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An American's Life in Zhengzhou, (Henan) China

Posted: May 7th, 2012, 10:47 am
by ethan_sg
See the video below, an American's life in Zhengzhou China. He's not a poster on Happier Abroad but it's pretty obvious he is very happy abroad in China.

The video might seem cheesy to the mean-spirited among us but notice how wholesome, innocent and unpretentious his life, his friends and his daily interactions are in China.

Look at the way he fits in and how happy he is there and tell me that the Chinese people are racist against white foreigners, that's utterly untrue. They're just more open and direct about acknowledging racial and cultural differences, and don't try to be all politically correct about it.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47Fl-80d ... re=related[/youtube]

Posted: May 7th, 2012, 11:52 am
by xiongmao
Great video!

He seemed to have some great experiences in China. When I was there all I really noticed were hot women everywhere.

I haven't seen much racism in China, although I was a gigantic curiosity in Hubei Province. There's a little suspicion of black people in Guangzhou, but this is more to do with the local black men being well known for ripping off the Chinese in dodgy business deals. This is from my gf - I need to do more digging to find out what the story is about all the black "businessmen" in Guangzhou.

Re: An American's Life in Zhengzhou, (Henan) China

Posted: May 7th, 2012, 11:53 am
by Rock
This is a man who seems to have taken a lot of what China can offer the western expat and made the most of it. Great stuff, not at all cheesy IMO. He looks like a very satisfied and happy man there. This is a great example of somone who seems Happier Abroad.

Posted: May 7th, 2012, 12:23 pm
by Repatriate
I have to agree he seems to have found his little community there that cares and respects him. That and a decent wife is pretty much all most guys want out of life. Its' great that he found it.

Posted: May 7th, 2012, 1:05 pm
by Rock
xiongmao wrote:Great video!

He seemed to have some great experiences in China. When I was there all I really noticed were hot women everywhere.

I haven't seen much racism in China, although I was a gigantic curiosity in Hubei Province. There's a little suspicion of black people in Guangzhou, but this is more to do with the local black men being well known for ripping off the Chinese in dodgy business deals. This is from my gf - I need to do more digging to find out what the story is about all the black "businessmen" in Guangzhou.
Mostly Nigerians which pretty much says it all. Even other Africans are very suspicious of them.

Posted: May 7th, 2012, 1:43 pm
by Winston
Wow that guy isn't even attractive, yet people are nice to him and he doesn't appear jaded like we are. lol

Posted: May 7th, 2012, 6:40 pm
by ethan_sg
Yea and you can see the wholesomeness and lack of jadedness not just in him but among his friends and community as well.

Remember how you mentioned people in America looked so much more wholesome and innocent back even as recently as the 70s or 80s? Doesn't this look just like that? Or perhaps even more so?

Winston wrote:Wow that guy isn't even attractive, yet people are nice to him and he doesn't appear jaded like we are. lol

Posted: May 7th, 2012, 10:37 pm
by Repatriate
Winston wrote:Wow that guy isn't even attractive, yet people are nice to him and he doesn't appear jaded like we are. lol
A couple things are readily apparent from that video..

1) He has a very good position in the academic institution he is in.

2) He has made lots of well connected friends..enough to network up to the mayor and receive CCP party medals as a foreigner.

3) He seems like he socializes with a wide net of people which includes mostly locals.

4) If he's a whoremonger or bar hopper it's not readily apparent from that video. So he's probably good at hiding any taboo mainstream moral deficiencies.

It appears he's doing what people have been saying works all along. He's going out and meeting lots of people and being a social butterfly. Attractive or not he has legitimacy and good networking skills. This isn't a mystery Winston and what people have been saying you should do in Taiwan all along.

