三種人 People and Respect

蘇州有三種人:老外 、台客、 老中

多數的老外是有禮貌的Gentlemen, 但我在五星級泳池看到一些自認不可一世、嬌慢無理的老外。有人動不動就對著服務人員大罵， 要服務人員卑躬屈膝賠不是， 找來Manager, 取得下一次的免費泳券; 有人下泳池不按規定戴泳帽,有人怕別人碰到她，把泳池當私家泳池，仰泳不閃躲，還抱怨泳客會濺水。

多數的台客是文明的，他們也這麼自認著，但我曾看到數十位台客聚餐，沒有包下整個場地，卻聒噪如雷。很慚愧地，我當時也身在其中 ，當時我想，應該不會有助紂為虐的下一次了。

印象中，多數的老中在與前二者比較時，是比較不守規則、自私的，我也覺得如此。但我遇到、聽到的老中，除了開車習慣和那些貪官、奸商之外，很多是良善的。我們說他們愛高調，那是他們的問題，也是經濟發展中的過渡現象而已；想一想，我們台灣，很多老人家還不是愛很高調地炫耀房子、車子、孩子、孫子、和有錢有勢的朋友們。

沒有任何一個國家的人是絕對的，去除偏見，理解、包容、原諒那些不合理的， 尊重那些應該被尊重的人。

If I put the people in Su-zhuou into three catergories, there would be Westerners, Taiwanese, and Chinese (local residents). This kind of classification is not proper, but it easier for me to talk about the issue. 

Most westerners in Suzhou are gentlemen, but I saw few ugly cases in the 5-star swimming pool.  One guy shouted to the service desk and accused the staff not doing as he requested. He called for the manager and got some free coupons for more visits. And he did that not for just once.

These recent months, I did not see him. I guess he must be back to his country for good. I also saw one lady, who treated the pool as her private own pool. She got nervous whenever someone swam close to her.  She could change her direction a bit to avoid close contact in the pool, but she did not. She kept complaining to the working staff like a fragile baby, and finally she was directed to a quiet lane where no one will disturb her comfy back-stroke. As one of the swimer in the pool, I felt bad about someone pointing to pool and complained about us swimers who all behaved. There was another lady who never put on her swimming cap and let her long hair floating in the pool. She shouted to the staff when the shower supply was a bit out of function but was soon fixed (in 3 mins).  

Most Taiwanese consider themselves better civilized than local Chinese. Last month, I happened to attend a Taiwanese reunion lunch in a restuarant.  There were more than 40 people in reunion, but we did not reserve the whole space, the meeting room was not separated from other guests. I felt ashamed about the noises we created. We often critized about Chinese talking loud in the public area, but we were even louder in that meeting.  I said to myself it would be my first and last time to attend this kind of party.  I did not want to make other or myself suffer in that situation again.

Most Chinese are considered not civilized enough and selfish (compared with the above two). Based on my observation in these 2 years, yes, especially for their driving patterns.  I know many known hidden rules. And I read many news about corruptions and poison food  made by ugly business man. Except for the mentioned, most Chinese people I know are nice and kind. Many  Chinese like to brag about their wealth by driving named cars, buying houses, etc..  To me that is their business. Many elder Taiwanese also like to brag about their houses, cars, rich friends, sons, and grandsons.  I consider many phenomenon as the culture and the pocess of the economy development, which Taiwan had experienced in its earlier years and some still exist today.

My point is that there is no one people can be strictly put into one category. We are all human in different colors or backgrounds. Family and education matter a lot. More understanding will help us forget and forgive those seemed unreasonable behaviors. We need to respect people wherever they are from. It takes turns for countries to be rich and people to be in charge.