Expats receive books on Chinese calligraphy. (File photo/Chinanews.com)
Michael Reed was both excited and nervous. His Chinese flatmate had called to say her friends from Yulin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region came over, and they were cooking dinner. She had remained mum about what was on the menu but promised a meal that would "blow his mind."
"It turns out they had cooked dog meat for dinner. I had never eaten dog meat before, but I couldn't say no because my flatmate and her friends were so proud of the cuisine from their hometown," said Reed, a 23-year-old Australian who lives in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province.
It took Reed several moments before he finally got up enough courage to eat the dog meat. "I had to accept that the only reason I think it's strange is because of where I grew up," he said.
These kind of cultural differences are no stranger to Reed, who has been living with his 23-year-old Chinese flatmate for almost a year.
In recent years, more expats, like Reed, are seeking Chinese flatmates to experience a more authentic Chinese living experience. The reverse is also true as an increasing number of Chinese are also opting to share a flat with foreigners to diversify their cultural experience.
Barry Bai, founder of wudaokouflats.com, a Beijing-based housing rental website for expats, said to date, he has helped over 400 people rent a room and that around 40 percent of his clients asked for a "Chinese and foreigner" living arrangement.
Living like a local
Reed said although he is from a different culture, he and his Chinese flatmate have a lot of shared interests.
He said they like watching movies together, learning Spanish together online, cooking together, and they often go to parties together. He said she has enriched his life in the country.
"The time I ate dog meat is a special experience that would've never had happened if it wasn't for my Chinese flatmate. Although I probably wouldn't do it again," Reed said.
For 27-year-old New Zealander Simon Robinson, sharing a flat with a Chinese person gives him more insight into Chinese culture and how the locals live.
"You get more of a feel for the differences between foreigners and Chinese when you live together because they will let their guard down, instead of acting differently because they're dealing with a laowai," Robinson said.
"The way they prepare tea at certain times, and open the windows to get some air flowing in the apartment. The way they make porridge and insist you drink it for your health. That's the everyday Chinese culture and customs, and foreigners can't get it any other way."
Besides experiencing local culture, Robinson said he and his Chinese flatmate get along well because they both have an international background.
"We have both lived in other countries and have been exposed to different ideas, so we know that the way we do things isn't necessarily the only way, which makes communication easier because we can talk about things we would like to change without hurting the other one's feelings," he said.
Robinson and his flatmate only converse in Chinese, which is another benefit of the shared living experience as he gets to brush up on his Chinese language on a daily basis.
"She speaks English but prefers to speak to me in Chinese," he said.
Some expats also find that having a Chinese flatmate affords them a better understanding of Chinese society and makes it easier for them to assimilate into the society.
Stephannie Tebow, a 55-year-old counselor at Harrow International School, who has lived with her Chinese flatmate for one year, said that her flatmate has been instrumental in teaching her social cues such as how to deal with a noisy neighbor without making things worse.
