Pandora's Box

We export more than I had imagined.

Of course there are all the products – no surprises. Cosmetics, clothes, food franchises (McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, and the list goes on). Small Fords, like the Focus. Nothing larger, no F150s. Haven’t seen any other types of American cars. (And no Humvees, SUVs of any make or model.)

We export language and nuance. English is mandatory curriculum in all schools starting in junior high. (They even use our textbooks.) Some teach it earlier. But even aside from formal language training, I notice that English words are finding their way directly into the everyday vocabulary over here. Of course, bye-bye and email immediately come to mind. But it’s common for me to hear English slang pop up in the middle of a conversation that I’m overhearing (but in no way understanding). Even on TV. It happens so quickly it’s almost subliminal. Did they just say that?

We export technology, science and medicine. On the subway I see Med students reading textbooks and journal articles in English. At my school, I walk by classes that are learning about our operating systems and hardware.

What’s really surprising is that we export customs, holidays, celebrations. My Chinese language conversation text (no English) has two pages of sentence patterns built around Valentines Day. That was a shocker! I asked my one-on-one teacher about it. Seems as though Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas (Santa Claus and all), January 1 New Year and Valentines Day are celebrated over here. Just about everything that we celebrate except for President’s Day and the 4th of July. In talking with my teacher, it’s clear that these celebrations don’t have the same meaning that they do for us. (Of course the cynic in me sees the US marketing machine creating want in foreign lands.) But as I talk to my teachers, classmates and others that I encounter, there seems to be an active curiosity about the customs, holidays, etc. It’s like they try them on, take what they want and leave the rest behind. Our exports don’t replace any of their customs, holidays or celebrations– they just add to the richness of what they already have. Pretty cool.

And the narcissist in me is reinforced. I am/we are the center of the world – just like I thought, just as it should be. Everyone wants what we have. But then I begin to wonder – Hey, wait a minute! As a society, what do we import from this part of the world? What do we try on and check out the fit? What richness do we add to our commerce, language, science, technology, medicine, customs, holidays or celebrations – besides an occasional night out at a Chinese restaurant? I don’t like where this stream of thought is going ………..