INDIA-CHINA: A Difference of Human Concern
Available at http://bbs.chinadaily.com.cn/viewthread.php?gid=3&tid=695073&extra=page%3D1
India and China are two different civilizations. Hence, much of the culture of food, culture of dressing, culture of living differs. But what amazed me is the big difference in the culture of human concern. The other day I had an ankle sprain in my left leg in a very crowded business area. I was coming down of the stairs and slipped. The first reaction of Indians would be they would gather around and ask "Are you alright?" Are the Chinese afraid of police/government or is it that a foreigner has to be kept at a distance. I dont know. But for few moments, no one came near me. Then realising that I am just not getting up, two or three people came and asked me to move. The words, "dont sit here and move to a side" hit me like anything. Was there no concern even for a woman? That is what is China. But the big problem was I was not able to stand. Pain was one reason, the other being my foot was not able to carry my own load. My immediate thought, in India people would have got some water and probably offered help to take you to a doctor. Here, I was like in a strange land with people being too practical and cautious. Do Indians mind if it was a foreigner? No way. Human gesture does not change with someone's race or residency, I learnt as I grew in India. Anyhow some of them realised I could just not move with my utmost efforts, so someone just pulled me to a side and asked me to sit on a seat. I was so grateful and even before I could call for help from my known friends, another load of bag fell on my leg. Was it my bad day or just my bad luck. One after another things were going wrong and people around me were finding it amusing. "Amusing", yes that is the right word to use. I realised in China, anything that happens to a foreigner is really funny for the Chinese. At times they even utter "Hao wanr" (literally meaning good to enjoy). Thankfully those words did not come out at this time, but I could hear someone laugh and someone stating she is a foreigner. So what if I was a foreigner. Was I not a human as you are? I screamed within me, because by now I had started to get irritated with the words "Laowai" (meant for calling someone a foreigner). I called up one of my friend, who told me he will take another hour to reach and so I need to wait outside the building. The market area was to shut down within an hour. So one girl sweetly approached me and asked for the seat I was occupying. She needed to shut the shop, so it does not matter where and how you go. I had to get up and sit on ground again. People around me laughed, "she is sitting on ground". Do I have another choice? I asked myself. Then one of them asked me, "why dont you go to hospital?" "Hospital? Where is that and how do you go?" I had no idea and worst I was not able to move out of the building to take a cab. I requested a girl nearby, "can you please help me move out of the building?" I was already on the ground floor and not very far from the main entrance. I thought if I get out of the building, I can wait for the friend to come and take me to a hospital. She asked a fellow nearby, who was busy shifting stuff, to put me in his cart and help me go out to the entrance gate. His first reaction "what will she pay?" So the main idea was if he helps someone in distress, money is important. My thoughts run to my home where almost every next day my father is helping people by giving free medicines, doing bandage, and at times if some road accident happens, he along with others will be at the forefront to help. Here I was to pay to move few steps. I thought, not a bad deal. I was ready to pay and soon he changed his mind. "May be at this point I should not ask money", he stated. He put me in his cart and drove me out. I was thanking in my hearts of heart and soon heard his rude words, "get down here". I was taken aback and realised I was outside the entrance gate, so now manage yourself. He was not bothered where I go or I sit. I thanked him for bringing me out and dragged myself with fierce pain. I had to walk few steps before I could sit on a side. How can I ever forget that pain. Not just the pain of the injuries, but the pain of being in China. What was I doing in such a place where people live just for money? Soon I realised two girls walked close by and started to smoke. I was allergic to smoking and so I explained them that I can not move, so if they can move aside and not smoke near me. One of the girls was kind enough, but the other stood up and stated "it is an open air, it will not affect you." My thoughts again back to India, where on one side public smoking is banned now and on the other at such a crucial moment anyone will listed to your problem. However, here I had anything to say. Now bear this too. This place is meant for business, I understood. So live in China and talk business. Human concerns stays a little far.
