Everyone knows that stereotyping is a dangerous game to play and that it can hurt feelings and stir heated debates. Having said that, stereotyping is sometimes great fun, especially if it’s only intended as a light-hearted joke. Here is a by no means complete list of some of the different types of foreigners you will find in China.

1)  The hutong sinophile

Hutong Sinophiles are an interesting breed. They are likely to have lived in China for a good few years and are just as likely to stay longer. They came for the love of Chinese culture and stayed here ever since, having found that after studying Chinese they were able to snag a half-pat job position (commonly journalism, media, translation or creative work). Most Hutong Sinophiles consider themselves experts in what constitutes the ‘real’ China.

1. Reason for being in China: "It’s all about 5000 years of language and culture."

1. Resides: A hutong.

1. Popular haunt: A hutong café.

1. Distinguishing feature: Something fetching like a scarf, possibly a bag with a red star stencil or the image of a revolutionary on it.

1. Most likely to say: "I chose to live in Beijing because it is the real China, not Shanghai.”

1. Mode of transport: Motorbike with sidecar. 

2)  The international school teacher

These educators will be upset if you get them confused with a TEFL teacher who has just graduated from university and is fresh off the plane and without even a TEFL certificate to his or her name. With pay packages and responsibilities similar to those they had back home, these certified teachers are some of the cream of the crop in China’s education system. 

1. Reason for being in China: Possibly a more comfortable lifestyle than that afforded to many teachers back home.

1. Resides: An expat enclave with villas and expat packagers (see definition of expat packager below).

1. Popular haunt: The staff room.

1. Distinguishing features: A smile not dissimilar to that of the cat that got the proverbial cream.

1. Most likely to say: Nothing (they'll most likely be in their school subsidized duplex apartment, too busy quaffing down take away they ordered from an exclusive restaurant).

1. Mode of transport: School bus by day, taxi by night.

3)  The expat packager
Many business professionals (investment bankers, consultants, managers) often find themselves inexplicably flung - like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz - all the way over to the China branch of their company. They are often people that were in demand back home and now their skills are even more in demand in China. Some of these people have a love/ hate relationship with China in that they find the work environment difficult from a cultural perspective but they enjoy the financial benefits and luxury lifestyles that their company allowances afford them.

1. Reason for being in China: “I don’t know; my company sent me here.”

1. Resides: An expat enclave characterized by vast complexes of western style villas.

1. Popular haunt: The fruit and vegetable aisle of the western supermarket, checking out the okra or zucchini; or the international school sports field, cheering their kids on.

1. Distinguishing feature: Pinstripes and sharp suits by day; pushchairs, buggies, strollers and casual smart on the weekend.

1. Most likely to say: “Let’s do lunch next Saturday at the Shangri-La.”

1. Mode of transport: Quite possibly something chauffeur driven.

4)  The aspiring screen writer
Living in China and taking a teaching job offering a minimum of teaching hours per week is a great choice for young people that are looking to hone their skills in solitary/creative pursuits such as writing, music and art. There are plenty of creative types around town in large Chinese cities as well as aspiring creative types. The aspiring screen writer is most easily spotted around town because of the ubiquitous Macbook that is their writing tool and their preponderance for hanging around in coffee shops, seemingly with a bad case of writers block.

1. Reason for being in China: Being China’s answer to Truffaut or Hitchcock.

1. Resides: Possibly in a university area.

1. Popular haunt: Sculpting In Time or Starbucks, Mac book in tow.

1. Distinguishing feature: Glasses (probably), Mac book pro.

1. Most likely to say: “I have been shopping my new screen play to a load of independent Chinese film makers.”

1. Mode of transport: Bicycle or scooter.

5)  The journeyman professional specialist English teacher
There are many mature English teachers in China that worked in a certain field in their home countries and have then come to China to teach specialist English in relation to their field of expertise. Fields that they have worked in include: business, engineering and the medical profession. They are some of the most respected teachers of English as a foreign language. This kind of professional is also the one most likely to go the distance in China and settle down for decades.

1. Reason for Being in China: For the love of passing on knowledge.

1. Resides: These guys are as hardy as mountain goats; you will find them anywhere that has 250 RMB hour salaried teaching posts. 

1. Distinguishing feature: A pretty, young, conservative looking Chinese wife that’s at least 10 years his junior.

1. Most likely to say: “Yes people often have a tendency for becoming lackadaisical..... Do you know what that word means?”

1. Mode of transport: Car, public transport.

6)  The international language student
With China’s ever increasing presence on the world stage and its emergence as a super power, learning Chinese language is one of the “in things” in higher education. For this reason, students now come in droves to attend China’s many language universities. These people are commonly young, fresh-faced and excited about China’s fascinating culture, burgeoning economy, growing international scene and 10 kuai drinks offers.

1. Reason for being in China: Learning the Chinese language, though some might suspect that it is actually beer-pong.

1. Resides: A five bedroom apartment with four other language university students, within crawling distance of campus. It’s not easy getting to class after chugging down 10 RMB shooters until 4am the previous night. Convenience is a must!

1. Popular haunts: The Yangrouchuan’r stand, Seven Eleven, Bar Street, The campus pool hall/ basketball court.

1. Distinguishing features: check two or more items on the following list and what you most likely have here is a language university student.

Cool sunglasses
Shorts (anytime of the year, even winter)
Flip flops
“Funny” t-shirt
Polythene bag from Seven Eleven containing Doritos and some cans of Tsingtao beer

1. Most likely to say: “Who’s for a round of beer-pong?  

Mode of transport: Flip flops/ sandals/ skateboard (they never have to go too far).

7) The accidental- hippie/ traveler expat
Another kind of foreigner found in China is the hippie expat. This type of person found his or her way to China thanks to the mystic winds of fate that blew him/her here. He/she then decided that that it was quite comfortable to eek out a living, and being not so industrious, decided it would be a good place to stay for a while; and then a while longer. And then another while longer…. 

1. Reason for being in China: “I don’t know man, I just kind of found myself here…. Awesome eh?”

1. Resides: any far flung place across a city. Southern cities closer to India such as Dali are particularly popular.

1. Popular haunt: The tofu counter in Wumei supermarket; such an array of soya based products draws the hippie expat like a moth to a strip light. 

1. Distinguishing features: a yinyang tattoo is a dead giveaway; a mish mash of unkempt tie dye and dreadlocks may also be signs of a hippie expatriate.

1. Most likely to say: “You can live really cheaply in China. I found a way to live on just 25 kuai a day.”

1. Mode of transport: Bus/on foot.

 

Related links
The Two Types of Foreigners in China
The Five Stupid Questions Foreigners Ask Chinese
Ten Most Influential Foreigners in China: Philosophy & Arts

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Keywords: foreigner stereotypes China expat types China foreigner types China Different types of foreigners China