This one might not resonate as much if you’ve never spent any time living in China as an expat, but still worth a click for the educational value: Shanghai-based comedy site Mamahuhu has just released its latest masterpiece, an 11-minute video straightforwardly entitled “When Friends Visit You Overseas”:It captures well the fatigue that sets in after years of hitting the same tourist circuits and guidebook highlights that every visiting friend and family member wants to see, long after you’ve surpassed your own tourist sell-by date. Shocking but true: after a certain amount of time, your average China-based expat will be more inclined to seek out the creature comforts of home (I have a falafel place on speed dial) than queue up for “Shanghai’s oldest xiao long bao” or whatever it is Lonely Planet recommends you get into.Best part:Of course there’s a fair amount of snark here, and it’s pretty Shanghai in flavor (Beijing expats tend to localize a bit more), but it’s a pretty entertaining video that does dispel certain preconceptions about China, even as it mercilessly mocks the cliche of doe-eyed, first-time visitors loudly shedding their preconceptions about China.Mamahuhu in general is well worth a follow if you want an irreverent take on explaining contemporary urban China (again, mainly Shanghai, but still). They just came back after a hiatus, and seem to be reinvigorated in their quest for your clicks. Here are a few more highlights from them to give you a vibe:
