The Israeli channel 2 morning show recently featured an interview with an English speaking Chinese tour-guide who takes mainland Chinese groups to visit Israel. The short interview provides some insights into how the Chinese see Israel and offers some curious cross-cultural interactions.
Here’s the video :
(Hebrew introduction)
A: You’ve been to China?
B: No.
A: Surprising.
B: But I’ve been to the walls of Jerusalem.
A: Among other places in the world. You probably know there are more than a billion Chinese all over the world, many of them are quite wealthy, some travel to west, but they don’t really come to visit us (in Israel). Only a few come here, and to understand how we could increase the number of visitors here’s an interview we recorded with Wan Chou, or Vicky, a young Chinese tour-guide who guides Chinese groups in Israel.
(Interview conducted mostly in English)
Wan wan : People prefer to go to the “classical” places first, like London, you’re classical but we prefer the bigger destinations first…
One time I bring my family to Israel, they’re very happy with the Israeli weather, and also the people are very nice and also the deadsea, Jerusalem is very nice.
I think you Israeli people are very friendly and hot, warm in the heart, you always want to help the others… Israelis are warm, give you a nice feeling, friend feeling. The Israelis are – how to say – friendly to the Chinese economy, they buy a lot of things in China.
I think you need to do more advertisement to Chinese about how nice Israeli is, because Chinese have illusion about Israel – Boom Boom Balagan (big mess in Hebrew)…
The highlight of the interview was, no doubt, the end of the interview :
B : To conclude… please say a full line in Hebrew, can you?
Wan Wan : a full line? you mean a full sentence? okay… You’re ugly, but I love you anyways.
B: I should have seen that coming.
A: [Slang] Hitting it all the way (or… a home run). [In English] very good, Wan Wan, very good.
B: Why are you laughing? is that so funny to you? 😛
A: Excellent.
I am impressed. Very nice and confident girl!
“Boom boom balagan” was the best.