04 September 2005

Politically-incorrect?

Am I surrounded by people who are ignorant?

Living in Canada as a visible minority is not so hard to do. Most of people in Canada are understanding, generous, tolerate, and patient when they encounter cultural gaps and English with heavy accents (like I speak).

Last night, I was at the dinner with my bf's friends. I have met most of them earlier but I don't know much about them. I don't know if I really want to get to know them, either. As being my age, it is not so important at all to make friends with whom I can't share any conversations.

I always seem to have a problem with talking to guys in my age in this country because of where I'm from originally. The cultural background gap is sometimes too high to go beyond. I don't know old English TV shows. I don't know 80s English pop music very much. My first English song CD I borrowed from my friend when I was in junior high was Metallica's "Enter Sandman." So, I don't really have a general topic to smoothe the conversation at the beginning.

Do you know a term called "banana"?

I believe the term is kind of a politically-incorrect word. Banana's skin is yellow but the inside is white. The term is reffered to East Asian people who grow up in North American mainstream and are not familiar and corporated with his/her roots in Asia. I believe that those types of East Asian people can simply call themselves "Canadian."

At the dinner, some guy asked a guy whose root is from East Asia, "So, you are banana then?" ––– The Asian guy was smiling in reply. I thought the comment was so much insulting. Anyway, it can be just in the sense of humour.

What if I am called a banana?

I am sure I will get angry at it and I start to discuss with a person who call me a banana.

I am so much proud of what I am and where I am from. I appriciate and enjoy with my cultural background and my uniqueness as being a visible minority with heavy Japanese accent :P

3 comments:

Mark said...

people are dicks. even in tolerant countries like ours. we were at a barbecue a month ago with Hamish and Kevin & PJ and of course Eric was there. at one point a guy asked eric (the only visible minority there) "So what are you?" Hamish nearly coughed up his drink. I didn't hear the comment so I was told about it later. When eric inquired what he was on about, the guy clarified. and Eric said "canadian". and the guy replied that canadians "are not born looking that way".

It's incredible. but it's not surprising. I was in a meeting with a lawyer two weeks ago and he told a bad, stupid racist joke. Not horrible, but it was racist.

People are dumb.

Heipel said...

Yup, people are idiots.

jomama said...

I also live in a foreign (to my native) country.

When people ask me where I'm from, I tell them "The Planet Earth".

Makes most laugh, others continue asking. I keep telling them the same thing just to fuck w/ their heads.

Try it.