Don't leave me behind!

I am still amazed by China on a daily bases.  I realized the other night when I went for a walk that I can love and hate China within 5 minutes time.

It's been cold lately.  Not Chicago cold but pretty cold for a country that doesn't use heat much.  I walked by these old men STILL playing their game with the round tiles outside - despite the cold.  There was even a normal size crowd watching them. I thought to myself nothing stops the Chinese - not even the cold - from living their normal life.  I love it.

Then I walked by a restaurant and saw a couple people eating by themselves.  I love that it's completely normal to eat by yourself.

Then I got to the bank where I wanted to use the ATM.  There were people, security guards - I didn't know where the line was.  I stood behind an old woman that must have been the front of the 'line'.  A guy walks in and goes and stands right in front of her.  Someone finished at the ATM and he walked right up to it.  Then a woman did the same thing.  I was really getting mad.  Obviously we're standing in line.  I didn't know what else to do except the same thing -so I did.  

I'm not sure I will ever get used to people cutting in line but I'm trying to understand it.  Before I couldn't see what message it sends except they think they are better than whoever they cut in front of.  It seemed to be a sense of entitlement.  But I've talked to a few other foreigners about it and I've come to a different conclusion now.  They don't want to be left behind.  This country has 3.3 billion people in it and there is always someone behind them waiting in line to take their place in whatever they're doing - even buying groceries.  They run for the bus because they're worried it'll leave without them.

One of my Chinese friends didn't even finish high school but some how she talked her way into a great job at an English school.  She feels pressure on a daily bases because she knows she can be replaced in a heart beat by someone who can do the same job.  I suppose this pressure is the same in any country and basically any job.  I feel like it's severely magnified in China though.  I know in past jobs it's never a good feeling to know you're easily replaceable.  I'm TRYING not to care so much about someone cutting in front of me in line or annoyed at people running for the bus.  I never like to feel left behind either.