Vlogger who travelled from China to India says it feels like a 'different planet', triggers debate

A travel vlogger who came to India after spending weeks in China has highlighted the sharp contrast between the two countries, triggering mixed reactions. The vlogger named Mr Schnaider described how landing in India felt like he had come to a “different planet”. He said in the video that despite being only four hours away, both countries are drastically different. "After spending 6 weeks in China followed by a short three-hour flight, landing in India felt like stepping into an entirely different world," Mr Schnaider said. While clearly saying that "only Indians can judge their own culture", he said the Chinese culture was very different. The first things he noticed after landing in India were the "raw energy, chaos, overcrowding, and visible poverty", while pointing out "cleanliness, organisation, and smooth systems" in China. “What surprised me the most was the contrast," he said.

“People came up to me and kept grabbing my hand, saying ‘please, please’. But who am I to judge this culture? Chinese culture is different, Indian culture is different, my country culture is different, only Indians can judge their own culture," he added in the video. The vlogger is facing flak from some people for making the comparison, while others agree with him. An Indian who lives in China commented, “I am an Indian living in China, and whatever he said is absolutely true. Instead of getting offended, we should try to improve ourselves. China is really clean and well-organised.”

People point out differences between India and China

Another user added, “I see some hate comments telling the guy to go back. It is time we accept reality. He is sharing his personal experience, and unfortunately, it is true. Hopefully, we will improve one day." However, others pointed out the big difference in the way things run in China as compared to India. “China has facial recognition surveillance everywhere. They will pick you up from home for non-compliance. You people will go nuts if the government starts following China. The responsibility of citizens to keep areas clean is greater than that of the government, but Indians lack that acknowledgement," a user wrote.

Another user pointed out something similar: “India and China are both populous countries, but their governance models are different. China has stricter control. India is a democracy." Meanwhile, there were those who pointed out how India is far better than advanced countries like the US and Canada. "Ever been to Canada or America? They have lots of homeless people, although they are developed countries," a user wrote.