Kush
Junior Member
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Posts: 153
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Post by Kush on May 24, 2009 17:34:26 GMT -5
We all get these questions. What's the point being aloof and defensive. You know what they are asking. Why don't you just tell them what they want to know - or is that something you are not willing to share? I know this wasn't directed at me, but I posted about a similar scenario on the previous page. I don't automatically get defensive from the "where are you from?" question if they really mean where I'm from(after noticing a different accent or what have you). But once they already know where I'm from and continue asking the same question, in which I know they're referring to my ethnicity, I take issue with it. These people who are asking these questions have already pigeon-holed me as a "foreigner" based solely on my what they perceive of my looks. Why give them that satisfaction? If I were actually from the countries of my ethnic origins, I would just say so already. But I'm not, and I've never stepped foot in either, so it would make absolutely no sense to say I'm from there. I mean, would it make any sense for an n-th generation white American to say they're "from England"(or whatever other european countries they're descended from)? I'd think not. If they're so curious about my ethnic background, I'd rather that they just simply ask "what is your ethnicity/ethnic origins?" or something like that, as that question in of itself doesn't carry all those other implications. I can see what you mean. No one likes being treated like a foreigner in their own country - I've lived here all my life so why the hell should I be some sort of representative for a country I've never even been to? Imagine going up to some rednecks and asking them "So where are you originally from?". On the other hand, I don't have a problem with being called Chinese or Malaysian (I do have a problem with being called Malay though) as that links me to the awesome Chinese culture and the latter implies I have relatives in Malaysia (which I do). Ah, I just contradicted myself. Luckily, nowadays I only ever get asked that sort of question by immigrants/other minorities or when the question is actually relevant to something. When I met this Asian girl she immediately asked me where I was from, I said I was "Chinese Malaysian" and she replied "Oh? I heard there's alot of job discrimination over there against the Chinese,". I was like - YEEES! Someone who knows what the hell I'm talking about! Vaguely related, I got a very confusing comment a few days ago. We were having a discussion and one of my friends said something in passing like "Andy's Malaysian, he might know" and another girl who I was also in the conversation immediately exclaimed loudly "I thought he was English".
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fei
Full Member
Posts: 274
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Post by fei on May 25, 2009 1:10:23 GMT -5
^ Hey Kush i know how you feel as i was in your shoes before. I never been accept in Malay society cause i dont look the part. There alot discrimination in Malaysia at the moment as the government tend to take care of the bumi putra(native Malay) and if you not it, you not of this inclusive club!
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Kush
Junior Member
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Posts: 153
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Post by Kush on May 26, 2009 4:58:53 GMT -5
Yeah, the government is racist as hell, it's why so many Chinese move abroad.
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fei
Full Member
Posts: 274
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Post by fei on May 27, 2009 7:18:54 GMT -5
Yeah, the government is racist as hell, it's why so many Chinese move abroad. Yes most of the Malaysia chinese tend to emigrate to eg.Spore, Australia and other cause most of the time they feel like an second citizen in they own country. Eurasian are also not spared as well, the government tend to reduce Eurasian in the media as they want to boast the Malay nationalist in the country. Despite of that they cant curb the Eurasian in the media as they many Eurasian grace in media as Maya Karin, Asref Sinclair and many more. Even the ex-minister wife Pak Leh is an Eurasian!!
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Post by Paddy on May 29, 2009 6:39:45 GMT -5
Yeah, the government is racist as hell, it's why so many Chinese move abroad. Haha...yeah, I think that's the plan! Francis Light (founder of Penang) described the Chinese as: ...a valuable acquisition, but speaking a language which no other people understand, they are able to form parties and combinations in a most secret manner against any regulation of government which they disapprove, and were they as brave as intelligent they would be dangerous subjects, but their want of courage will make them bare many impositions before they rebel. They are indefatigable in the pursuit of money. That might have been said in 1794, and though encouraging of out dated stereotypes, this notion is still held to be true to some extent. This is also one of the key sources of Malaysia's modern nationalism. Yeah times have moved on and Malaysia's society has evolved. However, every state fears a community that behaves imperium in imperio - a state within a state. Toe the line or or go back from whence you came!!
