Traveling to a foreign land, we must always bare in mind of the things not to do there. You may call it a taboo, but I call it an "act of suicidal". It's crucially important for a traveler to do research through internet or books before reaching the destination. Failing of doing so will result in some awful consequences. Without further a due, here are the five things you shouldn't do while in China.
1. Never cross a two-lane road (without pedestrian crossing)
I am not saying this just because the locals have zero tolerance for the jay-walkers. But there is a strict rule in any place that says you should find a bridge, or a pedestrian crossing for this purpose. Hence, majority of the drivers in this country would never think twice on running you down when they are speeding on the road. And funny thing is they could easily get away from the authority. In most cases, very few passerby would step out to lend a helping hand. Well, don't ask me why. It's something that us, foreigner, should never get involved in. Just be extra cautious.
2. Never answer any stranger's calling (unless you understood the person)
Either by phone or on the street. For those who never experienced the street culture this nation, you should really try to avoid this. Sometimes when you get a local number in China, you will receive multiple unknown phone calls. Not because of the number saying "unknown", but you will find the voice or the accent of the caller strangely creepy. Being a nation with highly advanced technology, you may expect some of those callers may have malicious intentions. My friends, while on the other hand, faced multiple fraud attempts in few different occasions. Few of them were ushered into a group of people and were forced to pay for unwanted items. And the rest of them were halted by strangers and asked for credit cards or cash.
3. Never purchase smart phone outside of store
An Iphone 6 plus with the price of less than RMB 2000 - sounds amazing, doesn't it? Well, you'll get what you pay for, sometimes it turns to be even worse. In some cases, the phones weren't even real. They were just empty little boxes covered with metal cases and stamped with Apple logo. It doesn't imply only on Apple, though. Any new technology or IT product that are well-known among the locals will definitely get imitated. Who does this? You will never know. Just play your part and be aware of these frauds.
4. Never purchase hand-made food on the street (unless you saw how it was made)
Not trying to discriminate any type of business here, but being in a foreign land with no close friend or family, you have got to stay alert with the food you're eating. A snack that cost you only 3 Yuan, but if it was poorly made, the consequence could be devastating. Luckily so far, so far, I haven't yet encounter any horrible experience. The worst scenario was me getting a bread, they call it "jian bing" in Chinese. I could literally taste my bile thrusting its way to my vocal cord on the first bite. The bread smelled so foul, as if the lady left the ingredients unattended that they got rotten real fast. Also, I saw her grabbing those ingredients with her bare hands. Not a pleasant sight, and I had no idea why did that the first bite.
5. Never negotiate for a cheaper price if you aren't intending to purchase
In places like night markets or wholesale markets, negotiating for lower price is a tradition that is well-known among visitors. But keep in mind that this tradition has been practiced for a long while and the locals treat it as a way of business. They will easily get offended if you brake it. Sadly this knowledge doesn't occur to every new-comer. Some of them thought it was not a big deal. They asked for a discount and got it after a serious argument with store-keeper. But in the end, they walked away. This happened with people who traveled with me. When it took place, I would feel terribly embarrassed and apologize to the store-keeper. I could literally see the look on their face on how disrespectful it was. Well of course, I would channel back my frustration to the friends.
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