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"Lao Wai" -- Old Outside
That is the expression Chinese use most often for foreigners, and has to be one of the very first words that “Big Noses” (not quite as widespread, but used occasionally to describe westerners) hear shortly after passing customs and almost daily afterwards. Hearing it so much has led us to coin our own Chinese phrase to refer to the locals “Lao Nei” or Old Inside. When said tongue in cheek, it will get a laugh every single time.
In Chongqing Municipality, with its aggregate population of 33 million and downtown core of 6 million, there are not many of us, and only a handful that speak the language. For the most part, the attention we get is usually rather positive, and the locals love to drill us with the same old questions over and over – “Are you used to the life here”, “Can you eat spicy food?”, “How much RMB do you make every month?”, “What do you think of Chongqing women?”. To keep from going mad, I have a repertoire of different answers, all of which are true depending on my mood and circumstances. Very seldom do I hear any negative comments here like “Foreign Ghost”, and on those rare occasions, it would be easy to get angry or sarcastic and call someone a “Bum Bug” or “Son of a Turtle” (two humourous local insults that could easily be taken the wrong way so best avoided). But patience is key, and if you weed out the ones who are just out to amuse themselves or have ulterior motives, you can really meet some great people here. Overall, the Chinese are very inquisitive when it comes to people from western countries, and if you are lucky enough to hit it off with someone of integrity and who is “high quality” (a local expression used to describe people who are educated and refined), you can earn yourself a loyal friend for life.
This is one of the great social phenomena of China, and not only for foreigners, the fact that friends and family tend to treat each other like gold. Perhaps this is a vestige of old China, an unconsciously embedded Confucian ethic, but it is my observation that relationships within one’s network of connections are prized and fostered. As a foreigner, people may not always have the purest intentions in wanting to get to know you, but once trust and mutual respect has been established, valuable and lasting friendships often result. Being an “Old Outside”, especially one who is taking the time to delve into the fascinating culture and tackle the daunting language, really puts us at an advantage in forging these relationships.
It is very clear to me that many people in Chongqing are surprised that a westerner would want to live there in spite of the crowds, fog, pollution, and distance from the big cities on the east coast, so are especially accomodating and hospitable.
last modified Jun 20, 2004 at 19:02
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