Ready is a Relative Term
About 60 days before the Olympics begin, there are some worrying signs about the readiness of Beijing. It is truly great to see police out in full force cracking down on the country’s endemic drunk drivers, but the fact that the airport rail still has a huge chunk missing is more than a bit ominous. There are signs all around that things will not be done in time.
The Bird’s Nest and Water Cube are in great shape, as far as anyone can tell, but the CCTV Tower looks like it’s at least six months from completion. Line 5 on the subway opened months ago, and line 10 is edging towards completion, but the fact that only one of the four new lines is actually running two months ahead of the Games is troubling.
And what about that traffic policy? I’ve heard that the odd-even license plate scheme will go into effect on July 22, but I’ve also heard July 1…and I’ve also heard they may scrap it and push all private cars off the roads for August. You would think that such a dramatic policy would have already been made public.
So the powers that be have two months to prove the naysayers wrong. In the meantime we all watch and wonder.
Glen responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 8:31 am →
I’m not as worried about the slow progress on this as I am about other things. Like the fact that none of the people who deal with foreigners can’t speak any English. Been to the Exit and Entry Adminstration lately? Better speak fluent Chinese because good luck finding an officer who speaks English. It’s a total mess.
I was at a restaurant the other day where the couple was pointing at the menu and the fuwuyuan kept asking probing questions to them in Chinese. They just sat there totally dumbfounded. Just give them the food they are pointing out, you stupid b!@#$.
A German man stopped me in a taxi the other day. He didn’t know where his hotel was. The taxi driver was shouting at the German man in Chinese asking for clarification on the directions. The German looked at me so confused. HELLO?! He’s a foreigner going to a hotel. What are the bets he doesn’t speak your language?
Stop by the McDonald’s at Fuxingmen. Foreigners point at the menu items (either on the board or picture menu) and the staff gets equally confused.
Beijing is NOT ready for the Olympics. I feel so sorry for any foreigner who comes here not as part of a tour group. It’s not going to be an easy or pleasant time, I’m afraid.
Jeremy responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 10:28 am →
@Glen – just point and smile, point, smile, and nod your head, happy with wherever it gets you. That needs to be the policy of any foreigner who doesn’t speak English.
@Josh – you really think that there won’t be last minute completions of the TV tower and subway lines? My bet’s on they get it done, no matter the cost.
Hopi responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 11:02 am →
Yeah, like American taxi drivers studied foreign languages when the Olympics was held in Atlanta. Why do non-Chinese expect Chinese people always to cater to their needs? They are not your servants. If Chinese people had attended the Atlanta Olympics and complained that the local taxi drivers or waitreses didn’t speak Chinese, we’d tell them, buddy, this is America and we speak English here.
That said, I believe it’s good business practice for Chinese businesses to encourage their employees to learn English. But if non-Chinese go to China with the attitude that they don’t have to do any work and the Chinese should cater to their every whim, then it’s arrogance.
Oh by the way, when the Olympics was held in Athens, there was also controversy over its readiness and it turned out just fine. So it may be wise to hold off on your judgment until August.
European responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 11:38 am →
Hopi, this isn’t about foreigners requiring Chinese people to speak the foreigner’s own language, which is what you seem to be assuming. Most of the people trying to use English to communicate aren’t native speakers themselves; they learned it because English (like French and Latin before it) is the de facto international language; it’s what people from different countries use to communicate with each other. Notice that the guy in the taxi Glen was talking about was German.
I’m sure I will be called arrogant for this post, but you really can’t compare Chinese taxi drivers’ English skills to American taxi drivers’ Chinese skills – one is a global language, the other is only regional. Nobody is complaining that taxi drivers can’t speak Dutch or Spanish or German; they’re just asking them to meet their customers half way.
Dan responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 11:50 am →
I thought the CCTV tower was never slated for completion before the Olympics. Wasn’t it planned to be completed in 2009? I could very well be wrong but I don’t remember promises of that building being done.
Bobby responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 11:53 am →
@ Hopi
Don’t sentences
“So the powers that be have two months to prove the naysayers wrong. In the meantime we all watch and wonder.”
pretty much address your latter criticism?
Pappi responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 12:00 pm →
@Dan
The plan was definitely to be finished by the Olympics:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CCTV_Headquarters
http://www.designbuild-network.com/projects/cctv/
Glen responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 12:33 pm →
It’s not about the fact that we expect Chinese people to speak English. It’s true that the attitude in America is “Speak English or get out.” What I don’t understand is why Chinese people keep talking to people who clearly cannot understand them and get it really complicated and messy. Things can be handled easier.
