Stand up, squat or sit-down

A sign to direct travelers to the bathroom in a metro station in Beijing.

Americans preparing to come to China may want to start practicing their squatting position, because they'll be forced to use it in Chinese restrooms. Public toilets in China consist of a hole, a foot lever for flushing, and – quite often – no toilet paper. In the US, toilets involve a seat, a lever for you to flush with your hands and – more often than not – toilet paper.

Gated communities

Apartments surrounded by a gate in a neighborhood in Beijing.

In China, many residential areas are gated, while in the US, normal middle class level homes are not surrounded by a gate, or even a wall. Neighborhoods that do have this extra layer of protection in the US tend to be upper class neighborhoods with expensive homes.

Diaper or no diaper

A toddler going for a walk with his mother in Beijing.

When it comes to keeping babies' butts clean and fresh, the Chinese have it all figured out. Many toddlers wear pants with slits in them so they can conveniently relieve themselves on the sidewalk or wherever else they happen to be. With China's pollution and environmental problems this is one way to cut down on waste from diapers.

Sun protector or rain protector

In America, the umbrella is used to protect yourself from getting wet when it rains. In China, many people use it to protect their skin from getting darker. They are used as a second form of sun block, especially in the bigger cities like Beijing and Shanghai.

The elderly stay active

In China most of the elderly stay active after retirement. It isn't rare to go to a park and see more older people than children. Many parks contain exercise equipment that is open and free for everyone to use. In America, the equipment at public parks is designed for kids, and adults tend to just walk or run around the trails. Elderly Americans rarely go to the park by themselves or have any sort of work-out routine throughout the week.