One of my favorite things about being here, or maybe just not being at my last job, is not really being accessible. I absolutely hated having my cell phone number on my business cards in the States, getting my work email to my phone, etc. I didn't care that my company paid the bulk of my bill, being reachable all the time and at the beck and call of others I just can't stand. I need separation of church and state; free time is free time and work time is work time.
In China, most people use prepaid phones and they frequently change numbers or have multiple numbers. If they move or travel to another city for a few weeks, they get a new number there so they aren't using long distance. Because most everything is prepaid, long distance costs extra. They aren't concerned with people no longer having their number or being able to reach them. Also, no one here has voicemail, even people with actual cell phone plans.
I think partially because of this, if a Chinese person calls another Chinese and does not get an answer, they will continue to call again and again until they reach the other person. It's not abnormal to get like six calls in a row from the same person. I have no clue why they don't just text after one unanswered call or assume the other person is busy. I think it's crazy annoying even just to be with someone that is getting a zillion calls in a row from the same person, much less to be on the receiving end of those calls.
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