After class today we all walked outside to see that one of the student's bikes was stolen/lost. Yes, sad news. But not out of the question. That is the most common crime here. But...but...here's a look into the Chinese culture. Because this is a shaming culture and they don't want anyone to lose face you wouldn't tell your friend that someone stole your bike. You would tell them that you lost your bike. You lost your wallet, you lost your car, etc. You get the point. It's very inappropriate to tell someone that someone else stole something of yours even if the person who stole it is a complete stranger. For big items, they know what you mean. For things like keys, wallet, etc. I'm not exactly sure what they're thinking when you tell them you lost it because you really could lose those things. But I don't foresee myself losing my car unless I've been in Wal-Mart too long and can't remember where I've parked it. :) But that doesn't happen here.
So yes, the girl today, she lost her bike. :(
Summer Art Project
1 year ago
