About sth i’m furious at A guy from New Zealand, who worked in Taiwan before and now study Mandarin in Shanghai, told me that mainlanders were not so friendly and helpful to him, which disappointed him a lot. To be honest, i’m not even a little surprised, since i know the situation so well and had warned him before he came here, especially he’s just come from Taiwan, where gentle and warmhearted locals are all over. I went to the State Administration of Foreign Exchange several days ago to draw a bill, very simple business. Nevertheless, the agency, like all other bureaucracies in China, was packed with indifferent and unhelpful employees, who gave me a hard time. The young woman at the counter greeted me with a cold face and faint voice. “Excuse me, i’d like to draw a bill please, here’s the voucher.” said i. “Sign it.” She threw me a pile of paper and said with no expression or eye contact. “Uh…I’m sorry, where exactly should i sign my name…?” I’m shortsighted. “Can’t you see such an obvious blank line?!” Said the impatient voice. “Well…i…oh, ok, i see it.” I tried to keep calm, left with a Thank You still and really hoped not to go back there again. I guess she is supposed to be reminded that she and her colleagues and employers and all other officials like her are fed by taxpayers, like me. Perhaps she was exhausted, she had a bad day, or she was depressed by her mechanic and bureaucratic job. However, for god’s sake, is it a basic etiquette to treat people politely with a Please or Thanks or at least a smile? I don’t mind you act like a shit if you are a stranger on a random street, but and employee of service on behalf of the government who is supposed to be professional? It seems not to be my fault that you do such a dull job and loaf away your life in a tedious atmosphere, but you deserve it. I keep telling people that i’m so used to unfriendliness since i live in modern China, or i’m quite convinced that the younger generation may behave better for higher education so the future of this nation could be brighter one day. But seriously, who am i kidding with?