Nick and Dariece are a delightful couple originating from Canada and backpacking the world. Although we focus on China in this interview, their nomadic lifestyle has led them all around this globe of ours (anyone heard of Tajikistan?). If you are interested in leaving your 9-5 and traveling the world with your loved one, goatsontheroad is the blog to read. Packed with information ranging from ESL educational hints to food and leisure must dos, these traveling goats are sure to have something for you! Read further to find out more about Nick, Dariece, and the quirks of Chinese culture..
AsianTalks: To start off, who are you, what is your blog about, and who should read your blog?
We are Nick & Dariece, a couple of crazy Canadians in our late 20′s who love to travel! We run Goats On The Road, which is a backpacking website for independent and off-the-beaten-path adventures. We focus on lifestyle design and have tips and information for people of all ages who want to get out there and explore. We also have a section that is primarily our story/our blog, as well as information on teaching English abroad.
AsianTalks: Focusing particularly on Chinese culture, could you explain some methods of cultural interaction that are different from the West? What was the strangest cultural interaction that you had?
Where do I start?! There are so many quirks in the Chinese culture, it’s fascinating. As far as interactions go, each and every day we experienced something that we would consider “weird” in the West. One of the most prominent differences in culture is when it comes to eating a meal. Eating dinner in China is such a different experience than that of the West.
At home, everyone orders a dish for themselves and that’s that. In China, one person orders food for the whole (round) table to share. Not one dish per person, everyone gets to enjoy the huge selection of food in front of them. Just pick whatever you want to eat, dig in your chopsticks and enjoy! Also, it’s customary for one person to pay the bill.
AsianTalks:Did you try learning Chinese? Does it help to speak Chinese or can you get around easily on English alone? Does it depend where you are in China?
Yes, we did try to learn Chinese (Mandarin). It’s definitely a difficult language, that’s for sure! We took a few lessons from our school, as well as used the electronic learning tool: Pimsleur. Apart from being in the big cities like Beijing or Shanghai, English isn’t readily spoken, anywhere.
Where we lived in Yangzhou, basically no one spoke English, so for sure we had to make an effort to learn some of the local language. I’m really glad we tried to learn (even though we didn’t do very well!) because it was easier to connect with the local people that way, and it was actually really fun trying to order food at our favorite street-side vendors and trying to get from point “A” to point “B” was always a fun challenge!
AsianTalks: Are the Chinese generally accepting of Western culture and people? Could you give an example based on your answer?
Yes they are. Everywhere we went in China, whether it was a major tourist attraction or just a small village, they wanted to talk to us, take our picture and offer us something. It didn’t matter where we were. Even in Yangzhou, the city we lived in with 5 million people, they would constantly stare at us and be very, very interested. Chinese people are fascinated with Westerners. They want to learn the English language, learning about us and our culture and they like to watch American movies as well!
AsianTalks: Do you have any advice for expats looking to travel, work or live in China? Where should they start? What should they bring? Are Western items (such as foods, books etc.) easily accessible to foreigners?
Traveling in China is amazing! There are so many interesting places to see, the food is delicious and the people are friendly and hospitable. What more could you ask for?
In terms of working and living in China, if you are interested in teaching English, we suggest checking out Dave’s ESL Cafe for job postings. There is a high demand for English teachers in China and therefore, lots of job opportunities.
Depending on where you live in China, there will be some Western foods available, at marked-up prices. In order to save money and to immerse in the culture, we suggest indulging in the Chinese cuisine for the most part and eat Western food only once in a while.
There aren’t many English books available so we suggest bringing some, better yet, get a Kindle and download e-books at your convenience! For women, bring tampons (or invest in a DivaCup) and birth control pills.
AsianTalks: Are there any social media websites or applications that an expat could use to broaden his or her social community in China? Is Facebook, twitter etc. big in China or do expats have other means of communication?
The internet firewall is up and running in China. Certain websites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Google don’t work. You will have to get a VPN (virtual proxy network). If you have a PC computer, you can download FreeGate. If you have a Mac, you can get Hide My Ass or Astrill, to name a couple. This will allow you to access all websites.
There are a couple of local social networks as well. We Chat and QQ are popular instant messaging programs in China. Some people have Facebook, but not many.
Check out the Second Installment to this interview Available Now!