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Post by Flat Top on Jun 1, 2009 19:16:03 GMT -5
Well this wasn't from a white but a Mexican mestiza. We were discussing Central America.
She: Where are you from? ME: I'm American. My parents and grandparents were born here too. SHE: So where are you're parents from? ME: From the US. *pondering if she was oblivious to my previous comment that my parents and grandparents are from here?* SHE *has shocked surprised look*
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jaz
New Member
Posts: 42
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Post by jaz on Jun 6, 2009 19:09:37 GMT -5
stupid conversation from last night: dude: so where you're from? me: Hong Kong dude: how come you can speak English then? me: .... what ?? dude: you're English is really good, where did you learn it? me: ... bye. Something similar happened to my cousin (who's white), when she was backpacking: Tourist: Where are you from? Cousin: New Zealand Tourist: You speak very good English
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jaz
New Member
Posts: 42
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Post by jaz on Jun 6, 2009 19:33:47 GMT -5
This isn't a stupid comment to me, but to my parents. A few weeks ago my mum was pushing my father down the road in his wheelchair. Some old guy comes up to them and asks my mum if she knows any women who might be interested in him. He said he was lonely and wanted someone to look after him. He must have assumed my mum must be some sort of mail order bride.
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jaz
New Member
Posts: 42
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Post by jaz on Jun 6, 2009 21:18:47 GMT -5
I was just thinking that my previous post could be percieved as negative towards "mail order brides". I didn't mean it like that, but was more coming from the angle of people coming to conclusions based on stereotypes (eg old man with a younger looking asian woman = mail order bride (even though my dad is only 4 years older than my mum, my dad has had a stroke and my mum looks younger))
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nakanaka
New Member
O(≧▽≦)O ワーイ♪
Posts: 47
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Post by nakanaka on Jun 10, 2009 18:57:59 GMT -5
Today someone in my math class asked me what my heritage was... I began with PART Japanese and they interupted me to say that I didn't look the japanese girl who sits next to me I think people almost expect you to look both fully white and fully asian
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Post by toyomansi on Jun 21, 2009 4:40:08 GMT -5
Nowadays I usually don't get offended by people, as they're mostly just curious and interested in my background. But this annoyed me:
Recently while training as a nurse in the hospital, an elderly patient called me. She explained to me that another patient had left his things on the table, and asked me to give them back to him so that he wouldn't forget. My (norwegian) colleague joined us, and the patient immediately turned to him and said: "YOU understand norwegian!" and then she explained the whole thing to him instead, leaving me out of the conversation. >_<'
most of the time it's the other way around. people assume I'm adopted because my norwegian is very good...
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Post by Paddy on Jun 21, 2009 5:08:21 GMT -5
What a tosser. Colleague should have brought you into the conversation.
When I was a student, my British Born Chinese girlfriend had probs with the old lady downstairs. She was sensitive to the most innocuous sounds. Clearly she went to bed at 8pm and was an insomniac.
"In this country, we don't behave like that!" "I am from this country."
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Post by Subuatai on Jun 21, 2009 15:28:44 GMT -5
I don't really know how you're still not bored of educating ignorantos =/
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Post by toyomansi on Jun 21, 2009 16:16:44 GMT -5
I don't really know how you're still not bored of educating ignorantos =/ lol, well I AM bored of it... ;D but in these last few months almost no one asked me anything about my background! except whenever I talked about my next long stay in the philippines, or some random person asking me if I'm japanese/viet. sometimes if I can get away with it, I don't bother mentioning that I'm mixed...
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Post by Subuatai on Jun 22, 2009 11:02:00 GMT -5
^ Yup, instead they'll probably find out about it 6 months later and come straight back to you and go "OMFG WHAT? You're MIXED? Why didn't you say anything?"
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