The Chinese Matrix

Remember in the Matrix when Neo sees a black cat, and then it repeats, a deja vu? It's a sign that something's going on in the Matrix. Maybe that can explain some of the mysterious things I have seen in the last few weeks here in Beijing.

The other day, I was riding my bike along one of the roads on the campus of the university where I am studying. I large bus speeds by all of us and honks. Very loudly. Of course, none of the students make a fuss about this. I like that about the people here in China. It seems like they are aware that life has its hassles and they don't make a big fuss of it.

Suddenly, I see a student look back at the bus and turn to his friend, obviously pissed off, raising his hands. It's like it's happening in slow motion. I see his facial expression, his turning angrily to his friend. I am totally surprised that a Chinese student would ever react like this, to anything.

Then suddenly it all makes sense.

"Seriously!" he says (in American English) loudly, adding a "What the fuck!" to make his American English more authentic. And so I realize that he's not a Chinese student after all, but most probably an ABC (American-born Chinese) studying here for a semester.

It makes sense, but for about two seconds, I felt I was in the Matrix.

Then yesterday, I was washing my hands in the bathroom when a young foreigner walks in (he looked European or American). As he heads to the urinals, he spits on the bathroom floor. I find this quite strange.

In China there are some people who spit indoors (not everyone, but for instance, at subway stations and other public places, it is pretty common). But, I have never seen a foreigner do it (and I have never seen anyone do it in the university where I am studying).

I laugh and say to him, "Wow, that's a first." I don't think he understands.

Another day in the Chinese Matrix.