Teacher Liu, I saw a news story today saying that an Indian passenger was eating hand-eaten rice on the Shenzhen metro, and it caused a lot of discussion online.

Yes, I saw it too. According to the rules, eating is not allowed in metro carriages, and that applies to everyone.

I understand. But in India, eating with one’s hands is a traditional custom. He might just not have known the rules in China.

You're right. Different cultural habits can easily cause misunderstandings. Later, the Shenzhen metro also responded, saying they would treat everyone equally with no discrimination.

I think that’s a very fair way to handle it. The rules are followed, and respect for other cultures is also shown.

Yes, and it reminds us that when we go abroad, we should take the initiative to learn the local etiquette and rules. There is a Chinese saying, ‘入乡随俗’, which is full of wisdom.

I really like that saying. Learning a language is actually also learning a culture. I hope everyone can understand each other more.

Exactly. Understanding is always more important than blaming; only then can the world become more inclusive.