User Comments - bodawei

Posted on: Giving Instructions to the Ayi

Hi shanghai_helios

I'm actually not hung up about the economic relationship - you make some good points about the economics that I agree with. Except for the implication that having more money makes you happier, something of a misconception. Even in the money-focused West this isn't true. Your last para suggests sympathy with this view. The highly remunerated CEO struggles to be happy.

As I said above, my comments are primarily about class, attitudes, and behaviours rather than money. I wasn't even venturing till now into the difficult area of human happiness.

Posted on: Being Seated in a Restaurant

慢走，下次再来。 (goodbye, come again.)

Posted on: Renting an Apartment through an Agent 3

Hi euphonies

I think I know what you mean - a compacted wool 垫? (They are still called 垫 - a versatile word) ; you see them being made/ sold everywhere; it is a cottage industry; rather dusty work. Not too expensive and very comfortable to sleep on. We also use one of these on top of the regular mattress. I need to check the tag sometime to get the correct term but you could certainly refer to it as a 垫.

Posted on: Giving Instructions to the Ayi

Hi Chanelle

I know you say your post is 'not directed at me', but I am still going to call you to account, in I hope a friendly way.. . :)

Please tell us what you know about the role of ayis in the university system in this country, and about the 'many' ayis that apparently 'move with their kids.' Do you mean their own kids, or the children of their employers? Why do they 'move' when students compulsorily live in dormitories?

You seem to be saying that 'many' ayis are well educated, .... then I'm not sure what you are saying. Are you saying that they have children and then follow those children around to where their children are going to university? I'm not sure also about what the 'no inequality in the relationship' refers to - between the ayis and their children? It is all so remote from my own experience of university life in China I don't know what to think.

Posted on: Giving Instructions to the Ayi

Hi shanghai_helios

If you think this is just about the money you've got me completely wrong. Even way out here an ayi could be making twice the average provincial income. Regardless of the money (which Westerners use to salve their consciences) ayis are at or near the bottom of the social classes. My comments are primarily about class, attitudes, and behaviours rather than money. It's about digging dirty tissues out of someone's pockets.

Mate, I am not disputing this is a good lesson - I am commenting on the culture.

'what actually goes on in China'

China is a very big place - ChinesePod gives you a peak at just one little corner of heaven. ;) It would be wise not to extrapolate a ChinesePod lesson to the whole of China.

Posted on: Giving Instructions to the Ayi

Hi shanghai_rocks

We buy Golden Canyon Coffee (written on one side in English), you might need the Chinese 金峡谷咖啡 jīn xiágǔ kāfēi

250 g for 13 RMB but you can see the same thing for 30 RMB in some places. It gives a website www.yncoffee.cn. I hope this doesn't contravene ChinesePod policy giving a brand name - apologies if that is the case. There is certainly a lot of discussion on the site about various technological solutions, and I remember once Jenny Zhu recommended a number of hotels in Shanghai so I guess it is okay. I receive no financial benefit from naming the coffee brand.

Posted on: Giving Instructions to the Ayi

Ha, I have only a sample of one session to go by. There are two versions, the dubbed and the English; we went to the latter. There were no spare seats (but it was a holiday) and possibly a dozen foreigners in the cinema. It seems a lot of Chinese prefer to see it the more authentic way, with subtitles. The ticket was US$5. I think it will make money in China.

It is a pretty good movie, great visually. If you want to know what it is really about you'd be better Googling than asking me, I kind of went along for the ride. :) I'm sure that it breaks the known laws of physics on several occasions but there is no harm in dreaming. [That's a pun.]

Posted on: Giving Instructions to the Ayi

Not unrelated to discussion elsewhere on this thread, the workers renovating my second bedroom worked right through 中秋节, same hours as the previous day.  I asked if they would get a holiday and they said 'no' - I would love to know what they will be paid.  

To put this in perspective, one of my own work colleagues remarked that 中秋节 is the second most important 'family' festival in China, after 春节.  She of course had three days off.  

Posted on: Giving Instructions to the Ayi

RJ

You are well keyed in to China even if you don't live here, I appreciate your comments. Your head is safe. :)

'I am careful making judgements or drawing conclusions'

Very wise, I was just thinking of this last night. It is not unusual to go out in a group that is a mix of foreigners and Chinese (as I did to see Inception) - but this just gives you some insight into 'young Chinese with money' if that aptly describes your companions. They probably have little more insight into other social classes than you do yourself. (China's version of diversity?) I have attempted to learn about social security for example (thread elsewhere) but there is a lack of curiosity often remarked on by other foreigners. The Internet is not a bad source of information in such a society, China's netizens, but it has its obvious drawbacks. I have a rare resource in my students but I have to keep in mind that they are more curious and possibly enlightened than the average Chinese citizen, and their life experience is remarkably narrow. Like me they get most of their information from the Internet, and perhaps their family. I learn most from a couple of Chinese friends around 30 in age - younger and older than this you tend to get the 'script'.

Posted on: Giving Instructions to the Ayi

Hah - you nearly got me there. :)

Well I do of course engage in the economy; there is no point in boycotting the workers to avoid exploitation, that would make their situation worse. I get my shoes cleaned occasionally, feeling very self-conscious. I have a couple of rules now though - eg. I almost never bargain at the markets; if I think the price is too high I just walk away rather than beating them down. I would not employ someone to clean out my own dirty pockets. Where I can I converse with people with the dirty jobs, even just to say 早. (I don't like the way people at the bottom of the social ladder are ignored by most middle-class Chinese.)