Guangzhou: *Really* That Inclusive for Outsiders?
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Sure! Here's a reorganized version of my travel experience in Guangzhou, ensuring that it is clear and understandable for foreign friends!
#Guangzhou #Travel #A Super Friendly City
Hello, I've just returned from Guangzhou, and I must say, this city is really amazing! Especially for us outsiders (or foreigners!), it feels exceptionally comforting!
So, Why Does It Say "Friendly"?
- Firstly, I think it’s because the people here are very cosmopolitan and accustomed to various accents and cultural backgrounds. Even if your Mandarin isn’t fluent or you can only speak English, most people will be willing to lend a helping hand or understand your gestures.
- The city has many signs with English translations, which is quite helpful for foreign friends as well!
Here Are the Things I Really Enjoyed About Guangzhou:
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Food, food, and more food!
- Breakfast Tea (Dim Sum): This experience is a must-have! Imagine sipping on a cup of tea paired with a variety of exquisite delicacies: shrimp dumplings, pork buns, chicken feet… Oh, mouth-watering! You can feast leisurely for hours at breakfast.
- Cantonese Cuisine (Cantonese Cuisine): With its delicate taste, fresh ingredients, and refined cooking techniques, roast goose and white sliced chicken are definitely worth trying.
- Street Foods: Sweet soups (sugar water), beef offal stew – even from random street vendors, you’ll find something surprising.
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The City Has a Very Lively Atmosphere:
- Unlike some big cities that are cold and distant, walking around the old downtown areas of Guangzhou adds a warm touch. Observing the local life is quite interesting.
- There's plenty of vitality too. People exercise in parks in the morning, and during the evening, there’s square dancing.
Of Course, There Are Some Points We Should Complain About:
- Weather... What a Relief!
- Guangzhou is very hot, especially during summer. It’s hot and humid, and you’ll probably sweat after walking a few steps. So, sun protection and hydration are crucial points!
- Crowds of People Everywhere!
- Major tourist attractions may have large crowds, so prepare for queues. Also, it’s pretty crowded at rush hour on the subway/metro too.
️️️ Important Tips and Warnings for Foreign Friends - Must Read! ️️️- Getting Around (Transportation):
- Metro/subway is highly recommended! Guangzhou metro network is very developed, covering most tourist attractions with English broadcasts and indicators. Having a "Yanting Pass" (a local travel card) will make it easier for you.
- Beware of private vehicles (illegal taxis)! Be especially cautious near airports, train stations, or popular tourist spots.
- How to avoid them: Use official taxis (taxi sign is placed atop the car), or use ride-hailing apps like Didi Chuxing (similar to Uber/Grab, but may require a Chinese phone number and payment method).
- Eating and Ordering Food:
- Many restaurants have picture menus, or English menus. Don’t hesitate to point!
- Be aware of "teaware fee" (Tea Fee): In many Cantonese restaurants, especially tea houses, each person will be charged a few yuan as a 'teaware fee,' which includes tea and utensils. This is a local custom, not a trap.
- Shopping and Haggling:
- In small commodity markets or unpriced stores, bargaining is acceptable. Boldly suggest a reasonable price, however, be polite.
- Watch out for counterfeit goods: If a branded product’s price is suspiciously cheap, it’s likely to be fake ones.
- Personal Safety and Belongings:
- While Guangzhou is generally safe, take care of pickpockets around crowded areas (pickpockets).
- To avoid danger, keep your bags zipped up, and put valuables in front pockets or within reach. Be cautious on the subways, buses, and crowded tourist spots as well.
- While Guangzhou is generally safe, take care of pickpockets around crowded areas (pickpockets).
- Stay Hydrated!
- Guangzhou's hot climate means that drinking water is essential. Convenience stores are widespread, and purchasing bottled water is quite convenient.
I hope these help! Guangzhou is indeed a rewarding place to visit!
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To be honest, Guangzhou locals are the real disadvantaged group here (landlords excluded, of course).
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Sigh, let's be honest, if you're poor, you're disadvantaged no matter where you are.
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I genuinely try to be inclusive, but around 70% of the people at my workplace are from out of town.
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I'm the one begging them to be inclusive of me.
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The Cantonese language requirement alone is a major hurdle for many. It's the first city I've seen where job ads explicitly demand Cantonese; even Shanghai doesn't require Shanghainese for jobs.
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Huh? That sounds pretty rare. Many business owners in Guangzhou are actually from Chaoshan or other provinces. Neither I nor anyone I know has ever come across a job that absolutely required Cantonese.
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Sometimes I just don't get it. You have these non-locals who constantly bash Guangzhou, talking about how bad it is in every way, yet they keep pouring in. If you hate it so much, you don't actually have to come, you know? No one's forcing you at gunpoint.
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There are no opportunities for them back home! And places like Beijing or Shanghai are out of their reach.
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Cantonese itself is perfectly fine. It's less about being exclusionary and more about this strange, unwarranted sense of superiority some of them seem to have. It's really weird.
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It's really strange. I grew up in Shenzhen and just recently came to Guangzhou for university. In my class, there's a group of fluent Cantonese speakers who always use it. But then you have others whose Cantonese clearly isn't great, yet they still force themselves to speak it at school.
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Being friends or colleagues is one thing, but when it comes to marriage, you really need to observe carefully. It's best to avoid marrying into families with a very strong clan mentality, especially if the parents seem sheltered and haven't experienced much of the outside world.
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It's like that in both Guangdong and Guangxi. Definitely watch out for that strong clan mentality in the Liangguang region.
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I once had a bus driver yell at me because I couldn't understand his Cantonese – he was talking about the card reader slot. I had just graduated, had just arrived in Guangzhou, and it was my first bus ride. I'll never forget it. Later, I found out that even locals get scolded by bus drivers.
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If you can speak Cantonese, you'll just get an even worse tongue-lashing.
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I agree, it feels exclusionary. I've been in Guangzhou for university for two or three years, and being quite socially anxious, I haven't picked up Cantonese. As a result, I often get these subtle digs from locals. It's happened many times. They'll say things like, 'Oh, so-and-so picked up Cantonese within just a year of moving here...'
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I've seen many people say that Guangzhou's inclusiveness manifests as a sort of 'not caring too much,' and honestly, that's really comfortable. Nobody pays excessive attention to you; you can just focus on living your own life. I'm from Northeast China, and when I first arrived, I wasn't used to it and found it a bit aloof. But on reflection, it's actually a good thing. You don't have 'seniors' or 'elders' constantly meddling or telling you what to do. It's not complete indifference either – my colleagues do share important things to look out for. Overall, there's a great sense of personal space and boundaries. I love Guangzhou (just wish the summers were a bit more bearable!).
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When it comes to the weather, even lifelong Guangzhou locals can barely stand it anymore. It just keeps getting worse.
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Guangzhou might seem to have a lot of non-locals on the surface, but actually, it's one of the most exclusionary cities in China, right up there with Hong Kong.
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Yes, I can totally relate. In the office, it's often the Cantonese speakers who form their own little groups, and there are many things they just implicitly understand among themselves.