Woo hoo, you really schooled me with your killer kliches.

Another reason why so many expats in Asia acts like dicks: Because they’re dicks.

Guangxi province?

Also… been in China too long? It’s a 3rd world country. Obviously you’re not supposed to live there long term. The Chinese dream is GTFO.

*facepalm…

you are so white… thanks for breaking it down homeboy.

Alternatives: House Laowais vs. Field Laowais.

House laowais are the ultimate suckers, because they do not seem to understand that they will forever be second-class subjects in China, gleefully exploited by their local masters, and are arrogant enough to believe that they can transcend the system, to somehow be a magical exception to a very hard and fast rule.

The “wai” in laowai really does mean something: It means you will never be “one of us,” and therefore you should always mind your place and not get too “uppity.” Expats here would do much better trying to stick together, but there’s always some laowai Uncle Tom, some naive yet smug house laowai, who fucks things up for the rest of us.

Having grown up in some pretty tough urban areas in the States, I know that African-Americans especially like to clock each other in the street just to register who’s cool and who’s not in their local ‘hood (read: territory). The ones who aren’t cool may very well be a threat, which is essential to know for one’s own survival.

The Chinese and other Northeast Asians tend to ignore strangers in public, whereas in Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia, people seem to register others a lot more frequently in public. A lot of white expats in Asian seem to fall into the not-so-cool Chinese-style camp, unlike most Africans here. Perhaps they really are just trying to fit in and “go native.”

Not sure if there is any connection or not, but Indonesia men reportedly have the biggest cocks among Asian men. Read into that as you will.

I would say that is the only time a nod is warranted. Nodding in Beijing would mean you’re probably nodding at a thousand tourists every day. Come on! Perhaps if another foreigner happens to live in your compound it’s interesting to know where he/she is from but on the other hand, there’s no reason to actively go out of your way to meet up with him/her just because they share your skin color. I mean, I’m not from the US or UK and have about as little affinity with the US as with any other country except for my home country.

I thought it was racial, like I only have to nod at my own people. I’ve got to bring brothers into the mix now?

And what if I pass an Aiweiwei-haircut, banana-looking mofo like Anthony Tao? Or an Indian?

I think I’m going to have to draw the line at Asians altogether. You can get your nods some other place.

It’s more like the Laowai Freeze Out.

It happened to me here in Shenyang just the other day. Some fat-assed white grandfather type in shorts and a visor passed by me on a narrow sidewalk without any other foot traffic in the vicinity. We were close enough to touch. I nodded towards him as he went by, and he simply looked the other way while avoiding any eye contact, which clearly involved much conscious effort on his part.

At least the Africans in Asia are cool, and will always acknowledge you with a friendly nod in public spaces.