Window to the West:
EF's Catarina Lilliehook
Read Chinese Version (PDF)
Catarina Lilliehook, the EF Director of Recruitment and Training in China, had two dreams. She wanted to be able to speak Chinese and she wanted to write a book. She learned Chinese in Beijing and now she has just written her first book in Chinese! It's called Rediscovering China and it helps Chinese people understand the West. The author says her book is for anyone "who wants to study abroad, travel abroad, work in a foreign company, have a foreign friend, or is just interested in Western culture." In the book, the Swedish journalist tells simple and humorous stories about her life in China.
“Learning a foreign language doesn't come easy. You have to pay, like you do for anything in this life, you have to pay with time and energy. But you get so much more back.”
Why did you come to China?
When I was 36, I wanted a change in my life. I was in Sweden working as a freelance writer. My life was good. But I like new challenges and I found my life a bit boring. I had always been interested in the Chinese language. I even had a secret dream that one day I could speak Chinese! But I didn't really believe in it. There are some dreams you believe in and some dreams that are too far away.
I decided to start studying Chinese in Sweden. I liked it immediately. But I felt that I needed to go to China to make any more real progress. My husband couldn't really get away but I couldn't bother to wait! I left and went on my own to Beijing to study.
“If you can meet more people from different cultures and be influenced by them, you will have a much richer life.”
When did you start thinking about writing the book?
After my husband joined me in Beijing, we lived in a very fancy apartment. The apartment was very pretty but not very interesting. So we decided to find a more genuine way of living in China. We found a courtyard in the hutongs. When I moved from the apartment to the courtyard, my life changed drastically. In the apartment, you didn't have to face anything. There were always people helping you and they all spoke English. But when I moved out to the hutong, reality hit me. There were no foreigners. Our neighbors were all ordinary Chinese people. My neighbors taught me so much about China and how Chinese people are - what they like and what they don't like.
All the cultural differences that I had noticed at school were now even more obvious in the hutongs. They would ask me, "Why do you do this? Why do you do that?" And I would answer, "Why do you do this and that?"
After university, I had a private teacher that came to my house. We became good friends. We would talk about all these cultural differences. She asked me, "What do you really want to do in your life?" I said, "I would really like to be an author." She said, "Why don't you write a book about all these cultural differences?" This teacher is an excellent role model; she has great self-confidence. She said to me, "If you want to this, you can do this!"
I have always believed in having dreams and pursuing dreams. So I thought, OK, I will try!
What language did you write in?
Half in Chinese, half in English. I started in English, but then I realized it is much easier to write in Chinese and my friend could correct my mistakes. If you write in English, then you have Western thinking in your mind. But if you write in Chinese, you use Chinese thinking. So it's easier. But I needed someone to edit, of course!
What are some of the cultural differences you discuss in your book?
I discuss privacy a lot. How Westerners like their space and what things we think are private. For example, I was so shocked when my hutong neighbors asked me so many questions. How much money I make? Do I have kids? In my culture, you don't ask these things.
Going to the doctor's office is another great example. In the West, it's very private. It's between you and the doctor, no one else. But going to a hospital for the first time in China I didn't realize it would be a public experience!
I remember I walked into a room and I expected to see only a doctor. But there were all these people. They all stared at me. The doctor asked me a question and I answered. Then the doctor repeated what I said and everyone else in the room repeated what I said. It was like a comedy sketch! I was so embarrassed! I thought I was going to faint. I know they didn't mean any harm, but it's a cultural difference.
Why did you learn Chinese to learn about Chinese culture? Why not get a translator?
I believe you need to study the language because there is so much of the culture hidden in the language. And if you use a translator, you are going to miss a lot. Learning a foreign language doesn't come easy. You have to pay, like you do for anything in this life, you have to pay with time and energy. But you get so much more back.
Why should you learn about other cultures?
I think it's necessary to become cross-cultural. The world is shrinking, and if you don't develop the ability to deal with people from all over, to be able to tear down the invisible walls that surround every culture, you will find yourself left behind. Not only can you get a better job or earn more money, but your life will be more enjoyable and fun. If you can meet more people from different cultures and be influenced by them, you will have a much richer life.
Find It! Rediscovering China (Chinese title translated: Blond hair blue eyes looking at China) is available on these websites: www. dangdang. com http://www.bookschina.com/ http://www. bookmall. com.cn/