Public Chopsticks- 公筷

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Re: Public Chopsticks- 公筷
« Reply #15 on: January 08, 2013, 08:13:05 PM »
Oh, piffle...I would argue that if dirt, germs and a...hmm...relaxed attitude towards hygiene is off-putting, then China will be a challenge. I have no problems with the communal eating, however, as NATO can testify, I don't ever do anything communal.
"Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination." Oscar Wilde.

"It's all oojah cum spiffy". Bertie Wooster.
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NATO

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Re: Public Chopsticks- 公筷
« Reply #16 on: January 08, 2013, 10:45:10 PM »
Swapping spit with others does nothing to make your immune system stronger.  We all encounter MORE than enough germs in our daily life to make our immune systems strong.  Those studies are basically comparing living in a normal situation to living in a sterile bubble; so of course the bubble mice are going to have weaker immune systems.  If you want more germs in your environment get a dog.

Thanks for clearing that up. I should've paid more attention in Science class.

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however, as NATO can testify, I don't ever do anything communal.

That's not true. You've been communal on 3 occasions since August 2011.  agagagagag

Re: Public Chopsticks- 公筷
« Reply #17 on: January 09, 2013, 03:09:53 AM »
Oh, piffle...I would argue that if dirt, germs and a...hmm...relaxed attitude towards hygiene is off-putting, then China will be a challenge. I have no problems with the communal eating, however, as NATO can testify, I don't ever do anything communal.

I love communal eating.  But I never realized how much I appreciate something called a SERVING SPOON.

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old34

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Re: Public Chopsticks- 公筷
« Reply #18 on: January 09, 2013, 04:51:53 AM »
During the SARS epidemic in 2003 when they finally admitted to it, and then were searching for the source, suddenly serving chopsticks were being introduced in many/most restaurants. Every place was using them.

Oh, also, they started covering the tables with plastic sheaths so they could just wrap the sheath (along the with the spit out bones, etc.) take it away, and re-line the table, without the necessity of wiping down the tablecloth with a germ-soaked rag.

By June or July, after the crisis passed, those "sanitary measures" quickly disappeared. The only one that still seems to stick is this one: at the height of the crisis when they still weren't sure how it was happening, they thought maybe it was being spread through the drainage system in apartment buildings, so they ordered all hotels to close the drains in hotel rooms.

To this day, if you go to any hotel in China, you'll find a plugged drain in the sink after the cleaning lady leaves.

Ah, the SARS days.......
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad. - B. O'Driscoll.
TIC is knowing that, in China, your fruit salad WILL come with cherry tomatoes AND all slathered in mayo. - old34.

Re: Public Chopsticks- 公筷
« Reply #19 on: January 12, 2013, 12:49:45 AM »
Not really related to chopsticks but old34's post made me think of this...

During the SARS thing a lot of hotpot restaurants started offering the smaller, individual pots which I prefer, rather than the big communal pot.
At the time people said it was a hygiene measure.

It's a lot easier to find a hotpot place with individual pots now than it was pre SARS.

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caley1313

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Re: Public Chopsticks- 公筷
« Reply #20 on: January 12, 2013, 04:26:51 AM »
Communal eating and is it safe????  Well, I have an identical twin who spent a year in Ethiopia on some foolish UN peacekeeping mission. He went to a restaurant with some locals in the admin office and they all started eating with their hands. It took him 2 years and heavy, heavy dosages of antibiotics to eventually remove the worms from his body. Today, I've noticed that he looks older than I, must have his afternoon nap, and his nerves are at wit's end. I'll pass on any form of communal eating. Cheers. Caley
Carpe Diem, mi amigo, or...Seize the Big Fish as they say here in Carolina

Re: Public Chopsticks- 公筷
« Reply #21 on: January 12, 2013, 07:03:48 AM »
Just disinfect your mouth with a celebratory shot of baijiu at the end of the meal. The job's a good'un. 

Re: Public Chopsticks- 公筷
« Reply #22 on: January 12, 2013, 07:15:46 PM »
Communal eating and is it safe????  Well, I have an identical twin who spent a year in Ethiopia on some foolish UN peacekeeping mission. He went to a restaurant with some locals in the admin office and they all started eating with their hands. It took him 2 years and heavy, heavy dosages of antibiotics to eventually remove the worms from his body. Today, I've noticed that he looks older than I, must have his afternoon nap, and his nerves are at wit's end. I'll pass on any form of communal eating. Cheers. Caley

