From Jamie's Philippines Pics

We have also had the opportunity to travel to some amazing places in China, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Bali. We have archived all of our travels and living experiences abroad; and if you wish, you can read about our adventures by finding the archives on the right of this page and by checking our Photo Album.

We appreciate all of our family and friends who have stayed in touch and emailed us with encouraging words throughout the year. We hope you will continue to keep us in your thoughts as we continue our adventure of living abroad teaching at an international school. For those who have stumbled upon our site, check out the "About Eric and Jamie" section on the right for more information.

Thanks for checking us out!

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness."
- Mark Twain

"Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends."
- Maya Angelou

Eric
School: ebrown@isgdh.org

Home: ebrown2324@gmail.com

Jamie

School: jbrown@isgdh.org

Home: jkwbrown@gmail.com

Skype: "ericandjamie"


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Friday, November 7, 2008

Chinese Cut


I'm not sure whether I've gone over this or not, but over here Chinese cut has an old meaning.

Remember when you were kids standing in the lunch line and you'd always let your friends "Chinese cut." You don't? Well, let me educate...

In line, one of your friends is late getting to the lunch line; so they ask if they can "Chinese cut," which means that you let them cut in front of you, and they in turn then just let you cut back in front of them. For all technical purposes, this was perfectly legal in most school line across the country. Sure, you'd have some kid shout "Hey, you can't Chinese cut!" but then all you'd have to do is tell them they were a snitch or a rat and they'd be quiet.

The American "Chinese cut" is very different than the Chinese version. Here is a story that has happened now so many times, I care to stop counting.

We'll be waiting in line at just about anywhere (WalMart, McDonald's, Park n Shop, KFC) and suddenly someone just simply cuts in line in front of us and orders.

That, my friends (to take a line from McCain), is the Chinese version of Chinese cutting.

Yes, it is a matter of culture, and it is getting better with each generation. Look for older people to cut line at just about any time as younger generations are learning more western culture of politeness.

I imagine New York City utilizing the Chinese Chinese cut, but where we are from in the South, it just doesn't happen.

Leave me a comment if you'd like concerning your thoughts on Chinese cutting.

1 comment:

Kathy said...

We just called it 'up and back', I have never heard of "Chinese cut" -- could it be a Tennessee thing? Or is Summerville just behind!

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