Zirui Yan
- I moved to the United States from China when I was 19 to go to college.
- Three years later, I’ve noticed many cultural differences between my two countries.
- In many ways, Americans and Chinese people behave differently, from their eating habits to the way they spend money.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
In the summer of 2016, I left my hometown of Guiyang, China, and moved to North Carolina for college.
I was a 19-year-old freshman, and everything seemed new and different to me. Not only was I trying to make new friends and adjust to college life, but I was learning to live in a completely foreign culture, too.
Three years later, I’ve noticed many cultural differences between the two countries I’ve lived in, from Americans’ relationship with money to the way they eat at restaurants. In many aspects of life, Chinese people couldn’t behave more differently.
Here are 17 of the biggest cultural differences I’ve observed between the US and China.
In the US, restaurant waiters really like to chat with you
Dean Dixon/AP Images for Outback
The servers at US restaurants try hard to leave a good impression on their customers, as tips make up a large percentage of their salary.
In China, however, restaurants pay their staff a fixed income. Servers focus more on getting food on the table quickly rather than taking their time and treating the customers like their friends. And waiters in China are still just as willing to accommodate you if you want to modify your order.
Goods at farmers markets are more expensive than the food in grocery stores
Arina P Habich / Shutterstock.com
In the US, when people think of farmers markets, they often think fresh, juicy tomatoes or organic eggs from local farms. In many cases, produce at the market is more expensive because of its high quality and freshness, even when compared to the organic goods sold at chain grocery stores.
Meanwhile, in China, grocery shopping at a supermarket is the more expensive way to buy your food.
For many Chinese people, going to the local farmers market is part of their daily routine. Every morning, vendors come to the market and set up their booths, selling everything from spices to seasonal fruits and vegetables to even live fish.
Grocery stores tend to be more expensive because it’s harder to keep the produce fresh while being transported long distances. However, stores offer a cleaner and less chaotic shopping atmosphere than markets, which is why some shoppers prefer them.
People don’t usually bargain at markets in America
Harrison Jacobs/Business Insider
Bargaining isn’t really an American thing. Once the price is set, the shoppers either accept it or move on. However, one can bargain for pretty much everything at a Chinese market. Your bargaining skills can get you cheaper groceries!
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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Source: Business Insider – feedback@businessinsider.com (Zirui Yan)