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Speechless in China

By Guenter Schuermann (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2011-05-09 09:26

Coming from Italy, where the average people hate to speak other languages than Italian or their home dialect, we were very expectant, how we can manage a journey through China without speaking Chinese. At the end we know: It is not impossible – first of all thanks the wonderful Chinese people.

The author and his wife [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

"Where are you going, mate? " We are surprised to hear broad Australian accent after the short boat trip from Hong Kong Island to the mainland in Kowloon. We find ourselves in a hectic world of coming and going, in a muddle of anything: tourists, Chinese residents, street sellers and hawkers - all in a jam. Next to the Australian, who is trying to sell tickets for a harbour cruise, come a serious dressed Indian close to us and whispering her offer: Cheap Rolex watches! Others aim to lead us in a tailor shop: suits or costumes, made in 24 hours!

Nevertheless, Hong Kong is a perfect place to start a journey through China. Street signs and menus in restaurants are almost bilingual. One never gets lost and can everywhere exercise eating with chopsticks.

Yet before leaving Hong Kong we face the first real language challenge. The young Chinese girl behind the cross-border bus ticket counter asks in perfect English where we want to go. We are delighted. "Two tickets to Guangzhou please, one way." "Oh no!" is her response, to Guangzhou we had to take the train. We are puzzled and try to make our need more clearly by speaking slowly and carefully pronounced. "There is no bus to Guangzhou", her expression is full of sorrows. We ask for the timetable folder. "Here it is: Kowloon to Guangzhou, 9 o'clock, 11 o'clock and so on", we demonstrate the directory. "Ah, Guangzhou! " – "Yes, two Tickets to Guangzhou! " – "Not: ‘Guangzhou !!! ‘Guangzhou!" Her response is very serious and then she starts laughing at the same time. Also we must laugh. The cute girl makes us delighted although we do not uncover the secret of the right pronunciation.

"Ni hao!" This words bring us in China everywhere. "Xiexie" raises a smile in Chinese faces. Most of the Chinese we meet appreciate when we try only few words in Chinese language. Often already the greeting "ni hao" leads our partner to a real flood of Chinese words. Sometimes only an understanding participant can stop this attempt by explaining that we don't speak Chinese and can't understand him. It seems to us that many people cannot imagine how we travel in her big country without speaking her language. However, we find everywhere cordial persons, who do the best to help us on our way.

In Guangzhou, in a peaceful park across the Pearl River, opposite Shamian Island, one evening we watch several groups of elderly people: singing, playing badminton, doing Tai Chi exercises. Here, after many disappointing encounters, we discover our own way to manage communication problems. An old man, after finishing a card game with his friends, starts friendly speaking to us. Although we don't understand any word, we answer fluent and self-conscious - in German, our native language. With huge gesticulation we explain where we come from in this very moment, where we are going to, that the park is very nice and the weather is cold. The man is nodding; he looks at the sky and the direction we are pointing out. We are sure; he knows what we are talking about. It doesn't need many words to understand each other.

He tells us he comes every day to this spot on the river and the weather will be better within the next days. With "xiexie" we say goodbye to our new friend. We shake hands and receive a warm smile.

In Guilin, the beautiful city on the Lijiang River, we visit the Seven Star Cave Park. Here we see the Guihai Stele Forest with very old slabs and inscriptions we can't identify. After an excursion through colourful illuminated caves, on the way to the Qixia Temple, we cross a group of young school students.

From a distance we can hear English words: Hello - where do you come from - what is your name. Giggling the girls getting ready to go on to us. By coming closer her preparations stop until one girl starts very shy with "Where do you come from?" We answer. And then a real explosion of loud laughing mixes up with the prepared English questions, all at the same time.

We meet everywhere young Chinese talking well English. Sometimes the hotel staff speaks few words in this strange language by avoiding the use of the English "r": "Sorry, sorry, the loom is not flee".

Searching for better and warm weather we change our itinerary and go down south to Hainan. Here the air is clean, long stretched sandy beaches and crystal-clear water invite to recreation and water sports.

We can see that this tropical island is on the way to become a major touristic area for entire China. Inlands we have a rest in Wuzhishan, a small place up in the mountains.

The climate is superb and everybody pronounces the name of the town differently. Tonight we decide to have dinner in a recommended hotel. It is six o'clock and we are the only guests. The menu our very young waiter handed us over is in Chinese. We are hungry and ask the pretty girl if she understands English. Pleased about her nodding we start studying the menu. "Is this meat or fish?" No answer. OK, we try it more simply.

Pointing at the picture of the chosen food we ask: "Is this meat?" The answer is "yes". Not quite sure we indicate once more the same meal and ask: "Is this fish?" And again we receive her "yes". We are sorry for the young women and the unhappy situation. She obviously wants to represent the restaurant in a good way without losing her face. Her colleague she asks for support has two years more practice in his job.

Flattered he comes on the table and greets in English. The girl disappeared to a group of other female waiters. From the safety of the lobby's corner they all watching curiously what's going on at our table. The waiter in return has problems by explaining the different vegetables on the menu. He bangs with his fist on his forehead as he could slam the forgotten words out of his head. But also our orders are not in the best terms. Requesting for beer we ask for a bottle of Tsingtao like we do in Europe - not conscious that for the Chinese people Tsingtao or Qingdao first of all is a harbour town in Shandong province.

However, our meal is excellent. When we come next evening to the same place, our waiter greets us very warm. Today he can nominate every meal on the menu as fluently as he can answer our questions in English. The mobile phone in his hand where he seeks help from time to time is evidently equipped with a very good organized dictionary for restaurant staff.

After two months we leave China at the wonderful airport in Bejiing. Here everything is very well organized. Logical bilingual direction signs or pictograms leading us through the huge complex without making us confused. Only a short time after a chain of departing passengers establishes in front of the immigration counter, an official divided the waiting travellers with simple gestures in two rows.

Everybody understands without words.

Guenter Schuermann and his wife Paula Angelika Pauli – are German seniors living in Italy. They enjoy travelling in Southeast Asia and now for the first time in China.