Wow.  That's too bad.  And I know it's bit off topic, but not completely since this is a hygiene issue.  But just to clarify, for worms you don't use an antibiotic (that's to kill bacteria), you use a worm drug the most popular of which is Albendazole.  They sell it in all the drug stores here.  I have to mention it because I had a case of worms a few years ago which I suspect was from under-cooked oysters I had at the Dai Pai Dong when I was living in Guangdong.  I'm kinda hot about the whole health thing now because I was traveling in China recently and needed some loperamide (brand name Immodium in the USA, it's an anti diarrhea drug).  In Guangdong every pharmacy has this, but in some of these hillbilly provinces (i.e. Yunnan, Henan, etc.) I got the big "mei you" when I asked for it.  I was shocked.  To not stock a staple drug like this in a pharmacy means the medical system in this country is seriously retarded.  It's possible that my chinese was wrong; but since I just translate with google and then print it out and bring it to the hospital or pharmacy, I doubt it was that (I know google translate has many flaws, but for the names of drugs it is usually 100% correct).  Anyone else find themselves needing to self diagnose and self prescribe when ill here?  

To get back to the original topic; perhaps the most objectionable thing I have ever found here was eating with a group of other laowai (no chinese at the table) who didn't believe in using public chopsticks.  It think some people call this going native; I call it proudly displaying your white trash roots.
« Last Edit: January 12, 2013, 07:21:31 PM by chase heineken »

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Escaped Lunatic

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Re: Public Chopsticks- 公筷
« Reply #23 on: January 16, 2013, 01:54:59 PM »
There aren't too many intestinal worms you can catch by eating bare handed.  Undercooked meat, with bare hands, chopsticks (public or private), or a fork would be a much more likely source.

Just disinfect your mouth with a celebratory shot of baijiu at the end of the meal. The job's a good'un. 

An excellent solution. agagagagag
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gonzo

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Re: Public Chopsticks- 公筷
« Reply #24 on: January 18, 2013, 05:02:22 PM »
Chinese regard for public hygiene is legendary. I won't cite obvious examples such as the national competition to leave the biggest un-flushed turd in a China Rail WC. Only to mention the SARS thing, when some of you may have been in situ.  Shared eating utensils were banned, as were re-useable chopsticks. So what did the bored xiaomei do with the replacement, shiny new unused disposables? Blow air-through her pouty lips- into the little plastic bag the kuaizi were to come in, before placing them so carefully inside their little container for us to eat with! Nice one, Xiao Mei.
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CaseyOrourke

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Re: Public Chopsticks- 公筷
« Reply #25 on: January 18, 2013, 09:15:47 PM »
That shot my argument that in NE China. every restaurant I went to used the disposible wood sticks, but then I never put the wood in my mouth, I would bite off half of what I was eating then after chewing and swallowing would pluck the other half out of the sticks. 

In the southeast (Shanghai area) I see more of the reusable, but poeple have told me to swish the part ot the sticks you eat from in a glass of boiling hot water/tea before you use them.

My problem when I go out with my chinese friends or workmates is their habit of chewing with their mouths open.  I want to say something, but good manners precludes me.  Thankfully, since Mrs. Casey spent many years working in Russia, so she adopted the western & Russian habit of chewing with her mouth closed.

We had the son of a Chinese friend stay with us and he said he told his parents that my wife and I were the quietest eaters he had ever seen.   

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Re: Public Chopsticks- 公筷
« Reply #26 on: January 18, 2013, 09:57:06 PM »
We had the son of a Chinese friend stay with us and he said he told his parents that my wife and I were the quietest eaters he had ever seen.   

LMAO! ahahahahah


I keep getting accused (mostly by southern Chinese friends) of being too polite since I don't pick up my rice bowl, hold it in front of my mouth, and use the shovel method.  I just tell them that anyone properly trained in using kuàizi doesn't need to resort to shoveling their rice. bjbjbjbjbj

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yli

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Re: Public Chopsticks- 公筷
« Reply #27 on: January 18, 2013, 11:26:31 PM »
As a Shanzhai Chinaman, I must come out in favor of just grabbing whatever with your own personal chopsticks. If you don't trust someone enough to swap spit with them, you shouldn't trust them enough to break bread with them.

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Re: Public Chopsticks- 公筷
« Reply #28 on: January 18, 2013, 11:30:45 PM »
If you don't trust someone enough to swap spit with them, you shouldn't trust them enough to break bread with them.

We need a Saloon quotes hall of fame.  I nominate this for it. agagagagag
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yli

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Re: Public Chopsticks- 公筷
« Reply #29 on: January 19, 2013, 12:03:57 AM »
Also, you haven't really experienced China unless you've experienced an evening sitting on the toilet, begging the Lord Tengri to deliver you from the agony.