Available at http://bbs.chinadaily.com.cn/viewthread.php?gid=3&tid=695073&extra=page%3D1
India and China are two different civilizations. Hence, much of the culture of food, culture of dressing, culture of living differs. But what amazed me is the big difference in the culture of human concern. The other day I had an ankle sprain in my left leg in a very crowded business area. I was coming down of the stairs and slipped. The first reaction of Indians would be they would gather around and ask "Are you alright?" Are the Chinese afraid of police/government or is it that a foreigner has to be kept at a distance. I dont know. But for few moments, no one came near me. Then realising that I am just not getting up, two or three people came and asked me to move. The words, "dont sit here and move to a side" hit me like anything. Was there no concern even for a woman? That is what is China. But the big problem was I was not able to stand. Pain was one reason, the other being my foot was not able to carry my own load. My immediate thought, in India people would have got some water and probably offered help to take you to a doctor. Here, I was like in a strange land with people being too practical and cautious. Do Indians mind if it was a foreigner? No way. Human gesture does not change with someone's race or residency, I learnt as I grew in India. Anyhow some of them realised I could just not move with my utmost efforts, so someone just pulled me to a side and asked me to sit on a seat. I was so grateful and even before I could call for help from my known friends, another load of bag fell on my leg. Was it my bad day or just my bad luck. One after another things were going wrong and people around me were finding it amusing. "Amusing", yes that is the right word to use. I realised in China, anything that happens to a foreigner is really funny for the Chinese. At times they even utter "Hao wanr" (literally meaning good to enjoy). Thankfully those words did not come out at this time, but I could hear someone laugh and someone stating she is a foreigner. So what if I was a foreigner. Was I not a human as you are? I screamed within me, because by now I had started to get irritated with the words "Laowai" (meant for calling someone a foreigner). I called up one of my friend, who told me he will take another hour to reach and so I need to wait outside the building. The market area was to shut down within an hour. So one girl sweetly approached me and asked for the seat I was occupying. She needed to shut the shop, so it does not matter where and how you go. I had to get up and sit on ground again. People around me laughed, "she is sitting on ground". Do I have another choice? I asked myself. Then one of them asked me, "why dont you go to hospital?" "Hospital? Where is that and how do you go?" I had no idea and worst I was not able to move out of the building to take a cab. I requested a girl nearby, "can you please help me move out of the building?" I was already on the ground floor and not very far from the main entrance. I thought if I get out of the building, I can wait for the friend to come and take me to a hospital. She asked a fellow nearby, who was busy shifting stuff, to put me in his cart and help me go out to the entrance gate. His first reaction "what will she pay?" So the main idea was if he helps someone in distress, money is important. My thoughts run to my home where almost every next day my father is helping people by giving free medicines, doing bandage, and at times if some road accident happens, he along with others will be at the forefront to help. Here I was to pay to move few steps. I thought, not a bad deal. I was ready to pay and soon he changed his mind. "May be at this point I should not ask money", he stated. He put me in his cart and drove me out. I was thanking in my hearts of heart and soon heard his rude words, "get down here". I was taken aback and realised I was outside the entrance gate, so now manage yourself. He was not bothered where I go or I sit. I thanked him for bringing me out and dragged myself with fierce pain. I had to walk few steps before I could sit on a side. How can I ever forget that pain. Not just the pain of the injuries, but the pain of being in China. What was I doing in such a place where people live just for money? Soon I realised two girls walked close by and started to smoke. I was allergic to smoking and so I explained them that I can not move, so if they can move aside and not smoke near me. One of the girls was kind enough, but the other stood up and stated "it is an open air, it will not affect you." My thoughts again back to India, where on one side public smoking is banned now and on the other at such a crucial moment anyone will listed to your problem. However, here I had anything to say. Now bear this too. This place is meant for business, I understood. So live in China and talk business. Human concerns stays a little far.
Labels: humanity, India-China
posted by Ji Xiaojie @ 4:14 PM
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