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mrwslee003
Joined: 14 Nov 2009
Posts: 190
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 Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 6:24 pm Post subject: p'easant guards |
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I just want to add:
The "laowai" foreigners had no trouble with the guards as well. We had
laowai from Canada, USA, Australia, and UK. |
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inchinanow
Joined: 03 Feb 2008
Posts: 102
Location: China
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 1:07 am Post subject: |
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| Get your money and get the hell out of there. Do not stay at that school. |
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LoPresto
Joined: 27 Oct 2009
Posts: 87
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 1:32 am Post subject: |
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"Protip: When you are getting beat up by a pair of security guards be sure to keep both hands on your electronic translator to prevent them from stamping on it with their goon boots"
Again, the morale of the story is to talk to/acknowledge the guards whenever you walk by and then they won't want to beat you up! |
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The Ever-changing Cleric
Joined: 19 Feb 2009
Posts: 1523
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 1:45 am Post subject: |
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| so the general rule is "guards will want to beat up people who don't talk to them." ??? |
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Jayray
Joined: 28 Feb 2009
Posts: 373
Location: Back East
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 3:51 am Post subject: |
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| The Ever-changing Cleric wrote: |
| so the general rule is "guards will want to beat up people who don't talk to them." ??? |
Aw, come on, Rev.
Everywhere I've taught the guards were actually doing their jobs. The new guys stood at attention in full uniform, saluting while standing on a pedestal in the sun. I always made a point of saying hello whenever I came and went. I didn't have to, but their job is a thankless one, and just a little recognition goes a long way.
Some of the other FTs thought that it wasn't necessary. Someone in the FAO laughed at me when he saw me saying hello to the guards.
I returned to visit a friend who still teaches where I taught three years ago. It was just before the gate was to be closed.
The guy on duty remembered me and let me in. No problems.
It's a little thing, but little things add up.
After my recent experiences in China, I no longer dismiss anecdotes that run counter to my observations and experiences. Stuff happens in China. Just when I think I've got my act down, something happens that makes me reevaluate my perceptions.
Good things happen. Bad things happen. I've been lucky. I've had only one horrendously bad situation, and luckily, I got through it and past it with few lasting problems.
Things could change.
That's why I say hi to the security guards and try to stay on the good side of everyone. |
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mrwslee003
Joined: 14 Nov 2009
Posts: 190
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 5:45 pm Post subject: be civil to guards. |
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We and I call it "common sense".
We almost preach "Do unto others as you would want others do unto you!"
Who knows what back ground those guards have? Maybe they had been
taught in their village school by some old fart that "all foreigners are evil!" If you know Cantonese, foreigners are called "gui lao", which means "devil" - maybe derived from the experiences of the opium wars when that drug was literally forced upon the Chinese.
Now, we know that time is only history, but if that is all these peasants know. And it is definitely easier to rule when your population has an enemy that is not you!
I say behave as civil and friendly as if you were in your own native
neighbourhood and I am certain that you will find those guards would
become as friendly as your neighbourhood senior. |
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The Ever-changing Cleric
Joined: 19 Feb 2009
Posts: 1523
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| Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 6:32 am Post subject: |
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| Jayray wrote: |
| The Ever-changing Cleric wrote: |
| so the general rule is "guards will want to beat up people who don't talk to them." ??? |
Aw, come on, Rev.
Everywhere I've taught the guards were actually doing their jobs. The new guys stood at attention in full uniform, saluting while standing on a pedestal in the sun. I always made a point of saying hello whenever I came and went. I didn't have to, but their job is a thankless one, and just a little recognition goes a long way. |
not acknowledging them isnt a sign of poor treatment of them, noone can reasonbly think that.
the guards where i work are pretty casual. sitting in a chair by the gate mechanism, or inside the shack drinking tea and playing games with one another. they don't need or demand any recognition, even the students hardly acknowledge them. never had any problems with them yet.
