Not all Chinese come from China!
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I'm into my 5th month in Melbourne already and I've come to realise that the folks here can be loosely categorised into three groups when it comes to interactions with Asians :
1 - Those who don't know much about Asia and have not ventured far outside Australia and even if they have toured in Asia, they probably never tried to immerse themselves in the diverse culture and they return with Australia none the wiser;
2 - Those who know / don't know about Asia but don't give a hoot anyways because they generally have a negative opinion of Asians. Doesn't matter if it's just one nationality / group of people, as long as you're not 'one of them', you're not kewl.
3 - Those who have travelled / worked in Asia and have Asian friends and made an attempt to reach out to people who are different and thus broaden their horizons.
After encountering too many from Categories 1 and 2, it was refreshing recently to meet Aussies who are accepting of cultural differences. This morning, I had a patient and her husband play a guessing game when I stepped out of their room and when I returned, they asked, "Are you from Singapore / Malaysia?" and I was surprised they could tell so I said, "Singapore! How did you guess?" And they said, "Well, your English is good! You can't be from China!"
And how about another couple who have travelled extensively in Asia, including Singapore, and the minute they found out where I'm from, they exclaimed, "You must miss the food and the shopping back home! It's so clean and pretty and safe in your country!"
It's really interesting to meet lots of folks and gather from their vibes what they think about people of your kind.
I don't mind having honest talks with the folks I know, to explain cultural nuances to them. I mean, at least, they are interested. What I find challenging, is when someone speaks to me slowly and loudly, assuming that I have a low English language ability, or when they make assumptions based on your skin colour. 
The world is getting smaller, what with air-travel and the internet breaking down barriers. It's frightening to see how myopic some big nations can be! I mean, before you can play a "big brother" role (with absolutely no references to that crappy show, excuse me!), shouldn't you at least get to know your 'li'l brothers' well enough?
Anyways, this is just me, sharing one of my observations here.
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And I heard somewhere along the line that people always mistook Asian looking people for Chinese
Asian still got Vietnamese, Thais, Japanese etc etc
I mean, we may not know how to differentiate a Texan from a Californian, but we do know there is such people called Spanish, English, Italians and French -
You arent the only one.
I am currently travelling in USA now.
And I am most often mistaken as a taiwanese. Dunno why.
Folks also commented that my english is good and thought that I've probably stayed in the USA for a long time already.
They keep asking me, what is Singapore's 1st language. I had to explain that its English. Singaporeans are trained in english language usually at 5 years old.
BTW, Americans dont understand what is Mother Tongue. They assume its English.
I can only tell them. I am chinese, therefore I know mandarin and some of its dialect. It is taught to us as a 2nd language or is already our mother tongue which we speak at home. -
Over here in California.
The mexicans look very asian. Most times, I even mistaken them to be Phillipinoes. -
I find those ignorants very charming sometimes, cos they are so innocent and so sure of the superiority of their country, it's touching sometimes ...
as long as they're not condescending, I sometimes say nothing when they confuse Singapore with China (or Hong Kong, or Taiwan, or Korea, or Japan ... ) not that it really matters really ... -
but all singaporeans come from singapore
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as long as ur asian... u must be from china or japan...
that's the impression aussies gave me...
they dont know there are a lot more other asian countries beside those two... -
better than some pricks who keeps thinking singapore is part of china
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now aussie's football team play in asia, they should know more about asian countries in the future
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Yeah... I think that on the whole, Singaporeans are quite 'exposed'.Originally posted by laurence82:And I heard somewhere along the line that people always mistook Asian looking people for Chinese
Asian still got Vietnamese, Thais, Japanese etc etc
I mean, we may not know how to differentiate a Texan from a Californian, but we do know there is such people called Spanish, English, Italians and French
It could be that if you live in a very large, self-sufficient country, the folks might get lulled into a sense of myopia, ie. it's not really 'necessary' to explore outside your own national boundaries. -
Hmm... y'know, I have moments here when I declare, "Oh, I'm from Singapore! I'm a Singaporean Chinese!" and deep inside, my inner voice says, "PHEW! Thank God I'm not from China or Vietnam!"Originally posted by Fatum:I find those ignorants very charming sometimes, cos they are so innocent and so sure of the superiority of their country, it's touching sometimes ...
as long as they're not condescending, I sometimes say nothing when they confuse Singapore with China (or Hong Kong, or Taiwan, or Korea, or Japan ... ) not that it really matters really ...
OK, not that I've got anything against these countries, but here, some people do view the PRC's and the Vietnamese with disdain.
At least, when you say, "I'm from Singapore!", they'll either say, "Oh! I've visited Singapore! It's a great country!" or, the more ignorant and clueless ones will just utter, "Oh!" and then be at a total loss for words liao, which suits me just fine!
I've never been more proud of my red passport. -
look at number 5 .....Originally posted by Rhonda:Hmm... y'know, I have moments here when I declare, "Oh, I'm from Singapore! I'm a Singaporean Chinese!" and deep inside, my inner voice says, "PHEW! Thank God I'm not from China or Vietnam!"
