Travel experiences: Beijing taxi cab conversations

A couple days ago, about 9 students went to the other end of the city to try some Southern Chinese cuisine. We went to a hot-pot restaurant, which is extremely similar to a fondue place in the states. You are given raw meat and vegetables as well as two types of broth, and you stick the meat in the broth in order to cook it. The difference is that in America that meal would have costed upwards of $200, but in this great country it was closer to $20 (for all nine people). It was a good experience eating Southern food. It just put in perspective how China is not a homogenous place. Just like in America, regions have their own customs, cultures, food, dialects and stereotypes. Southern Chinese feel that Northern Chinese are dirty and rugged, while Northerners feel like Southerners are way too stuck up. It seems like they took the differences between the Northerners and Southerners in America and switched them around.

The biggest learning experience came on the cab ride home however. When learning a language, it is very important that you are not scared to make mistakes. Yet sometimes are inhibitions get the best of us and prevent any discussion, which usually happens in cab rides. However this particular ride was different. For some reason, all of our inhibitions non-existant. Maybe it was because of the massive amount of 25 cent beers we drank at dinner. Maybe not. So I will try my best to remember the conversation with this Beijing cab driver. The American who asked the question would just be labeled AM.

AM: What is your favorite part of Beijing?

CAB: My home, where I can spend time with my family

AM: If you weren’t a cab driver, what would you want to be?

CAB: I have been a cab driver for so long that I can’t think of being anything else. I work 12 hour days and have gotten very good at driving in Beijing.

AM: Do you have any kids?

CAB: I have two kids. On is a 22 year old. He is in college studying computers. I have a 16 year old daughter who is in High School, she is planning on going to college as well.

AM: Did you ever think about going to college.

CAB: I am from a city way up north, and they only accept a certain amount of people from each province. I did not do well enough on the test to get into college. I am happy that my children have the opportunity to do that.

AM: What do you think of Japanese people? (This question was asked by the most intoxicated member of our group-but I am glad that Mike Scrimenti asked it).

CAB: I dont like them at all. They were very bad people in 1937. They haven’t even apologized.

AM: What about Koreans?

CAB: They are good people

So those were the important parts of our conversation. A couple things I want to point out. The life of this cab driver can be very representative of China. There is not a dying urge to get rich quick. There is however the goal to do better than your father did. This cab driver came from a rural farming area, and most likely was malnourished. He moved to Beijing when he was old enough to leave home. He is making about what an average Chinese person makes (around $1000 a year) but this is considered good because he is easily able to feed his family and send his kids to college. Another thing I would like to point out is his hatred for the Japanese. This is becoming more and more of an issue in China, and should be very important for Americans to watch out for. Any gesture we make to the Japanese is seen as a kick in the face to the Chinese.