Shenzhen isn't insular. It's a city with 15 million people situated between Hong Kong and Guangzhou. I'm just saying that after 4 months here I am not finding that the people here are really that interested in speaking english with you unless they're a student or something or have an interest in going abroad.
Let me put it to you this way. More often than not, someone on the street will cold approach me and ramble in cantonese and mandarin for a minute or two, asking for directions to this place or that. Then, when they realize I have no fucking clue what they're going on about they'll switch to broken english, get their directions and be on their way. The first assumption there is that despite the fact that I'm a foreigner I must speak chinese even though I'm clearly not from china.
Are there people who will cold approach you on the train or on the street to speak with you sometimes? Yes, of course, but the general rule here is definitely "speak chinese, make friends who speak english or go drink by yourself." Maybe others have had vastly different experiences in china from me, which is fine, but even in countries where people speak your language and their language, I have found that they really prefer it when you speak their language.
I don't think that is entitlement, it is just common sense.
Let me put it to you this way. More often than not, someone on the street will cold approach me and ramble in cantonese and mandarin for a minute or two, asking for directions to this place or that. Then, when they realize I have no fucking clue what they're going on about they'll switch to broken english, get their directions and be on their way. The first assumption there is that despite the fact that I'm a foreigner I must speak chinese even though I'm clearly not from china.
Are there people who will cold approach you on the train or on the street to speak with you sometimes? Yes, of course, but the general rule here is definitely "speak chinese, make friends who speak english or go drink by yourself." Maybe others have had vastly different experiences in china from me, which is fine, but even in countries where people speak your language and their language, I have found that they really prefer it when you speak their language.
I don't think that is entitlement, it is just common sense.
I will be checking my PMs weekly, so you can catch me there. I will not be posting.