My brother had four coworkers and a friend there too, and amongst our group, you would heard exclamations of "Your American is Showing", normally from me, as I found the things we Americans do as funny when immersed in the Chinese culture.
When we would cross the street, and wait for traffic to clear, it was like a Bill Engvall moment "Here's your sign", only the sign said "Your American is Showing." Try to be polite when entering or exiting an elevator or subway? "Your American is Showing." If you said "Excuse me" or "Sorry" when bumping into someone, your American Flag was flapping loudly in the breeze. As I've previously mentioned, bumping into someone was just the way China worked. It was virtually impossible to NOT bump into people. For the record, the weather was hot and HUMID, so the breeze comment is just for literary effect, there was in fact no breeze.
The funniest example of "Your American is Showing" was during our second foot massage (more on that in my next blog) and one of the therapists sneezed. My SIL had already told me people in China don't say "Bless you", as sneezing is just a bodily function, no need to be blessed (yet in the Chinese temples they have something about 10 inches tall in the doorway to step over to trick the evil spirits, and have curved walkways in the gardens to trick evil spirits). Anyway, during our second foot massage, my brother's friend J (A.K.A. Slappy the Clown for reasons I have yet to uncover) said 'Bless you" to the gal that sneezed. The room was completely silent. It could have been because the girls working on our feet spoke little English, but then the story isn't as funny. As a side note, in China, the people don't cover their mouths/noses for coughs and sneezes. They must have never learned the rhyme "Cover your mouth for coughs or sneezes..." or maybe it doesn't rhyme in Mandarin. They also think it is completely socially acceptable to spit anywhere, anytime. I was proud to show my American by side stepping the spit on the sidewalk.
The American standard for a restroom will be forever changed after visiting China. It started with getting the terminology correct. It is a toilet, not a restroom or a bathroom. You are going there for a toilet, not a rest, or a bath. Then there was the slight surprise (we Americans are very spoiled) when my SIL handed me Kleenex. My brother informed me that many (most) toilets in China are the BYOAW variety. (Bring Your Own Ass Wipe) What they didn't tell me was that I was about to encounter my very first "Shanghai Sh$tter". Not only is toilet paper apparently a luxury, so is sitting, or at least a slight hover. You got a pretty good squat exercise when using the public restroom. The toilet paper (Kleenex) is not flushed, but placed in a waste basket (unlike trash elsewhere, as I will explain in a minute). I would not recommend wearing flip flops in Chinese public restrooms. Just saying.
My standard for a restroom used to be clean. Things like doors, water, toilet paper, soap, and paper towels, are so commonplace in America, that we take them for granted. My new standard is "please let there be toilet paper". I tried hard to camouflage my American each time I encountered a toilet. I drank lots of (bottled) water in China. My American showed often.
My favorite restaurant in Beijing was not decided because the food was delicious. In fact, upon declaring the restaurant as my favorite, we hadn't eaten a bite yet. No, it was my favorite because they had the most beautiful trifecta...toilet paper, soap and paper towel! I actually sung out the tune you might hear as the clouds part to make way for the sun..."Aawwwhhh". I can't even recall if the place was clean...
At one restaurant we went, my SIL and I both went to the toilet at the same time, like women do, only at this place, the toilets were unisex, one toilet behind each door. So, my SIL went one way, I went the other. She got a normal toilet, I got the low rise type.
The worst toilet experience was at the Forbidden City. Air freshener must be on the Forbidden list. You are surrounded by beautiful temples and the bathrooms are yucky. By Chinese standards. Not only were they a BYOAW, they were PYNOV also. (Plug Your Nose or Vomit). The odor started upon approaching the entrance to the toilets. I took my sunglasses off and put them in my mouth for safe keeping. I didn't want them falling off my face or head while doing my squat exercises. I took a deep breath and headed in. As I was doing what you do in the toilet area, I felt the urge to breathe, however, I knew I could not breathe through my nose, so I took a breath through my mouth...which made my glasses fall...to the floor...in the worst smelling toilet I had yet encountered...unclean by even Chinese standards. There was no soap. After a quick wave of complete disgust, I pulled out the Wet Wipes I had packed, just in case. The package claims to kill 99% of all germs. Hopefully they tested in China. (Where they were probably manufactured.)
My American showed the most because I used a trash can. Or when I tried to clear my space after eating in a fast food restaurant (KFC is big in China...I assume the 'c' is not for cat). It is strange how much trash is on the ground in China, even in the temples, or restaurant floors. I kept thinking that I just can't unlearn some things...I mean, you can take the girl out of the U.S., but you can't take the U.S. out of the girl.
I have taken many things for granted being an American. Things like toilet paper. (Not to mention democracy) Although to the Chinese citizens we Americans probably look flawed because we wait our turn, need toilet paper, say "Bless you" and use trash cans. I LOVED my trip to China, I really did. I however wouldn't trade being an American...for...well...for all the tea in China.
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