My roomate is from China - Ask him a question (and our conversation on NK & USA)

Hello everyone,

recently, given the events going on in Asia with North Korea and China and whatnot, I have read many comments on ATS that have talked about what these countries might do and how people may react should a war break out. These threads and comments piqued my interest and I wished that I could learn more. Where better to go than to the source?

As I've posted before (although I'm newish here so you probably do not know), I am a sophomore in college and I am going to college to earn a degree in computer science to eventually get into the field of cyber security. I stay in student apartments off campus, and my roomates are random people that I was placed with. One of them is an exchange student ( I guess, shrug, I don't really know why or how he's here ) from China, from some place north of Beijing.

When I first met him, I asked him the usual questions that many people ask foreigners ("Do you have that over there? What about this?"). Sometimes he wouldn't know the right words to use, and often times it was so hard to understand him that he typed what he was saying into his phone and an app translated it from chinese to english. I also have to translate some words from english to chinese for him. Recently however, due to my interest in the threads about Asia, I began asking him questions about the current events going on over there.

I asked him what he thought of North Korea, what he thought China would do if there was a war, and how he felt about America, along with several other questions. His answers ranged from "They are a bunch of crazy lunatics" to "We are afraid of the U.S." On my question about what he thought China would do, he talked about how China's only really concerned about itself. He said that North Korea serves solely as a border country so America isn't too close (and he then brought up the fear aspect again). The general message I got from him was that China would not get involved.

Granted I know he isn't anyone important from China, he is just a random citizen. However, I find it englightening hearing words from how real people over there. Hearing how they think of us and themselves, it really is a neat thing to talk about with him.

So now I open up the floor to you all. If you are espeically curious about something and want to find out what a Chinese man thinks, ask away! I'll ask him your questions and hopefully we can kill some of the ignorence that the language barrier, governments, and the pacific ocean creates.

*EDIT*
Thanks for your questions everyone, I'll be leaving for work soon and when I get back (9:00PM EST) I will ask him your questions and get back to everyone!

why is kim jong un such a douche.. why is NK always causing issues, and why can't they just mind their own business..

Also why does the US Gov suck so much as well, why can't we just mind our own business.

Why is pres nobama such a crappy president and why do idiots still believe he is a good president and actually doing anything to help our country. If you support him please point out 1 thing he has done to positively impact the nation other then helping gun sales.

reply to post by Cyn50

I can't resist asking an opinion on two things, specifically. One, I'm in as a debate topic in my Geography course. The other, I'm personally curious about.

1st, is it true that rural Chinese cannot move into the major cities of their own individual choosing, by law? I.E... They're illegal migrants if they just pop up in Shanghai or Beijing after having lived most of their lives in a rural village ..without having sought approval by authorities for the move?

2nd, What is his opinion on the 1 child policy for family planning? Personally, I'm mixed in a pragmatic sense of it. My 'American Morals' side is crystal clear as one might imagine ....but I'm wondering how such a thing appears when you actually live in a nation equal in land mass to ours but with 400% the current population?

Thanks!

Granted I know he isn't anyone important from China, he is just a random citizen. However, I find it englightening hearing words from how real people over there.

Testify! Okay here is my question:

If given the choice between housing in North America and housing in China (still have to pay for it), which one would you be inclined to take? Why? Would your parents make the same decision?

reply to post by Wrabbit2000



He didn't really know the answer to your first question, but your second question he had a lot to say. He said that generally people are not bothered by it, because there are many ways to get around the system. He said that he understands why its in place because there are so many people, and the people that really want more children can get around the laws and so they aren't bothered by it either. Three ways to get around the laws that he told me are:

1. You can pay the government a bit of money and you are allowed to have more children.
   
2. If the man and woman who are having children and are married and are BOTH single children in their families, they are allowed to have 2 children without paying extra.
   
3. The families that live in the countryside and espeically the families who live on farms are generally allowed to continue having children until they have a boy. He seemed to imply that it was techinically against the rules, but it was often overlooked if a family had 3 girls before they had a boy. He said that the government often did not ask payment from these sorts of families.
   

Again, what he said left me with the impression that the people aren't too bothered by it because there are ways to get around the rules and because they understand why the rules are in place.

reply to post by Cyn50

What is the best way to approach to chinese girl?
They always leaves me hangin' lol

Originally posted by zilebeliveunknown
reply to post by Cyn50

 

What is the best way to approach to chinese girl?
They always leaves me hangin' lol

Be chinese and make good money, have a good job, have honorable family.. If you don't have those things, go to a whorehouse that carries chinese.

I would ask if the protests in Tiananmen Square has had a lasting impact on the younger generation coming up or has the Chinese government censured that event to the Chinese public?

I've written on this topic but was not able to include the current views of the younger Chinese students as I had little access to their beliefs.

reply to post by dc4lifeskater


Hell that's all women

Mine is more of a cultural question. What is the general perception that the younger generation of Chinese have about the younger generation of Americans? Do they view as spoiled? Unimaginative? Too imaginative? To untraditional? Something to aspire or emulate or something else? And what are some common perceptions the west has about China, if anything?

reply to post by Cyn50


Ask him what´s he´s favourite national food is

reply to post by Cyn50


How does he feel about obligation?

Does he feel honored or burdened by it?

Why did he come to your country?

And on a side note, what kind of foreign take out restaurants do you have in china and what do they serve besides the obvious fastfood thingies?

reply to post by Cyn50


I am from the USA.....Ask me anything you want about our military....Since I live here I know all!!

Sorry, but because the guy is Chinese doesn't make him informed....

Ask him if all people from the USA look the same to him?

Take him to a Chinese restaurant and ask if this is really a Chinese cuisine

reply to post by Cyn50

Thank you very much for you reply and pass along my sincere thanks to him for responding. I wish him all the best in his studies and time in America. He sounds like a good guy with real patience. That was informative beyond what I've read or heard before. (Now next time someone asks if I learned anything from ATS ........ )

reply to post by Chrisfishenstein


I said in my original post that I understood this. However, an average citizen does know the culture and the general opinions of his country. I am only an America citizen, but I could tell you a lot of things about where I live. We all could. When he asks me questions about America I can tell him my opinion and the general opinions of other Americans. I believe that it's a more reliable and direct source than most other places.

how annoyed are you that you are judged by where you are from, and not as an individual ?

reply to post by Chrisfishenstein


My thoughts exactly. I understand NK is the hot topic right now, but some people are creating ridiculous threads in hopes of stars and flags.

I work with a guy who is 4' 9", I will see if I can get him on here to answer a few questions about the Lollipop Guild.

I'm sorry but this is just ridiculous.