Text | Wood coconut
Contributors | Ming-hsien
Preface
Last year, my friend and I went to Korea for a trip, and when we were checking in the local beauty, we met a local beauty, So-young, and under her leadership, we visited the country of South Korea, so we invited her to visit China.
As we strolled through the smoky streets, Su Ying was surprised when she passed the garbage can, "I don't even want to go back to China!"
Come to China
My friend was unhappy with her work, so she agreed with me to go on vacation to other countries, and she took me to South Korea because of the limited travel funds.
Walking on the bustling streets, you can see handsome guys and beauties everywhere, their eye-catching clothing and gorgeous makeup that complement each other make people more convinced that this is a famous "styling factory".
Although we have not heard much of Korean food, the flavor of Korean food is quite different from that of China, and we tasted the mellow and spicy army hot pot, the raw pickled foods such as kimchi and soy crab that are indispensable to the Korean people, as well as their favorite barbecue with soju, various fried foods, and so on.
Even in the food street with a large flow of people, the hygiene of the stalls is very good, and the bright red color of the food makes people quite appetizing, but there are different food cultures between the two countries, and most Koreans like to praise in the process of tasting the food, but most of our people advocate food without speaking.
When my friend and I were going to a beautiful place recommended by a netizen, we asked a beautiful young lady because we didn't know the direction, and it was by this kind of coincidence that we met So-young and became friends in the future.
The white skin and beauty in front of us, with standard Korean makeup, with black and white sweet and cool clothing, a proper royal sister, when we asked her through translation software, we unexpectedly found that she could speak a little Chinese.
She asked us in Chinese if we wanted to go to this spot on the map, we were as excited as if we had met a fellow countryman, and after learning that she was a native of Korea, we were very surprised that she could teach Chinese to this extent, and she offered to take us personally, and we chatted for a long time along the way like friends who hate to meet each other.
So-young helped us take a lot of beautiful photos, and when we parted, we exchanged contact information, and So-young offered to take us to famous attractions in Korea, and we became friends after a few days of getting along.
So my friend and I proposed to invite Su Ying to come to China, to see the customs of this land, and to feel the collision and differences between the cultures of the two countries.
A trip to China
As early as a few days out in Korea, I noticed that Soyoung has always maintained a delicate makeup and a unique style of dressing, and it is not difficult to find that there is a beauty salon every other distance on the streets of Korea, and people here seem to pay attention to their appearance.
When I was skeptical, Soyoung explained that most Koreans think that dressing up or wearing makeup is a basic form of social etiquette, and even once thought that not dressing up to go out to socialize is disrespectful to the other person.
Many students participate in beauty contests very early, or in order to have a better appearance through medical beauty to change their appearance, they even think that makeup and study are as important as studying, so the plastic surgery industry in South Korea is developed.
After learning about Korean culture, I told So-young that when you come to China, you will see a completely different side, taking the city of Guangdong as an example, there are many people who wear casual clothes or even slippers to go out for a walk and play, but this type of person is not financially embarrassed, and may even be rich, but just yearn for a relaxed and comfortable attitude to life.
When I went to Korea, the price of fruit was high, so I took it to a store that specializes in fruit at the first stop, and I thought I would buy some fruit and eat it while walking, and see the beautiful scenery around me.
It's just that when she saw some of the eliminated fruits in the trash can, she couldn't understand why the Chinese were so rich and threw away these fruits that were classified as precious varieties in South Korea.
I explained to Su Ying that China is rich in land and resources, and there are many varieties and quantities of fruits, so the price of fruits is more affordable than that of South Korea, which is why people tend to choose some fresh fruits in season to taste.
Fruit shops are faced with the situation that some fruits are about to rot but cannot be sold, and with the improvement of quality of life, people are more inclined to eat fresh and good-tasting fruits, which will lead to so many fruits in the trash.
Su Ying's expression became strange, and she said frankly that China is completely different from what she imagined, and she doesn't even want to return to China, which shows that she has also become a member of the people who like China, and I told her that prices are just the tip of the iceberg, and there are many charms in China.
I deliberately took Su Ying to the food street full of aromas, and she was overwhelmed by the rich food culture, including stinky tofu with a unique smell, salty and fragrant lo-mei, red and sweet rock sugar gourd, and a lot of snacks that dazzled her.
Under my leadership, several girls tasted almost all of Su Ying's curious food, and went deep into the alley, Su Ying also found that this stall cut all the fruits and soaked them in buckets, and let customers choose them according to the catty, and sprinkled some chili peppers or tangerine peel powder.
I told Su Ying that this fruit has a unique flavor, most people don't like to peel or cut fruit, or like sweet and sour fruits, so the store cut the fruit and soak it, pack it away and eat it, and the price is not too expensive, Su Ying sighed that Chinese will eat it!
Cultural differences
After taking her to taste all kinds of Chinese delicacies, I also took Suying to several check-in points that foreign tourists must visit when they come to China, took her to see the majestic and solemn Forbidden City, the ancient buildings with a strong sense of history, took her to see the green mountains and rivers given to us by nature, and learned about the development story of a town with local residents in different cities.
I desperately hope that Su Ying's original idea that China is a backward country will disappear completely, and that she will completely re-examine China as a strong, safe, tolerant and well-intentioned country and appreciate the cultural charm of China through the customs and customs that she has experienced in a few days.
Whenever I take Su Ying to some scenic spots that are frequented by tourists, or during rush hour, I will face the subway and other means of transportation or the crowds on the road, but most of the people will not deliberately cut the queue and make loud noises, and they will maintain social order in an orderly manner.
Even if there is a market in front of the shops or attractions, people will not disrupt the order, and when there is a jam of cars and horses, there will be professionals to come forward in time, especially at night, when everything is quiet, the bright lights of the city make people more energetic, and work together to build such a mysterious country.
Su Ying also found that in some developed cities, some foreigners will insist on seeing some foreigners develop in China, most of them are involved in the field of technology or self-media, and choose to come to China far from their hometowns, and the locals do not reject them because of nationality issues, but are more friendly.
She didn't expect to be friends with me, and brought her to China to play, most of the Chinese are sincere and friendly, quite a big demeanor, when facing guests, relatives and friends, they would rather wronged themselves, and will treat each other well, this is the way of hospitality.
With the help of So-young, my friend and I fully understood the cultural charm of the country, and So-young also came to China to see and feel the shock of this country, and I think it will be an unforgettable journey for her.
When she was about to return to China, I also prepared a lot of Chinese Chinese food and souvenirs for her, and we exchanged contact information on social platforms, and we are still in touch, looking forward to reuniting again one day, or meeting together to visit another completely unfamiliar country.
epilogue
Each country has its own unique charm, and our encounter with Suying is a mutual understanding and collision of cultures between the two countries, and only by being to a country can we feel the real situation of a country.
I look forward to more people who like China and have learned about China to come here, as an open and inclusive country, the people here welcome everyone!
[This article is based on netizens' contributions, adapted from real experience, the names and place names in the article are pseudonyms, and if someone carries them, they will be held responsible]