from: http://cache.tianya.cn/publicforum/Content/free/1/936286.shtml
tr. by judy


mike, after you read this thread, wish you can keep your hope for this country (you know what i mean)

One of my friends went on a business trip in Afghanistan. The following is his thoughts about Chinese in Afghanistan. I really don’t know how I should comment on it but look up to the sky silently.



So naive are the Americans and so politic are the Japanese. There is a word leaving to depict Chinese in Afghanistan: aborted. Chinese are blamed flunkies.

The American armored cars patrol in the Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, and the other places, including mountainous areas located on the frontiers. Their fighter planes and armed helicopters fly over our heads every now and then. I even can hear the sounds of explosion occasionally. These American soldiers really believe that it’s them are blessing Afghanistan and its people. So am I.

Every auto running on the streets is from Japan, though they are used or rejected in other countries. And more than 90% of trucks are Benz. Having visited a few homes of local residents and hotels, I find out almost all tableware are made in Japan. And even the cigarette market is Japanese world. Here is American clear the way and Japanese make them money.

Chinese auto even cannot hold a share in the most primary market in the world. Carpets maybe can share a little share here. As for the Chinese shoes, I have to say the credit standing is so low. Because this is a Muslin country, its people will put off their shoes and step onto the carpet when they have meals, but the Chinese shoes will be smelt unpleasant after wear 10 minutes.

(to be continued)

Let’s get into the core of the problem.
Saying honestly, those who dare go to Afghanistan now are comparatively adventurous. But even if these adventurous Chinese still appear unusual pusillanimous and servile before other nationalities.

Afghanistan is a country that has experienced so much wars and the self-confidence of its people are very rare, but on the airport every staff knows a truth that Chinese can be bullied.

(to be continued)

They dare not offend Iranian, Hindu, Pakistan, XXstan,…, and Saudi Arab. But whenever Chinese pass the Customs, they never miss the chance to ask for money easily.

Asking for money has appeared for at least two years, when I pass the Customs, the phenomenon has been extremely bad. There are actually six checkpoints for Chinese simply in a small airport. And the people from other nations can meet green light all the way.

As soon as the clients send us to the airport, we’re held back by the armed guards at the entrance of the airport. They want to check our luggage at the entrance. One of the three guards is a young man less 23 and some sparse beard on his face. Only see his beard I know he doesn’t belong to the rite must remain beard, but he looks like doesn’t shave within a week at least.

(to be continued)

As soon as sees us he asks, “China?”, I say, “Yes.” His eyes become damned bright at once and excited as if he smokes opium just now. And then he begins to blink his eyes to me. I don’t know what happened. My colleague tells me, “Maybe he wants you give him tip.”

Our clients come over here at once and say smooth things to him, so they don’t get tip from us. But they still search our luggage fiercely. If they find out cigarettes or lighters, they’ll confiscate them.

Entering the airport eventually, our clients hug us and say goodbye. When we pull our luggage to the gate, a few soldiers like brigand living in the 1930’ China hold back us. They ask us where we were going to. I answer we were going to Urumchi. One of them says Urumchi one o’clock. I say it’s half past one o’clock. They don’t say anything, so we stand on the former place. At this time, a soldier comes to us and says close to my eye, “OK, you give me 5 dollars, no problem.” About this I never experience before, so I translate his words to my colleague. My colleague seems not care anything and says, “Doesn’t matter.” Like this we pass this checkpoint.

(to be continued)

I’ve not been gone to mention the details about passport-checking. At this time, I’ve seen the tip target Chinese only.

We come up against a safeguard asking for tip again before the main building. He moves close to my ears and says, “You give me 5 dollars.” I answer, “No.” So he forbids we enter into the main building and give order us to stay in the sun. I refuse carrying out his command and still stay in the shade. As a result only I save the tip, and my other colleagues tip him.

The following is airport construction fee, no tip. Don’t want to mention.

At the security check, be asked for tip. I don’t give them.

The following is compulsory luggage packing. I refuse packing my luggage. Then I go to take my boarding check. At once a person more than 50 years emergencing next to me wants to paste label on my luggage and asks for tip to me. I refuse. The person packing luggage comes over here again and asks for tip. I have to say to him in Chinese, “What the hell are you talking about? I can’t get it.”

The following is passing the Customs and normal security check, no tip. After ending these processes, a person sitting behind a table demands us taking our luggage has been checked into a hole-in-the-wall place under the stair to be checked again. Before he opens our baggage, he says to us, “Give me 2 dollars or I will check.”

The above is simple depiction about the whole process and they target Chinese and can success mostly. They dare not ask for tip to the people from the other countries. But they know the meek Chinese who can be rode roughshod over are like sheepish sheep. It is a simply fault letting pass the Chinese easily.

I know I haven’t any right to blame Afghanistan people, the only thing I want to blame is the China’s endless history. The endless history gives gerentocratic so many opportunities to tame Chinese. As long as the slavish nature of Chinese still exists, it should be no problem the Communist Party govern China 50 years any longer. Damned!

All prices are flying up rapidly. The taxes to the auto and housing are also flying up rapidly. And unluckily seems so lots of people have been accustomed to be slaves and don’t know what a good thing freedom is.


(the end)

i know there are many mistakes in my translation. i see this as one of my practices for my E-C translation test this november for the time being.