The Do's and Don'ts While Living In China

I ate at the McDonald's for lunch today. It was crowded as usual around the lunch time frame. While I was waiting in line a woman seemed to work her way in front of me. Without saying sorry or anything. Soon it became more crowed and the people behind me starting getting close and touching. You may consider this being rude, but in China this is quite normal.
So don't get get offended when someone jumps in front of you in line. It may be no manners to you but to the Chinese this is quite average and their mindset is if you are not close enough to the front of the line you are subject to someone getting in front of you. Don't get upset and to fit in with the rest just work your way more towards the front. I remember when I first got here and that happened I was ready to fight. Later realizing the customs and culture aspects of China, I started to understand and adapt to the environment.

It is very important when you are doing business in China, you are not jumping right into the action and closing the deal. For them it is a friendship basis that you will need, because no matter who you do business with, there needs to be some type of trust involved. So that being said please be polite while doing business with people in China, and if they offer you something like tea, please accept and take the time to talk with them on a friendship term. I will definitely pay off in the long run. The person to whom you do business with may offer you discounts on the products you are buying or may offer other deals with you to close.

Communication in China

Right now it's one o' clock. Today I want to talk about communication because it is one of the hardest thing to do here in China. For one the way you talk to people here in China is very different than in the States. Business is done more on a relationship term that is. For us Americans, well for some of us at least we like to get straight to the point, and get straight down to business. Of course we may joke a lot but for most parts we like to hear good news and like to dig a little bit before we jump right into things.

Over here in China, it is almost completely the opposite. That is why sometimes I get a little confused on how things are done. For one, you have to be very careful of the way you talk to people here. A common joke to you can be a great insult to them. And there it goes, and you lose your business with that person because of that. Most chinese that do business with foreigners are accustomed to the way we do things. But a typical business meeting with them is dinner or lunch, or sharing tea.

Most things are kept traditional. Most of the business I have done over here, we talked more about our families and we're concerned more about the meals that we were eating rather than straight business. I remember one meeting I went to, we didn't start talking about business until we were done eating.

Things are done rather at a slow rate over here. Of course in the city of Chongqing, where I currently reside, not too many foreigners are here. I honestly can say that if today is Friday, the last time I have seen another foreigner was about a week ago.

Of course all business done must be slowly, carefully planned and well written. But for over here, it is best to triple your thought process and slow down ten fold of how to do things. For one, what you do here, may not be the same as what you can do back in the States, or what ever country your from.