When I first heard the Chinese idiom “a crane standing among chickens,” I immediately liked the image of someone proudly standing out from the crowd. But I learned later that the phrase had a second meaning that conjures up a much different image: sticking out awkwardly. During the time I've lived and worked in China as an American journalist, I've often stood like a crane among my Chinese friends and co-workers, trying my best to learn how to fit in.