China should have bid on the Olympics in about 15-20 years. The country would have been more ready.
Additionally, the new “image” that China wanted to present is getting lost. The visa procedures have gotten more complex. Tourism numbers are actually DROPPING because of this. What’s the point of the Olympics? The new “rules” book that was issued for foreigners was only written in Chinese. It’s crazy and embarrassing. I’m saying this as a foreigner who really loves China.
Yokie Kuma responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 3:42 pm →
@everyone: maybe we need to develop a “rules” book for foreigners that is serious and helpful ….. not sarcastic just factual …. similar to the “point and smile and point and smile” comment …. it works. And not insulting or accusatory or opinionated …. just facts on what works and what doesn’t.
1) In restaurants, when confusion arises, just smile and point and smile and point
Conversations in Chinese sometimes sound like arguments but aren’t
2) Be sure to have your passport when you check into your hotel, no matter where, they will check
3) Exchange your RMB back to your home country currency before you get back to your home country.
4) Don’t try to bring up political conversations with your Chinese hosts. Remember the adage about religion and politics and acceptable conversations
5) Look both ways when crossing the street. Look both ways when crossing a bike path or walking path as well.
6) Bring paper napkins or tissue paper when you go out …. the restaurants won’t have any in the bathroom and will charge you for them at your table
7) Taxi drivers will give you change (but sometimes you must ask for it)
9) At the airport, bus station, ferry station, etc., it is always better to take the legitimate taxi vs the private taxi
10) Hot tea after a meal will help cut the oil that you just ate
I know there’s more …..
Jia responds:
Posted: June 6th, 2008 at 2:59 am →
I am just guessing that there will be more university students around as volunteers during the Olympics. I went to Athens to watch the Gymnastics team final in 2004. A lot of locals don’t speak English either, but you only need to point the map and smile to them. They will smile back and try to point the direction to you. It’s not easy, but only if you try. And I have been to France, even they know English, they still insist on speaking in French.( Our Chinese fellow really likes to talk to you in English, only if he knows how)
Chip responds:
Posted: June 6th, 2008 at 10:15 am →
Hopi,
About the language thing, it is not foreigners demanding Chinese speak english, it’s chinese demanding themselves to speak english, and then making rediculous claims like there are more english speakers in China than in America. However, the exit/entry administration SHOULD speak english, that’s common sense. Taxis shouldn’t, but then again they promised they would by 2008. Nobody else should have to speak english, but nonetheless they futily try. The culprit here is not arrogant foreigners, but rather the entire curriculum of the Chinese education system that wastes valueable resources in a language that 99.9% of the populace will never use, rather than making sure that 99.9% of the populace speaks decent mandarin, which so far isn’t happening. China could use a bit more self-confidence in their own language. Japan and Korea are amazingly prosperous and powerful countries, and yet the english level of their populace sucks as well. France is another great example of a country that could care less about English, because they know they’ll do fine without.
Ying Jia responds:
Posted: June 6th, 2008 at 2:40 pm →
Don’t worry about Beijing taxi drivers not being able to deal with foreigners and speak English. The truth is, there aren’t going to BE any foreigners at this Olympics. The hotels will be full of Chinese, not foreign tourists. As for the CCTV9 Tower, it was never scheduled for completion until December anyway. Seeing a laowai at the Olympics who isn’t a member of the IOC or a foreign government official is going to be like trying to find a pathway in Ritan Park that hasn’t beeen spat upon. The Beijing Olympics, despite what you may think, is not an event where foreigners are even welcome. So stay at home, laowais, and watch it on TV. ‘Coz you won’t be watching it live in Beijing.
Jeremiah responds:
Posted: June 7th, 2008 at 2:23 pm →
I’ve whinged about this before, but when I go to a foreign country I don’t expect the cabbies to speak my language, but I DO EXPECT that they’ll know basic locations and how to read addresses and/or maps. The problem in August won’t be cabbies not understanding their passengers, it will be the utter dismay of foreign visitors when they realize that things likes “being able to read an address,” “owning a map,” and “knowing how to get there” are not included in the service charge for Beijing taxis.
michael responds:
Posted: June 11th, 2008 at 2:11 pm →
Well, the outside of the of the CCTV building should be finished by the Olympics, which is what really counts anyway, right?
nanheyangrouchuan responds:
Posted: June 15th, 2008 at 9:50 pm →
It’s gonna be great to watch this Olympics crash and burn! And the IOC will get what is coming to it as well. Even better will be the countless emails and blogs from Olympic tourists and athletes! The best will be a big han riot when the Japanese men’s soccer team whips the Chinese. Oh, and all of those black track athletes!