of that. christ! then she asked me where i had learned to speak english.

on another note: what is the status of the world financial centre next to the jiang mao building? when i was in shanghai i saw the site but no work going on. is anything happening.

Hahaha, yes the US people can be very funny, litle like the French, are there also other country outside our borders?:) I'm from the Netherlands, and a friend of mine was asked to play baseball at a college in the US. After getting there, some students asked him; do you all walk on wooden shoes....He said yes, but I bought some real shoes at the airport after I heard it's not normal to walk on them here...They believed him:D

Grtz,

Ok, it looks like a lot of you are prejudiced against Americans. That's your business. However, for those willing to listen to one, I would like to correct a few incorrect statements above.

First off the claim that only 3% of Americans can speak a second langauge fluently is rediculous. About 15% of the population speaks Spanish fluently, over 2,000,000 Americans speak Chinese fluntly, about 900,000 people speak western Farsi, 800,000 speak Japanese, and many many others speak other langauges. Check ethnologue.com

The claim that only 5% of us have passports is equally false. It's actually about 25%. I realize 25% is not a lot, but consider this. I grew up in Colorado. From my house, I could drive 1,000 miles (that's 1600 km) in any direction and STILL be in the borders of the US. Much like China, the US is a very large and diverse country. My home state is larger than many European countries. Furthermore, many countries will allow Americans to enter without a passport. I personally visited Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua before getting a passport.

Finally for all of you ranting about how closed minded Americans are think about this: Being politically correct in the US REQUIRES that one embraces diversity. If a TV show, advertising campaign or company mocks people of a certain race, nationality, or religion there is a SEVERE backlash. People lose jobs (such as the Denver Nuggets coach did after calling someone who cursed at him and spit at him a "Mexican asshole"), companies get sued and polititians get kicked out of office for such prejudices. In Canada on the other hand there is a popular show titled, "Talking with Americans" which is based solely on making fun of Americans. In my country no show based upon prejudice (be it nationalist, racist, sexist, etc..) stays on the air. Ishihara, the mayor of Tokyo has publicly stated that in the event of unrest, police should first target the sankokumin (3rd worlders/SE aisans). He's wildly popular. How long could the mayor of New York last if he said, "if there's a riot, shoot the niggers first"?

People are pissed off at the US government. Fine. But it isn't fair to say that the people care nothing for other cultures. Diversity is valued a great deal in the US. The govenor of our most powerful state is a foreigner. How many other countries are that open? Our #3 man in the national government is black. How many racial minoritys are on John Howard's staff? How about Tony Blair's staff? Do you especially love either of them? If Americans are so ignorant, then why do so many foreigners go study at their schools? And how do such ignorant people do so well both in business and research?

Maybe it's just a good idea to avoid stereotypes or prejudice aimed at anyone... even Americans.

Mark, my man, that is so flunt. This from a Chinese, of course.

William's joke is a good one, though.

william, now it's the end of 2004, and some are occasionally doing some welding, some are walking around, but it's still just a hole in the ground. I can see it from my apartment, so it's for real.

When they begin to put something in the hole I will tell you !

Hey, bigbro it's just that sometimes enough is enough. BTW, what does "flunt" mean? I ran it through dictionary.com and didn't come up with anything...

Haha, Ha, Mark, Haha, it was a, hahaha, a joke. Hahahaha, I couldn't help it, haha, hahaha. I knew that would through you off hahahaha and it did. Read your own second paragraph. Sorry to be pranky. Please don't take it to mean anything, my friend. Hahahahahaha......

ha...ha...ha

I think Americans get a bad rap to a certain extent. I am from Canada. At least the decent ones. Here is a wildly successful country with yes a very big diversity of peoples, and perspectives. All sterotypes have roots, but its important that people always look past them. However, I will testify that certainly the media (news) which comes out of the US is wildly slanted in favour of rich neoconservative and conservative business and thinking. Its rather unhealthy.

If I were american I would try to change that about my country.

I am from Brazil, but I live in the U.S.. I also think that many Americans are ignorant to what goes on outside their own lives. I know a lot of people here who say "screw the foreigners" and other really shallow comments out of ignorance. Many Americans do not realize some of the reasons why other countries are "less fortunant" then themselves. If anyone here has heard of Noam Chomsky, and read his book, "What uncle sam really wants", then you will know about all the shady things America has done to get to the top. Brazil should actually be a superpower in the world because it has so many natural resources, and back in the early 60's Brazil was doing great. Sadly for my homeland, in 64' America thought Brazil was becoming too independant, so the U.S. sent in a military coup to destroy our democracy. After that, things have never been the same.

