Hello, OK!
I really liked some aspects of Shaoxing, like how a lot of the new buildings were made in a traditional-looking style, so the looks of the ancient and modern parts of the city didn’t clash. But one thing I got really sick of was all the people shouting hello at me. This is a common occurance in China — people yell hello as foreigners go by. Usually, I don’t mind it at much, but it really got on my nerves in Shaoxing. More than 40 people (probably 50 or more) yelled it to me as I went by. I was staying at a cheap hotel populated mostly by Chinese guys running around in their underpants, and some of them started yelling it whenever they went by my door. MOST annoying. I only saw one other white person in the city proper, so I guess the helloing is the price I’d have to pay for living somewhere with so few foreigners.
Another thing is that recently I realized how much I say OK. I’ve been thinking about it lately, and in Shaoxing I was more aware of it, because some people laughed when I said OK. Then I got frustrated when I tried not to say it. Some of the helloing strangers even yelled, “Hello! OK!” as they went by, so I guess I’m not the only American who does this.
May 11th, 2005 at 2:03 am
I think I read somewhere that “OK” is the second most recognized word in the world — after “Coke.”