My student and her three friends (Cathy and Company) all felt that understandings of politeness in college classrooms are different in Taiwan than they are in far flung China.

 

Cathy and Company said they were not accustomed to seeing so many classmates arrive late for class. Students tend to arrive in class early in China, they told me. One reason is that classroom life at Renmin appears to be more competitive than at my university. 

 

Students in China may be less willing to form close relationships with classmates, the Company said. 

 

Your classmates are not your enemies, but life is a race and your goal is to reach the finish line first. So, protect your own interests and don't give away any secrets.

 

Our friends from Renmin said they had generally found a warm welcome from both instructors and classmates here. One of Cathy's friends remarked with a sigh, "I envy Taiwan students and feel reluctant to give up my life here and go back."