Those Little Things.....

Every time I go for a run whether it is 5am or 8am in the morning, or 5pm or 8pm at night, I often come across my “running partner” – the title I have fondly given to this peculiar man. He is bent over with age, and “runs” with a heavy limp on the innermost lane of the track. After few encounters, we have become somewhat familiar with each other. He never fails to give me a toothy grin and a thumbs-up upon every encounter. When I first laid my eyes on him, I quietly realized the sight of him on the track will be one of those silent pictures in your mind that never would be forgotten.

I understood Chinese is very conscientious about exercising. In fact, exercising is a social activity. There are many laughs, shouts, and conversations to be heard all around me as I run alone. Exercise facilities such as the track, outdoor weight room, dance studio, and basketball, tennis, and badminton courts are a singular world of its own that I fail to stop marveling in. Grandmothers take young children and dogs to the track to walk around. Some rollerblade on the track. There’s always a huge crowd on the basketball court with girls cheering from the side. Sometimes on the bleachers, sometimes on the soccer field, there are few that practice taiji. Few dance on the badminton court. At night, there are lovers on the grass.

I also notice that Chinese have a different way of stretching. I faithfully adhere to the stretch routine that was taught to me during my brief high school varsity soccer career: lean on your left leg, lean on your right, stretch your calves, do the butterfly, etc. After few minutes of observation, it dawned on me that the stretch routine the Chinese follows is very similar to the one I was taught when in Korean elementary school! Roll right ankle. Roll left ankle. Gyrate your hips. Roll your head. Make little circles with your arms, etc.

Aside from people of all ages exercising, it would be of much interest to many Americans that on the highest floor of a Chinese mall, there is a matchmaker shop. In that shop, a picture of a 22-year old girl could be seen in desperate hopes for a suitable husband. Only twenty-two! At that age, thoughts of marriage would still be light years away for me, especially since I plan to go on to graduate school. Apparently, there is much pressure for Chinese girls to get married early. Of course as the Chinese society receives more and more Western culture influence, nagging from parents becomes gradually subdues. Nonetheless, there are still some who regard women with Ph.D’s with much skepticism and disbelief. They often ask college females students what they are doing in school and remain unmarried. Also, according to my language partner, the Chinese consider dating in high school simply foolish. Too early, they say. The kids are not mature enough to appreciate being involved in such relationships. Of course, I could not help but notice there are very few years between high school graduation and the ideal age of twenty-four for marriage.

Another discovery that amazes me partly because it again contradicted my first-held belief that the Chinese culture and habits would not be too foreign since I lived my childhood in Korea, another East Asian country: When Chinese have guests over, they would rather overwhelm the guest with so-so food rather than enough of the best quality food. It’s all about “the face.” The bigger the quantity of food to present to the guest, the bigger your “face” is. Also, it is highly rude if you clean your plate in front of your Chinese hosts. The ability to finish the food provided for you implies that the hosts did not treat you properly by not providing enough food. Thus, they lose “face.” The concept of “face” is not altogether strange to me due to my Korean roots and common human dignity. But, it is still a curious aspect of the Chinese society.

Did you know that with more traditionally inclined Chinese, one cannot stop eating until the guest of honor stops eating? May the future company at (Chinese) dinner table never have the misfortune of having me in the seat of honor for I am a very slow eater.