A Friend's Raw Take 😵💫
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Hey everyone, whether you're planning a visit to Hangzhou or are already there, I wanted to share some of my genuine experiences during my 8 years living in this city.
Firstly, I must say that some of the local residents in Hangzhou, particularly the elderly, may not seem as warm towards visitors and tourists—including us—as we might hope.
- It's not that they are unfriendly per se, but sometimes they may give off a vibe where they don't want to engage or interact. Communication styles can be direct and straightforward, which might make you feel slightly "excluded" at times.
- However, do take note of this: The young folks in Hangzhou are generally much nicer and more welcoming!
️ Travel Tip/Dear Reader- Common scenario: During your travels, you may come across older locals in Hangzhou whose behavior seems cold and disengaged toward visitors and tourists.
- How to handle: First things first, don’t let it get you down! This certainly doesn't represent all of Hangzhou; every place has its range of personalities.
- Try to understand that senior citizens might hold different notions and lifestyles compared to ours, and regional dialects could be part of their communication.
- Focus on younger people and friendly service staff instead. Don't let these small setbacks dampen your mood during your travels!
- How to handle: First things first, don’t let it get you down! This certainly doesn't represent all of Hangzhou; every place has its range of personalities.
This experience is purely mine and serves as a reminder to stay prepared for such scenarios, so you won't be caught by surprise when confronted with them.
All in all, Hangzhou still remains picturesque, filled with beauty and wonder. I hope that my small insights can help you in some way, and I wish you all an enjoyable and memorable trip!
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Let's not even count the older ones. Hangzhou locals genuinely tend to exclude outsiders. A close friend of mine married a Hangzhou local and has lived there for over a decade, but they still call her an 'outsider who speaks differently' right to her face, even though her child is in junior high. And you hear this from supposedly well-respected people too.
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Really? Hangzhou is my dream city...
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As a local looking for a job, I've definitely felt discriminated against. It's somewhat better if the boss is also a local, but many non-local bosses, openly or subtly, assume you can't handle hardship. Some even directly ask if your family home was part of a demolition and redevelopment project or if you're an only child.
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They also try to lowball salaries, saying things like, 'Oh, you locals don't have rent pressure, and your families will subsidize you anyway.'
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Back in 2014, Hangzhou was the first stop on a multi-city tour. Out of the ten cities I visited, it was the only place where a roadside stall tried to rip me off.
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It's true that people in Shanghai and Hangzhou would rather marry a Japanese person than someone from Henan.
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It's not so much about being exclusionary; it's more a sense of superiority, though I don't know where they get it from.
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So true! My university professor once asked us (students from the Northwest) if the Northwest was as developed as 'here' (Hangzhou) and if transportation was inconvenient there...
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In Hangzhou, I tried to get a taxi for a short 3-4 km trip from West Lake. I was refused by over ten taxi drivers; none would take me. I finally got a ride-share, and the driver told me it was because the trip was too short for them. So frustrating!
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But many of those taxi drivers are actually from Henan or Anhui.
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I'm a local, and to be honest, it's the really old generation that gives Hangzhou a bad name. They turn nasty and sharp-tongued the moment they hear someone speaking Mandarin. Once they're 'gone,' Hangzhou will be a much better place. Middle-aged and younger Hangzhou locals are generally quite polite and well-mannered.
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I can't help but chuckle at the 'once they're all gone' part.
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I'm not really sure what 'being exclusionary' truly entails. Other than a reluctance to choose non-locals in the marriage market, I don't think there's much of that feeling in everyday life, right?
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Exactly, I don't feel it at work at all. In fact, I felt a much stronger sense of being an outsider when I worked in Chengdu, where most people are Sichuan locals.
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The 'exclusionary' people you're referring to are likely those from the 'urban villages'—the ones whose properties are slated for demolition or have already been redeveloped. They've become rich from compensation, act all high and mighty, and look down on everyone.
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Yes, that happens. I'm from Sichuan, and my boyfriend is from Xiaoshan, from one of those families who benefited from demolition and redevelopment. His father passed away, and his mother isn't really involved in his life. However, his grandmother and aunt are strongly against him dating an 'outsider' girlfriend like me. We genuinely love each other, and I'm an only child from a well-off family, so I don't need his money. It's all incredibly frustrating right now.
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The local population is already down to nearly 20% of the total, and they're still being exclusionary?
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Hangzhou's public buses and subways don't even have announcements in the Hangzhou dialect. How can you still call that exclusionary...?