i did try to give one of the guards some mooncakes a few years ago but he refused them. that's the last time i spoke to one of them as far as i can remember. |
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chinatwin88
Joined: 31 Aug 2009
Posts: 379
Location: Peking
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| Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2009 3:06 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| not acknowledging them isnt a sign of poor treatment of them, noone can reasonbly think that. |
No contact should be made if not necessary. That little act of kindness could be and likely is perceived as a opening or opportunity and a familiarity will only encourage aggressive action. This is a land of "places" and the system works best if FTs observe that social structure. Let the Guards stay in their place and you stay in yours. A smart saying is what is Chinese, stays Chinese and what is foreign stays foreign. If you want to be social with the Chinese, don�t choose someone who is below you on the hierarchy of a work unit. Confrontations are harder for the Chinese if they are uncertain as to the outcome. Never show your hand. |
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LoPresto
Joined: 27 Oct 2009
Posts: 87
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| Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2009 8:53 am Post subject: |
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| Jibberish. |
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Lobster
Joined: 20 Jun 2006
Posts: 2040
Location: Somewhere under the Sea
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| Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2009 1:25 pm Post subject: |
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CT, I don't know if you're being serious or not. I was very chummy with the security at my college and it paid off in terms of better security for my bike, a quick response when I needed to get into a classroom and many other little things. It wasn't for this reason that I socialized; he was just genuinely a nice guy all around. Why someone would stick their nose in the air just because someone has less eduation, less money or lower social status entirely escapes me.
RED |
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kev7161
Joined: 06 Feb 2004
Posts: 5880
Location: Suzhou, China
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| Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2009 3:11 pm Post subject: |
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| I try to be friendly and acknowledge all that I can (unless they are real "hellllooooo" assholes!) - - security guards at my school, the clerk at the store who stands for 12 hours, the guy who cuts my hair, the person who gives me a massage . . . . etc. I don't think many or maybe any of these people expect gifts or favors from me/us, but it's just good manners to say a nice "good morning" or "thank you" or whatever (in Chinese naturally) along with a smile . . . it can go a long way down the road. |
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mrwslee003
Joined: 14 Nov 2009
Posts: 190
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| Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2009 6:48 pm Post subject: |
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MMmmmm..
Maybe some foreigners are in China by accident, or by chance and circumstances beyond their control. That is, they are there without the
intention of being there. They have no thoughtful purpose of being there
at all. We may have some zombies in life-just going about life from one
moment to the next like a ball in a pinball machine.
There is nothing wrong with that kind of life style. Then one has to accept where one ends up, like a ball in a pinball machine.  |
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chinatwin88
Joined: 31 Aug 2009
Posts: 379
Location: Peking
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| Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 3:09 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Why someone would stick their nose in the air just because someone has less eduation, less money or lower social status entirely escapes me. |
RED. Sorry, my post did't account for exceptions, but statements like that assume more from your prospective than mine. If you noticed my advice wasn�t from a condescending attitude but rather a cautious one which maintains a distance between you as a temporary visitor and those who have little using such encounters as an advantage. I was relating my standard SOP. Red if you like to mingle with the help then by all means continue on but dont assume just because someone doesnt ape your social interaction they are less accepting of the classes than you are when you draw conclutions based on your own assumptions. |
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LoPresto
Joined: 27 Oct 2009
Posts: 87
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| Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 4:05 am Post subject: |
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The following words sum it up - "...the help...".
Perhaps the guards in question felt snubbed by the "rich laowai" and let him have it?
I'm not sure about you, but, I believe most foreigners here stick out. You might not notice "the help", but they certainly notice you/us. |
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chinatwin88
Joined: 31 Aug 2009
Posts: 379
Location: Peking
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| Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 4:52 am Post subject: |
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| I'm not sure about you, but, I believe most foreigners here stick out. You might not notice "the help", but they certainly notice you/us. |
Yes, I stick out (I mean really stick out) and based on that fact it is my attitude not to give opportunity to most of the "unwashed" or for that matter to most other FTs as it is unlikely that a guard or even another staff member will be aligned with my interest enough to be even become an acquaintance. |
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