What is an ex-pat bar? This term refers to a bar, which a majority of its customers are foreign (generally white, but not necessarily). These bars are not uncommon in any big city in China. It acts as a haven of sorts for many foreigners from the outside world, China. It gives one a chance to kick back, and imagine themselves at home tipping back a beer.
Why do I say boycott these places? This is the epitome of foreigners trying to avoid the culture that they are in. Instead of embracing all that is around them, they have to run off to some alcove and complain about the situation they are in. There is a vast sea of experiences out there just waiting to be embarked upon, but these people spend their time viewing this culture through the distorted glass of an empty Tsing Tao beer bottle.
I have seen this happen not just to business tycoons trying to milk China for its last yuan, but many students as well. Often times, people will come to China only to find that it is completely opposite than what they have imagined. Their ideal world of the land abroad is crushed the first day they arrive and are ripped off by a cab driver. These students cannot take the reality of what they have gotten themselves into, and turn to these bars for "comfort."
An alternative to wasting your time in these places, is perhaps making a Chinese friend and spend a night seeing how they spend their time. There is nothing wrong with kicking back and relaxing, but why not try it out of the protective circle of foreign friends. Why not try and bridging the gap between two cultures, instead of making it wider and harder for people to understand one another.
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