What many Americans do not realize is that people outside of the U.S. are intelligent, and dont all eat Tacos. Many Americans, especially young Americans are predjudice to Latinos, people from the Mid-east, Asians, and any other non-white with an accent. Can Americans really blame outsiders for having such a negative view on the U.S., when the U.S. has not shown the world much kindness. And now that Bush is in office again, this country is looking more and more ignorant.

I'm American (I'm half chinese and blacK) and I agree. I live in southern Florida so, it's really diverse and there is probably a bigger spanish population than all the other races here. There is also alot of interracial couples too. But, I've noticed somethings about the states up north. Firstly, they are ignorant and assume every spanish person here is "mexican" when actually, Mexico is no where near Florida and most of the people here are Cubans, DR, etc. Also, people aren't that open and I've had someone from TN complain about how many "black" people there were and how slutty the hispanics were. She also stated that the girls must have had a boob job because all the girls at my school don't have a small cup size. I don't know what goes on in TN, but it's the food, culture, and the way people live here that causes them to look different and act different. TO mention, everything here is mostly said and done in Spanish rather than english. Another thing people think that Jamaica is full of black people, which it's not because it's a diverse counrty too. So, when I mention im part jamaican, they assume something when really my jamaican father is really chinese.I don't know, people here are just so stupid and they look down upon you if you actually want to learn something.

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when you people say America, i think you all sound a little ignorant,, what do you mean? north america, central , or south,, you keep speaking as the united states, is the center of all the americas, perhaps you are correct,every race and country in the world , can be found in the united states, that is a plus, for it, all the talents and, problems from the planet can be found in the united states also,My travels have found ignorance everywhere on the planet , and many people of a high education,, i live in the u.s. and when i meet a ignorant person, i try to help them , and if they refuse , to bad for them, people will always do as they see fit, anywhere they live.the thing that makes the u.s special is its founding documents, , which by any standard is reaching for a very high goal, a place of the same rights for everyone and a place for any single person to live their life as they see fit.and the race thing is a problem , even inside the races themsleves,look at the war in europe 1939-45, and the war in the middle east(iraq-iran), or any conflict in africa, , or in asias past, so do not expect the united states to solve its problems in a mere 250 years when the rest of the world seems not to be able to do it,, i am not a racists have a chinese girlfriend , and i am not the smartest person around, but i am smart enough to know when i am being insulted, perhaps if you cannot deal with people who you consider,stupid, you should think how you got to the place where you are surrounded by them , and ask how smart you are to be there in the first place.

I will be visiting Shanghai for the first time in February next year to teach at SSPU for 6 months

The only holiday break I will get will be first week in May (Your public holiday time). I would like my wife to visit me then but am wondering how easy it would be to travel both around Shanghai and to Beijing during this holiday week. Does everything operate as normal during this time

when you people say America, i think you all sound a little ignorant,, what do you mean? north america, central , or south,, you keep speaking as the united states

The United States of Mexico, or the United States of America?

:P

I go to school at The University of Tennessee, and I can say that many Americans are ignorant to world activities, but what many of you don't understand is that we are brought up to believe that The United States is the best country in the world. We have the number on economy, we live in the land of dreams, the land of opportunity. I think that many people hate Americans, but are also jealous that they do not have such prosperity. Think of it this way... If you were brought up to believe that you live in the best country in the world, why would you want to go anywhere else? If you lived in a country where there are people from every country in the world living here, would you not start to have some sort of stereotypes about them? Many Americans are ignorant, that is why I hate living where I do, but that does not make them bad people.

Anyway, I will be living in Shanghai all of June 2006, and will be living by myself for a lot of that time. I speak a little mandarin, so if anyone is there and would like to go to some bars or something.. send me an e-mail at Absolutxcel@hotmail.com

I really enjoy reading all the posts.. I think almost all of the posts are true on both sides...I am from Seattle and will be in Shanghai in October for 3 months. :) I hope I will have a great time. I just wish I knew someone from China to show me around.

craigjonez@aol.com

Ok so would like to get this back to Shanghai. Since so many people are putting Americans down I would love to turn the table on this discussion and ask a question:

I am an American (Black/mixed) woman considering Shanghai as a place to live/start my apparel company. I would like an honest (if you can be) assessment of experiences of Black Americans in Shanghai, especially women.

