About Devetra Cason

Devetra Cason a marketer for small to large sized businesses looking to expand both domestically and globally. Currently she is learning Mandarin Chinese and loves it.

Posts by Devetra Cason:

Customs When Visiting a Chinese Family

Customs When Visiting a Chinese Family

In order to get the most out of visiting a Chinese family, the first thing you want to do is bring a digital translator. Next, observe the local customs, and then prepare some good questions to ask. You should then have a valuable inter-cultural encounter, providing a deeper insight into Chinese culture and local life. 

When entering the house you should..

Offer your gifts, which will probably be taken away or placed on a table unopened, as it is the Chinese custom. Fruit is very popular, although confectionery or souvenir products from your country would also be welcomed. 

Source: www.thechineseculturecorner

Greet all members of the household (start with the seniors, if possible, then proceed down the social scale; children would normally be expected to greet you rather than the other way round), or as many as you can see from the door. A simple hello in English, or ‘’Ni hao’’ would suffice.

Take your shoes off and change them for a pair a pair of slippers that is waiting for you by the door.

Once inside the house…

Once you are inside the house you will usually be asked to sit down. If you have any belongings such as a bag or coat that you wish to take off they will usually be given a seat too. Placing bags on the floor is a huge no – no (the floor is considered unclean, though it seems fine from a Western perspective) and coat racks are uncommon in China.

Source: www.thoughco

You will then be offered something to eat and drink. Plain hot water is widely popular, especially in poorer households, where all water is boiled. The alternative is usually Chinese tea of some sort. The first food offered will most likely be fruit, with peanuts and candy if it’s a festive time of the year. Accept the food/drink, or put them down on a table in front of you if you don’t want to have them immediately.

Then the conversation begins… Your host will try to keep you entertained and ask you a few questions first. Then it is your chance to reciprocate.

Now that you have read this blog be sure to check out some of our other blog posts, such as ‘Learn Mandarin Chinese: 5 Reasons Why’ and ‘5 Great Wall Hikes For Every Beijing Tourist’

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Traveling During China’s Golden Week

Traveling During China’s Golden Week

In 2016 an estimated 589 million Chinese traveled for Golden Week. This reflects an increase of 50 million travelers each year for the previous 3 years in a row. Chinese residents have incorporated travel as a main event of this holiday since it provides a full week of holiday to visit friends, family and loved ones. Here are some times/videos to help you as you travel through China during Golden Week. Be sure to download your lessons!  

If you do decide to travel, it would be best to arrive and leave outside of the Golden Week dates. The holiday starts abruptly, and it’s only on the first and last days of the week that their infrastructure struggles. If you do decide to travel on those days expect to find people camped outside bus station, and sitting on the roof of trains.

Source: www.scmp.com

However, before you leave home, get a great guide book and buy street maps in a bookstore or online for cities that you wish to explore.  Unfortunately, tourism maps are hardly ever scalable or easy to follow, with almost half of the streets not there, names unclear. Lonely Planet is a great guide book it has great logistics info on almost anywhere you want to go, while DK Eyewitness guides are better known for their color pictorials of everything there is to see.

Personal sanitation is also important while travelling to China. Since you are a tourist, you are mixing with dozens of countries on six continents, not just Asians. So bringing your own alcohol – based wet wipes for water – free hand sanitation. Also you should never drink tap water! Bottled water is everywhere and cheap at the corner convenience stores.

Source: www.quora.com

Another thing that you should bring is your own toilet tissue, as you will rarely find a public toilet supplied with it. It is best that you always carry in your purse, camera bag or backpack. Small travel sized packs (wet toilet wipes and dry tissue) are available in many places. You may also want to use little packs of alcohol wet wipes to go over places your body will touch.

Now that you have read this blog be sure to check out some of our other blog posts, such as ‘Learn Mandarin Chinese: 5 Reasons Why’ and ‘5 Great Wall Hikes For Every Beijing Tourist’

Happy Golden Week! We’re are celebrating China’s annual seven day holiday which includes national day and the mid-autumn festival by offering 3 months premium subscription for $35 or 1 year premium subscription for $139 using promo code GOLDENWEEK! Click here!