It's more than just perfecting your chopsticks technique or struggling to learn Mandarin. Living in China - indeed, living anywhere abroad - changes you, as Matt Prichard reports.
以為練習使用筷子，努力學習普通話就是在中國生活的全部？那你可就錯了。在馬特·普里查德看來，中國生活會給你帶來許多改變——其實，我們只要生活在國外就一定會發生變化。

I have now lived in China longer than it took to get my bachelor's degree. While no one is going to confuse me with any of my Chinese colleagues or friends, the experience has definitely made a difference in my daily routine and how I see the world. In my estimation, it has been a positive change.
我在中國呆的時間比在大學呆的時間還長。當我和中國同事、朋友在一起的時候，外人總能一眼認出我是外國人，但在中國生活的這么些年確實影響了我的日常生活乃至世界觀。而且在我看來，這些都是積極影響。

Some ingrained laowai (foreigner) habits are hard to break: I still sometimes forget to ask if I should take off my shoes when visiting another person's home. Yet, it was a revelation to make a list of 50 ways I have become more Chinese, and in particular, more of a Beijinger, in ways big and small:
有一些根深蒂固的“老外”習慣仍然難以改正：比如去拜訪別人家時，有時我還是忘了問需不需要換鞋子。但當我列出了自己越來越像中國人，尤其是像北京人的大大小小五十個行為方式后，連自己都覺得出乎意料。

從飲用熱水到不再見人就擁抱，我在下面五十個細節上越來越像中國人：

1. While mystified the first time I was served a glass of hot water, I now like it, especially in winter.
第一次接到一杯熱水時我困惑不解，而如今我卻愛上了熱水，尤其在冬天。

2. I have an English name and a distinct Chinese name (Ma Wen Tao) that's not just a phonetic version of the former.
我有一個英文名和一個發音完全不同的中文名（馬文濤），中文名不是英文名的音譯。

3. I know the Chinese zodiac sign I was born under (rooster).
我知道自己的生肖是雞。

Also, I:
此外，我還：

4. Don't hug acquaintances anymore.
不再見人就擁抱。

5. Smile automatically when I see a small child, and may ask a baby's age or name.
看到小孩就情不自禁地微笑，可能還會問寶寶多大了，叫什么名字。

6. Have a new favorite breakfast food: jian bing, Shandong style, a crunchy, eggy, spicy crepe of goodness.
早餐有了新的最愛：山東煎餅，一種加蛋的香辣脆餅，好吃到爆。

7. Go to Wumart more than Wal-Mart, and love the lively atmosphere.
去物美超市比去沃爾瑪去得更勤，喜歡那里的生氣勃勃。

8. Have a son who speaks good Chinese - my youngest studied Mandarin in college, including a summer in Chengdu.
有個中文說得很溜的兒子——我最小的孩子在大學里學過普通話，還在成都待過一夏天。