Thanks.

Hi I'm a girl from Jakarta, Indonesia...

I'm planning to study mandarin in Shanghai Normal University for a year....I will be in Shanghai around September. I can't hardly wait for my study !!!

I really hope I will have a good time in Shanghai coz after i finish my study...I wanna try to find job there so I can stay longer......

So I wanna find someone who can show me Shanghai n show me how to have some fun there :P

audy4_83@hotmail.com

I think it's funny that people who complain about the United States have moved to the United States to live. What is so attractive about a country full of ignorant people; why would you leave a country of obviously briiliant people to live in the United States?

I used to have a lot of contact with people in the United States, when I was in the textile trading business, and I find them the opposite side of "ignorant",

WHY ? because I am more ignorant ?

I am learning Spanish, and I wish to have some friends who can be my teacher in Spanish.

celina.china@vip.163.com

celina.china@hotmail.com

As an American who has spent the last 23 years living and working in 7 countries, I take great offense to the ignorant people in these posts having the audacity to call others, in particular Americans, ignorant. You claim that Americans are racists while making prejudicial slurs against all Americans. "Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones!" For those of you who claim that Americans never get out, the fact remains that more Americans travel overseas than from any other country in the world. (ethnologue.com) It is also important to repeat what was written above, that Americans are a very linguistically diverse people. We speak all the languages of the earth. I speak 4 myself and 11 between my 5 overseas siblings. Look beyond the stereotypes and please don't judge Americans based on the ridiculous president with whom we are currently stuck. What is worse, having an idiot for a president or having a president or Prime Minister who blinding follows our idiotic president?

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hi all how are you i hope are peoples is fine ok dear listen dear i am from pakistan ok dear my age is 18 ok dear i am very honest dear ok i search honest girl anywhere ok but dear honest and nice ok because i am honest ok dear listen dear some peoples see girls ages ok but i am not ok i see girl honest ok only reallove ok listen dear my english is week plz dont mine ok i have no friends ok i need honest girl in america ok but dear honest ok i hope you are understand my all talking ok my person address is hassan_bhai110@hotmail.com ok dear plz conect me ok dear i am waiting ok my mobile number is 03027304696 and other number is 03346614686 ok dear plz calling me soon ok i am very funny ok i have no friends ok because i like real friendship ok listen this is not joke ok dear if you believe me then conect me other wise no ok plz dont mine ok take care byeee

hi all how are you i hope are peoples is fine ok dear listen dear i am from pakistan ok dear my age is 18 ok dear i am very honest dear ok i search honest girl anywhere ok but dear honest and nice ok because i am honest ok dear listen dear some peoples see girls ages ok but i am not ok i see girl honest ok only reallove ok listen dear my english is week plz dont mine ok i have no friends ok i need honest girl in america ok but dear honest ok i hope you are understand my all talking ok my person address is hassan_bhai110@hotmail.com ok dear plz conect me ok dear i am waiting ok my mobile number is 03027304696 and other number is 03346614686 ok dear plz calling me soon ok i am very funny ok i have no friends ok because i like real friendship ok listen this is not joke ok dear if you believe me then conect me other wise no ok plz dont mine ok take care byeee

I'm an American soon to be visiting Shanghai for a month, my stepbrother is from China and just came over a couple years ago. Going late July through August, is it really as hot and humid and/or uncomfortable as my stepmother leads me to believe?? I mean I don't mind hot weather, I'll work on my tan which will take a long ass time in the first place (Austrian/English/Irish) I'm also very eager to see the huge, bustling crowds that I'm told flood the streets of Shanghai in the daytime. Being originally from Manhattan, I think I'll enjoy the opportunity to revisit and practice maneuvering through a sea of hurrying bodies, though I'm told it is five times as crowded as nyc. Also, does anyone know if this is true- my stepbro told me that girls in china won't allow you to buy them a drink unless they already know you... Firstly he's 16 and hasn't been there since he was 14 so I doubt he'd have a true familiarity with that sort of environment.. On the other hand he is from China, he'd know more than I would, and I wouldn't be surprised in the least bit if there is a cultural incongruity in that social area between China and the U.S. I have faith though because of how modernized I've heard that Shanghai has become, seemingly at an exponential rate, and that this sort of difference in culture would be far less perceptible in Shanghai then say, rural or Northern China, or wherever...... I'm a stupid American I know nothing about the country I'm visiting... durr da durr. No seriously, some people on here are pretty ignorant themselves in their blanket statements/ hurried characterizations of Americans as ignorant. To impose a pissing match on a topic on who is more ignorant is itself the most ignorant thing that has entered my brain throughout my day which if I may tell you, my has been pretty damn ignorant. For those who have snobby, higher than thou attitudes, then why don't you put your amazing, intellectual, so much less ignorant than American, minds and talk about something more productive!!! (so basically talk about anything else)

whoops I meant "my day"*** not just "my" on that 2nd to last line. Wouldn't want anyone to think I'm ignorant enough to make a typo!!

