University of Warwick

Coventry

Chinese people

Why do chinese people always hang out only with each other? And never speak english? Or you see them move in with people that arent chinese? This definetly isnt all chinese people but many of them are like this why?

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Reply 1

schreischrei

because... chinese people share same culture so, have more similiar values and ideals than other counterparts.

much easier to relate to people who 'think' like you

University of Warwick

Coventry

Reply 2

screenager2004

Imagine if you went to a university in China, thousands of miles away from home, and there were hundreds of people from England there, you'd make friends with them wouldn't you!?

Reply 3

thefutile

I don't know why but I thought this was going to be about "An Idiot Abroad" and why the hell the Chinese people were eating scorpions on a stick.

Anyway, I think it's just a familiarity thing. You know, being with someone who can understand them and that they can feel fully comfortable with.

Reply 4

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

thefutile

for the same reason why french people eat frogs legs and snails and why british people eat liver

I haven't seen An idiot abroad but from the adverts and interviews, the guy just seems like a complete and utter **** disrespecting cultures which he doesn't even understand - same goes for the producers

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 5

kristinaalovesu

because they feel comfortable.

Reply 6

thefutile

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

It's not so much disrespect as it is utter naivety and idiocy, to be honest. I'm not defending him because yeah, he shouldn't be so ignorant to a point where he makes somewhat offensive and uneducated comments about people and the world but it makes for good comedy and I've been following Karl for a good few years. I don't agree with about 90% of what he says but he just makes me laugh.

Reply 7

Zweihander

thefutile

I don't think the issue is simply that Chinese foreigners gravitate to other Chinese, but rather that once they've formed their little clique they don't even try to socialise with anyone else. I've noticed it at unis in London, Chinese people tend to be the most insular.

Reply 8

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

thefutile

Naivety and idiocy is no excuse - as for good comedy, i'd disagree - there are much funnier things than watching an idiot completely disrespect people for no good reason other than to give others a cheap laugh.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 9

Casshern1456

tbh the british born Chinese arent like that.

Reply 10

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Casshern1456

tbh the british born Chinese arent like that.

This

BBC don't tend to hang out with just chinese people, although there are exceptions in the big cities with large chinese populations like manchester/london

Reply 11

Jowhar

Casshern I know im from london and have had a few chinese friends and the reason that cited often for not talking to other students is what you guys said comfortable with their own people and culture and cant speak language well.

But in many ways warwick is very international and its good to learn and mingle with people from other cultures and the only way you get better in your english is to speak it.

If not how is this different to a college in China?

Reply 12

Koobideh

That's not true. I'm Chinese and I have this one English friend called James. Not all of us just talk to other Chinese..

Reply 13

Flyer8

Don't need to generalise. :smile:

Food for thought, If you go and stay in China, would you stay with your own, or rather meet foreign strangers? Some do enjoy comfort of the familar, while some strive to explore - everyone is different.

Analysing group social interaction is far more complex btw.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 14

TheTallOne

One reason why this may happen is because of the International Orientation programme that takes place the week before Arrivals Weekend.

About 1000 new international students (over a quarter of all new internationals) will participate in the programme and I think it will cause friendship groups to be formed this week that will strictly exclude 'Home' students from many groups. There have been comments to integrate Orientation into Freshers to reduce this from happening. In addition, cultural societies reinforce these social groups and reduce how easily cultures mix. Yes, it is a generalisation and I know exceptions to the case. However if you see an oriental person out in a club it is more likely that they will be a BBC rather than an international.

Being a BBC who only speaks English, I have my friendship group with mainly non-"international, oriental" students. However Oriental students will gravitate more towards me rather than they would gravitate towards a Caucasian student, simply because of looks.

Finally, we're all comfortable with things we know - language, the people we are around, cultures. If you are a Caucasian and spent the first 18 years of your life in China you wouldn't then expect to easily settle in the UK.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 15

Narev

because I'm an introvert. Oh wait, nevermind. Unfortunately, I speak 普通话 quite badly, so I also don't mix with the mainland China Chinese! *Or vice versa.

But I'd agree..most of them I know tend to speak in Chinese rather than English. In fact, I hear more chinese being spoken in the UK than in Singapore!

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 16

Fallingwaters

It depends on what kind of a Chinese person they are.
1st generation Chinese people from china who go to the UK may act like what you've just mentioned.
2nd generation Chinese people born outside of China, Singapore/ US/UK for example, would be generally more open. But that's just my opinion.

Reply 17

username489478

lol

as a Chinese person... it is hilarious to see so many people refer to us as 'Orientals'. oh good god, please stop.

Reply 18

Buxtons

Koobideh

That's not true. I'm Chinese and I have this one English friend called James. Not all of us just talk to other Chinese..

Exactly.

anyway i hate to generalise but iv'e found the majority of orientals, chinese in particular to be very ignorant, noisy, and actually quite rude. (im sure not all are like this, just my experience)

I can never concentrate in rileys (billiards/pool hall) because they are shouting, laughing, dropping cues on the floor, talking in an annoying language with whiney voices etc. Nobody else does this except them,

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 19

Buxtons

bnpkns

lol

as a Chinese person... it is hilarious to see so many people refer to us as 'Orientals'. oh good god, please stop.

I don't think i'd be able to tell the difference tbh between an oriental and a chinese. :/ what are the differences physically so i can try and prevent my ignorance in future? Cheers.