"A Smile is the Same Around the World"

I remember some teacher telling me in elementary school that even if you don't speak the same language as someone, you can smile. And they will know what it means. I don't think that teacher ever lived in China...

I was teaching a class the other day and discussing the 2008 Olympics, which will be held in Beijing. My students were excited to tell me what they know.

Did you know that there are five Olympic mascots? Their names are BeiBei, JingJing, HuanHuan, YingYing and NiNi. It's from the phrase Beijing HuanYing Ni, which means, "Welcome to Beijing".

Did you know that they have given cassette tapes to all the taxi drivers in Beijing to encourage them to learn English?

Did you know they are cracking down on spitting in public in Beijing? Spitting is very common here, and not considered taboo or dirty.

Did you know that every Tuesday is "Stand in Line Day" in Beijing? Standing in line isn't a Chinese concept. For months I never got anything done when I moved here. I would stand behind another customer at the counter and wait for my turn. That person would leave, and before I could move forward, someone from behind me would cut in front. It's not rude, because everyone does it. So I learned. You just push a little through, with your money in your hand, and "take" your turn. If you wait for your turn, it will never come.

Did you know that they are teaching Beijing residents to smile at strangers on the street? In China you only smile at people you know. In America, we generally have a cheery demeanor, and may even give a cursory "hello" to passers-by on our way somewhere.

I explained this last concept to my class, and demonstrated by walking down the aisle of the classroom, smiling. One student said "you're crazy"! And she meant it. A smile is *not* the same in all cultures. In America it means friendliness, or at least acknowledgment.

In China, it means mental illness.