9. Have a new favorite snack: chuanr, or as my wife calls it, meat-on-a-stick.
零食也有了新的最愛：烤串兒，或者用我妻子的話來說，串燒肉。

10. Seldom worry about personal safety, even walking in big cities at night.
不怎么擔心個人安全了，晚上也敢在大城市里行動了。

11. Keep a large metal carafe on my desk for hot water for the day's tea.
桌上準備了一個不銹鋼水壺，用來放白天泡茶的熱水。

12. Have friendly relationship with Jing Dong delivery guy.
和京東快遞小哥的關系挺不錯的。

13. Have a Chinese keyboard on my phone.
手機上設置了中文輸入法。

14. Will eat jellyfish - reminds me of cole slaw.
開始吃海蜇，味道像菜絲沙拉。

15. No longer have coffee on balcony - that's where I hang wet clothes.
再也不在陽臺上喝咖啡了——那可是我晾衣服的地方。

16. Politely cover my mouth with one hand while using a toothpick.
用牙簽時會禮貌地用手擋住嘴巴。

17. Grocery shop using my bicycle.
騎自行車去買菜。

18. Have to remember to tip when I'm traveling abroad.
出國旅行時必須提醒自己要給小費。

19. Wonder why public spaces there look so empty.
看到空蕩蕩的公共場所會很奇怪。

20. Pack a jar with a hot beverage from home for the office.
出門上班時會裝上一罐熱飲。

21. Consider vendors' prices only a reference point for haggling.
知道商家的標價只是為砍價做參考而已。

22. Use the China UnionPay card: I never leave home without it.
用中國銀聯卡：出門必將隨身攜帶。

23. Love tearjerker Chinese history dramas on TV.
酷愛電視上催淚的中國古裝劇。

24. Am amazed by Western actors who speak really good Mandarin.
聽到西方演員操一口標準的普通話會十分嘆服。

25. Make fun of Americanized "Chinese food" back home.
回美國時會打趣美版的“中華菜肴”。

26. Keep transit card on me at all times.
隨身攜帶一卡通。

27. Check air pollution conditions several times a day.
一天能查上好幾次空氣污染情況。

28. Keep mask in my coat pocket, humidifier by my bed.
外套口袋里備有口罩，床邊備有空氣加濕器。

29. Calculate, automatically, yuan equivalents of dollar prices in my head.
自動心算將人民幣換算成美元。

30. Am amazed at how much stuff costs in Western countries.
為西方國家的高物價所震驚。

31. Check WeChat throughout day; make phone calls on WeChat.
一整天時不時就檢查微信，用微信語音聊天。

32. Think ganbei (dry cup) when someone proposes a toast.
別人祝酒時我就想著干杯。

33. Have a pet cat with a Chinese name, Meimei (Little Sister).
養了一只中文名叫“妹妹”的寵物貓。

34. Love candied crabapples.
喜歡上了蜜餞。

35. Put my contact information for emails in English and Chinese.
電子郵件的通訊錄設為中英對照。

36. Measure wintertime by when Beijing's centralized radiator heating system comes on and shuts off.
根據北京中央供暖系統的開放和關閉來判斷冬季的來去。

37. Keep supply of red envelopes for cash gifts on appropriate occasions.
常年備有紅包，在必要的場合贈送禮金。

38. Go to a hospital for routine healthcare.
定期去醫院做體檢。

39. Have Moutai baijiu (white spirits) firewater in a cabinet at home.
家里壁柜中收藏了濃烈的茅臺白酒。

40. Live in a divided household: Wife and I are split by that infamous rivalry, Shanghai vs Beijing.
夫妻兩地分居：兩個人分別生活在勢不兩立的上海和北京。

41. Have no problem with squat toilets, which actually are more natural.
用得慣蹲式廁所，其實這種排便姿勢更自然。

42. Surprised and dismayed by how little the world knows about China.
世界對中國知之甚少，這讓我很驚訝也很沮喪。

43. Get up in wee hours to watch important sporting events outside Asia.
凌晨爬起來看亞洲外的重大體育賽事。

44. Think not only of time zones when phoning abroad, but also the International Dateline.
打國際長途時除了要考慮時差，還要考慮國際日期變更線。

45. Try to balance Mandarin-speakers and English-speakers at social gatherings.
社交聚會上，在說漢語和說英語的人之間巧妙周旋。

46. Understand much better the importance of friends to a happy life.
比以前更明白友情對幸福生活的重要性。

47. Celebrate two New Year's days and two Valentine's days.
每年慶祝兩個新年，兩個情人節。

48. Stare briefly at anyone who doesn't appear to be Chinese on buses, subways or airplanes.
在公交車、地鐵和飛機上，看到誰不像是中國人就會瞧上一眼。

49. Read celebrity news of Jackie Chan and Fan Bingbing, ignore Kardashians.
看成龍和范冰冰的八卦新聞，而不再理會卡戴珊姐妹。

50. Gave up Netflix for Youku.
不再看奈飛，喜歡上了優酷。

Vocabulary

carafe: 飲料瓶
haggle: 討價還價
wee hours: 凌晨

英文來源：中國日報
作者：Matt Prichard
譯者：趙瀟逸
審校&編輯：丹妮