Posted: May 9th, 2012, 5:39 am
by ethan_sg
I think you're being a little harsh on Winston. Taipei isn't quite like Zhengzhou where you can just go out and be a social butterfly and meet lots of people who are real, non-judgmental, down to earth, friendly and easy to talk to, and develop a community of close friends just like that

Hell if it was that easy to do it in any city then why even leave America, just go out and find your own community and be a social butterfly in America. But then if it was that simple why is loneliness so rife in America? Why are more than 1/3 of Americans living alone and why do so many Americans claim they have no one in their lives that they can truly confide in?

Yes Taipei isn't quite as bad as America or Tokyo (in japan more than 35% of males over 30 are virgins) but it isn't Zhengzhou either. The world isn't so black and white that everything in America is bad and everything outside America is good. Sadly, the same problems that plague America plague many other countries as well, often in proportion to how industrialized, corporate, consumerist and westernized they are. Taipei isn't as bad as lonely American cities but it's quite a concrete jungle as well where many people are only out for themselves.

A place like Zhengzhou Henan is relatively untarnished. I highly doubt that Joseph (this same guy in the video) would be able to find such a tight community of true, reliable, authentic and down to earth friends in Taipei to the degree that he managed in Zhengzhou.

Repatriate wrote:
Winston wrote:Wow that guy isn't even attractive, yet people are nice to him and he doesn't appear jaded like we are. lol
A couple things are readily apparent from that video..

1) He has a very good position in the academic institution he is in.

2) He has made lots of well connected friends..enough to network up to the mayor and receive CCP party medals as a foreigner.

3) He seems like he socializes with a wide net of people which includes mostly locals.

4) If he's a whoremonger or bar hopper it's not readily apparent from that video. So he's probably good at hiding any taboo mainstream moral deficiencies.

It appears he's doing what people have been saying works all along. He's going out and meeting lots of people and being a social butterfly. Attractive or not he has legitimacy and good networking skills. This isn't a mystery Winston and what people have been saying you should do in Taiwan all along.

Posted: May 9th, 2012, 7:22 pm
by Winston
Repatriate wrote:
Winston wrote:Wow that guy isn't even attractive, yet people are nice to him and he doesn't appear jaded like we are. lol
A couple things are readily apparent from that video..

1) He has a very good position in the academic institution he is in.

2) He has made lots of well connected friends..enough to network up to the mayor and receive CCP party medals as a foreigner.

3) He seems like he socializes with a wide net of people which includes mostly locals.

4) If he's a whoremonger or bar hopper it's not readily apparent from that video. So he's probably good at hiding any taboo mainstream moral deficiencies.

It appears he's doing what people have been saying works all along. He's going out and meeting lots of people and being a social butterfly. Attractive or not he has legitimacy and good networking skills. This isn't a mystery Winston and what people have been saying you should do in Taiwan all along.
Dude, did you consider that maybe I'm too much of an introvert to do that? Talking to too many people drains me out. It doesn't energize me. Quiet contemplative complex thinking is what energizes me. I can't be something I'm not.

Besides, even if I did that, what would it accomplish? Getting to know lots of people in the community and earning respect may get you a good job if you want it. But I'm self-employed and not looking for that. So what would it accomplish? Doing that isn't going to get hot women to come up and flirt with me or let me touch their sexy smooth legs, which is what I want most. Much easier to just pay high class escorts.

I also hate how Taiwanese always promise to introduce you to someone, but never do. A white friend of mine has introduced me to more people here than any Taiwanese has.

What Ethan said about is true and accurate. He is more realistic, not victim-blaming like you are.

Btw, in Kaoshiung, at the American Institute yesterday, I saw a tall skinny white guy that looked like Rock, at least in terms of face. I overheard him talking to the Embassy staff. He said he grew up in Taiwan as a missionary and was more Taiwanese than American. He also kept trying to get the staff to come to his church to learn about the Bible too. lol. He was there to get documentation proving that he wasn't married, so he could get married to someone in Taiwan.

I guess he likes Taiwan, since he grew up here and has assimilated into the culture. I guess if you are a serious guy and establishes roots, you can make a life here or anywhere. But Taiwan ain't no social paradise where strangers are easy to talk to or make eye contact with. That's for sure.