My First Night Out!

Me and Natasha walked to a nightclub less than a minute’s walk from our neighbourhood. We met two teachers outside. They took us in. We were greeted by a team of ten staff welcoming us in, bowing and saying their greetings.

We were on the guest list. I heard loud Western music in the distance. The doors were opened and we were guided to our table.

A table just for us…and free drinks all night!! Why?...Because we were Westerners. We were a group of four Westerners. We were allowed free drinks all night and a personal waiter. If there had been three Westerners and one Chinese…we would have not been given the same service!

We put our coats in the coat room (every cloak room anywhere is free) and we began our night!

A girl no one knew came to our table. Her eyes widened when she saw me and clinked her glass against mine. If someone says ‘cheers’ to you in China, you have to down your drink. I’m terrible at downing drinks, but here it’s considered a weakness or even disrespectful if you don’t! So I downed my drink…then again and again!

 In China, people say ‘cheers’ a lot! In Western countries, we say it once at the beginning, but in China, they say it all the time. I mean ALL the time! So you always have to be prepared. Having an empty glass is not an excuse!

In foreign countries, I am used to guys giving me attention for my ‘blonde’ hair, pale skin and tallness but I am not used to girls!

Another girl came up to me and spoke Chinese. (No one speaks English here…NO ONE!) Lee, one of the English teachers translated for me. She said that her male friend invited me to their table for a drink. I went with Lee to try and get away from the clingy Chinese girl. She followed.

I drank a drink at the table and then the two girls progressed to almost argue about who go to be in my company! Two girls…disagreeing over who should be in my company!

(If a Chinese person is seen in company with a white person in China, whether you are a man or woman, the Chinese person is seen as being wealthy and with many connections. Therefore, the Chinese person’s friends will be impressed and they will respect them highly!)

So I had men and women talking to me all the time, asking for photos, clinking glasses with me and talking in a language I didn’t know!

Later, the clingy Chinese girl gave me her owl pendant. I knew it was impolite to refuse but I had to! She left it with me anyway! In Italy, owls are a sign of good luck…so I hope it will bring me luck! Lee eventually told the clingy girl to go away. She obviously took offence but five minutes later, we saw her gate crashing another groups table and stealing their alcohol instead.

I saw a lot of girls in little clothing. The girls who were dressed (like hookers basically) worked there. Mostly men in China earn lots of money so bars and clubs mainly target men to come and spend money at their clubs, hence the girls in little clothes!

A few times, the girls performed dances or sang songs for the audience. Some men that worked for the club also performed some dances. They danced to songs like 'YMSA' and 'Gangnam style.' A man sang some Chinese songs and dedicated them to me and a woman mimed to Lady Gaga and Rihanna in a really strange costume.

Then the Western/club music started once more! I loved it!...

…Until they started playing Chinese pop music! I obviously didn’t know any of it! But it made me laugh!

At home in the UK, boys wouldn’t be seen dead on the dance floor if there were no girls and no decent music (unless they were very drunk)…but at one point here I even saw straight Chinese guys dancing in a circle holding hands for a short while!!!

More than once there were circles of Chinese boys and girls who got me in the middle and took it in turns to dance with me! They seemed so happy to have a moment dancing with me.

It also made me laugh when Lee got too drunk and had to go home. He told us not to trust the man who worked at the club who had been looking after our table and to keep hold of our things the whole time after he left.

Lee told us at the beginning to trust the club worker with everything while we danced! 

Luckily, me and Natasha kept hold of our bags all night! He seemed nice enough, it was his job after all to look after us. But you can never be sure!

In Zhengzhou, it’s unusual to see foreigners, especially tall, ‘blonde’ white girls! So when people come up to me, I make their experience a good one! I smile and be polite. I feel so famous! haha!

I can’t wait for my next night out.