These post belongs to the new category, called Chinese myths, where I will comment on some stuff that for us, Western people, are a typical expected trademark for Asians. Now, this is only from my own limited personal experience!!! Very possible I will change my mind with after more time here, and I will of course appreciate comments from real Chinese or laowais that have lived in China longer than me!!
Everybody knows that Asian people are extremely humble. You can read that in every language book and you experience that when you meet people over here. So it is generally true: when I praise a Chinese colleague for some good achievements they always tend to lower their contribution or their work. You probably would rarely hear Chinese or Japanese people greatly complimenting themselves.
Of course sometimes this excessive humility is just a way to get praises, lowering oneself more than actually reality shows. But this is not uncommon in Western countries as well!
The exception are Asian girls!! When they get to know you a bit better and they refer to themselves, their beauty especially, nothing is humble anymore!!
At the beginning, when they have just met you, they are like the rest of the Chinese: extremely humble about everything. It can be their own skills, appearence, results, achievements, goals, etc. It does not matter: they are just average, so-so, not special. Typical answers!
But then, if you start getting closer, and not necessary boyfriend kind of close, just more as a normal friend, many things change!! They are always beautiful, their girlfriends are all gorgeous, their style is unique and their skills with no equals! And if you get bf-close, be aware that underestimating or under-praise your Asian girlfriend is a capital sin!! 🙂
It is not so uncommon in Western countries too, but in Asia, from my limited experience, I admit it is very uncommon to meet an Asian girl possessing some kind of objectivity.. They are more Aristotelian, and of course they are the center of the universe 🙂
On the other hand, I admit that sometimes it is worth to evolve around some of these centers 😉 and they are not always wrong, when addressing themselves or their girlfriends 🙂
Dreaming of... Asia 