Chatting with the Chinese
A young businessman from Shanghai entered me onto his MSN messenger list yesterday. He was looking for a forienger to practice his English with. Somehow he found my address and randomly added me.
We started to chat (in Chinese), and after I figured what his story was, he started asking me questions. He asked why I came to Taiwan to study Chinese. His question implied that the Mainland should have been the natural decision in my circumstance. I replied and told him it was because I was offered scholarship money, and just for fun I added it was also because I prefer democracy. His reply was "I didn't know Canada doesn't have democracy." That is to say, he didn't understand I was comparing Taiwan's democracy to China's lack thereof.
Such is the power of state controlled media.
Comments
hehe man...I think you are wrong. The chinese was attacking you back by saying that, with humor. Of course he understood what you meant.
Posted by: Anonymous | July 22, 2006 9:21 AM
Yeah one can't be sure what his real meaning was. But the impression I got was that my statement really confused him. He went on to explain how he had a brother and sister living in Vancouver and they had never mentioned it. Of course he could have been taking the piss out of me. Who knows...
Posted by: Ryan Whalen | July 22, 2006 11:12 AM