Blowing your nose: is this acceptable social practice here?

Daily Life, Swiss News and General Topics
21
well it is a bit of a pointless question????

22
Well they are as you say blowing their noses into a handkerchief. If anyone blows their noses directly into your plate, then I would say you had a valid beef.

23
I've heard from a friend who regularly travels to China on business that when he's gone to dinner with Chinese business people they regularly clear their throats and spit the contents on to a side plate which is then left on the table, also when they chew on lumps of meet with bone and gristle they spit the remains out onto the same plate - apparently the more important you are the quicker your side plate gets cleared away and a clean one returned, the lower down the scale you are the plate is left.

Now thats a perfectly normal chinese table habit to the Chinese but to us we'd find it pretty disgusting.

I think HAT you just have to get used to the fact that people do that here and its not thought of as disgusting - its perfectly normal.

I agree with a previous poster - to hear someone sniff the contents of their throat back and swollow is much worse than blowing your nose. Incidently HAT what do you do when you get a cold?

Nicky

24

Hi

Firstly, I am not from CHINA.

If you suggest to a Swiss-german person, that he is from Germany, then I guess the feeling is similar.

But it is ok. I am not hung up on labels. I am CHINESE.

BTW, I am also displeased with China people (not "Chinese", because millions/billions of immigrant chinese all over world), when they spit into a Spitoon during and after a meal. Even the leaders now in China agrees this is unhygienic.

I have gotten used to many things here in Switzerland and believe me (some may not), that I am very tolerant of these things (however strange or rude they may look to me).

However I posted this, to just share or see if this is common practise here. Not really a "complaint" per se.

When I have a cold (chinese have smaller noses than europeans, esp mine), I use Triofan (clears the nose) and I clear my nose out of eyesight or hearing from others (usually in toilet or as discretely as possible).

I don't use hankerchiefs because they are so old fashion and can get quite disgusting after 3 or more blows (I burn forests using tissue papers).

HAT

25
HAT I didn't say you were from China I was just highlighting different cultures.

I think everyone knows you aer from Singapore

Nicky

26
my [Swiss] boss extracts bogeys and nose-hair whilst you're talking to him and then eats it

I kid you not....

27
I took a taxi in Singarpore earlier this year. In chatting with the driver he informed me he would off to Switzerland for some skiing shortly. He said his brother lived here in Wollerau (a name I always find strangely Australian Aboriginal in style).

He further advised that his brother ran a restaurant there. 'Not the China Garden?' I asked. The driver was very impressed. I said anyone who has ever driven in the direction of Zurich on the autobahn will have seen his brother's place.

By the way, the taxi driver hardly spat at all.

28
I've never seen anyone spit in the China Garden either!

29

HAHahahahahahhahah

Singapore is NOT in China.

HAT