OK, not that I've got anything against these countries, but here, some people do view the PRC's and the Vietnamese with disdain.
At least, when you say, "I'm from Singapore!", they'll either say, "Oh! I've visited Singapore! It's a great country!" or, the more ignorant and clueless ones will just utter, "Oh!" and then be at a total loss for words liao, which suits me just fine!
I've never been more proud of my red passport.
http://www.sgforums.com/?action=thread_display&thread_id=212681
oh well ... I am too .... -
Eh... they'll only know more about the Asian football teams nia!Originally posted by The man who was death:now aussie's football team play in asia, they should know more about asian countries in the future
Oh, btw, whooopeeee!! I decided to 'adopt' the West Coast Eagles the day before the AFL... and they won it the next day! It was a great Sunday - I went to work seeing a lot of air traffic in the sky! There was a huuuge baloon with 'Holden' written on it, a tiny plane writing some word in the sky, and a helicopter hovering round and round... all because of the match!
Siiiigh... wish I was there!
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Quite frankly, looking around me everyday, it might just as well be!Originally posted by FireIce:better than some pricks who keeps thinking singapore is part of china -
Noooooooooooo!!! Singapore! Singapore!! *holds up red passport hiiiigh!!Originally posted by av98m:Quite frankly, looking around me everyday, it might just as well be! -
u shld support our basketball players, singapore slingers in the NBLOriginally posted by Rhonda:Eh... they'll only know more about the Asian football teams nia!
Oh, btw, whooopeeee!! I decided to 'adopt' the West Coast Eagles the day before the AFL... and they won it the next day! It was a great Sunday - I went to work seeing a lot of air traffic in the sky! There was a huuuge baloon with 'Holden' written on it, a tiny plane writing some word in the sky, and a helicopter hovering round and round... all because of the match!
Siiiigh... wish I was there! -
Erm... I'm supporting a footie team because it's part of the culture here and you kinda MUST support a footie team one!Originally posted by The man who was death:u shld support our basketball players, singapore slingers in the NBL
When people talk to you here, inevitably, they'll ask, "So, which footie team do you support?"
And if your answer is :
"Huh?"
"What's footy?"
"Wha?"
or worse,
"I don't watch footy!"
then, oh man, you're 'out' and so soooo not 'in'!
Part of the reason too why I had to adjust the way I speak - I'm slower, enunciate my words more, and sometimes add a drawl, because you need to communicate and be accepted as part of them, so they will feel more comfortable working with and interacting with you.
All in the name of assimilation! -
I think AV means there are tonnes of PRCs hereOriginally posted by Rhonda:Noooooooooooo!!! Singapore! Singapore!! *holds up red passport hiiiigh!!
And i agree
a) My school is full of them
b) My neighbourhood is full of them, and sometimes the number of them equal the number of Singaporeans at the bus stop
c) And the last event held at National Stadium before its demolished is a soccer match between China and Singapore
I lost count of the number of times the PRCs spectators look more like they just came from work or kids coming straight from school, rather than just flown here from China
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asia sux
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even in singapore, i was mistaken for da lu mei before.....by cabbies.....
simply bcos i speak chinese very well
i told him im a singaporean
he asked me if i studied or worked overseas before
i said no, for 36yrs, im stuck in singapore
he still dun believe
even when i paid and abt to get off the cab, he asked again whether im relli singaporean.
i said YAH LAH! then run off
speak chinese well oso kena mistaken as from china
he has so little faith in singaporean chinese? -
can tell one mah
PRCs got this certain accent, very different from even the best Chinese speaking friends i have
and mind you, my friend from Hebei said she wouldnt even able to recognise a Shanghainese
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my chinese is the biao zhun beijing chinese accent kind
but i dun usually speak like tt to ppl.......
i just make it a point to pronounce clearly and correctly
i still bery singaporean wat
not all china ppl speaks beijing dialect (which is our chinese)
it is supposed to be the pu tong hua but each still has their own dialect... -
* sees rhonda waving her little red booklet*Originally posted by Rhonda:Noooooooooooo!!! Singapore! Singapore!! *holds up red passport hiiiigh!! -
They're everywhere! And there's nothing we can do about it!Originally posted by laurence82:I think AV means there are tonnes of PRCs here
And i agree
a) My school is full of them
b) My neighbourhood is full of them, and sometimes the number of them equal the number of Singaporeans at the bus stop
c) And the last event held at National Stadium before its demolished is a soccer match between China and Singapore
I lost count of the number of times the PRCs spectators look more like they just came from work or kids coming straight from school, rather than just flown here from China
I must say, some of those PRC girls are quite hot, skin so nice and pale somemore
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this PRC situation is getting out of hand, i remember getting complained about by PRC classmates back in sec sch for making too much noise..knn..
KILL ALL PRCS