not all people from the states are dumb.. dumb close-minded people can be found anywhere on the planet, trust me.

im from the states, and im not prejudice against anyone except assholes haha..

take care everyone ;)

@Poster

United states media concentrates more on the issues within the united states, most of the information that U.S. uses is based off of what parents/uncles/grandparents saw in the past, like 30 years ago, which was most likely far less than today, china has been in a state of growth for decades, of course our media or history teachers never teach us this so we are working on decades old information.

Bluntly put our media doesn't care about talking of anything other than our own economy.

@commentors

Please read this all the way through if you intend to comment on it, if you haven't payed attention to what I have said you just proved my point when you finish you will realize the beginning seems strange.

I was to write lot but figured I need to it down everyone could .

in an of how people are the language they speak ask all you, is saying

" canadian camera-man" any way to all ?

If you yes then lost. Go and learn to create proper sentence well as comprehension levels a 2nd .

ignorant = adjective =

canadian = adjective =

camera-man = noun =

I've paired word with of the type, if only looked ignorant canadian your basis racism then are missing on 1/3 your entire based on ratio since missed out noun.

Match together with makes sense

chair

green

both of make sense

green..... something wrong? a green what? ? ZOMG RUN!!!!!

some people seem to trouble with english language seem to what an is when is a that can either an or a depending on usage.

saying 3 words racist when only take account 2 them means are working 2/3 of knowledge that in so that believes

"Ignorant (insert race/gender/) guy" is by describing person with nationality or included is idiotic and , if he ignorant and IS (insert race/gender/) and he a guy the statement racist, it TRUE.

remember you think racist then now on retype this delete every word to you how you are out on

I was going to write a lot but I figured I would need to dumb it down so everyone could understand.

in an example of how ignorant people are of the language that they speak I'll ask all of you, is saying

"ignorant canadian camera-man" in any way offensive to all canadians?

If you said yes then you lost. Go back and learn how to create a proper sentence as well as reading comprehension levels of a 2nd grader.

ignorant = adjective = big

canadian = adjective = green

camera-man = noun = chair

I've paired each word with one of the same type, if you only looked at ignorant canadian as your basis for racism then you are missing out on 1/3 of your entire life based on that ratio since you missed out the noun.

Match them together with what makes sense

big chair

green chair

both of these make sense

big green..... something seems wrong? a big green what? snake? ZOMG RUN!!!!!

Unfortunately some people who seem to have trouble with the english language can't seem to grasp what an adjective is when it is a word that can be either an adjective or a noun depending on it's usage.

saying that 3 words is racist when you only take into account 2 of them means you are working on 2/3 of the knowledge that comes in so anyone that believes saying

"Ignorant (insert your race/gender/nationality) guy" is racist by describing the person with their nationality or race included is completely idiotic and ignorant, if he IS ignorant and he IS (insert your race/gender/nationality) and he IS a guy then the statement isn't racist, it is TRUE.

remember if you think it's racist then from now on ill retype this above me and delete every 3rd word to show you how much you are missing out on.

Pay more attention to all of the words and the world will be a much better place. With far less people that ASSUME someone else is racist, remember if you ASSUME it makes an ASS out of U and ME.

Wondering where the world would be if America really was "ignorant" to the "outside" world? Perhaps we should keep to our "ignorant" selves and let the world fend for themselves without us being the first to every disaster scene and sending millions and millions of dollars of aid and support. How quickly you forget. There are no more generous and innovative people on the earth than us "ignorant" Americans. Try fending for yourselves for a change, let us know how its going.

Well, if the USA just shut it's gates then i should imagine it's economy would be fucked from the vast export markets it relies on; anyway you would need to settle up the trillions of dollars of debt you owe the Chinese first. Some countries like britain have successfully redefined themselves since no longer being the big dog on the world stage - others like Russia haven't - how is the us going to deal with it's loss if power?