Food for thought

Was talking to a friend via my forum, when I asked him about how it feels to be a Chinese Singaporean in America. Here’s what he says:

‘Being in a place like the South makes me more aware of being Asian—I watch what I say and do because since these people don’t run into a lot of Asians, it makes me think that I represent Asian people in their eyes, so I’m extra careful.’

(Andy, if you are reading this and prefer me not to post this up, just email me at fort_Christine@yahoo.com, or send me a pm :))

It got me thinking about how that is how I’ve viewed a majority of PRCs. I mean, I’ve always been exposed to the uglier side of people from China. Just look at those that live near my area, and you’d see. They push their way up the bus, they talk loudly unnecessarily, and somehow that’s how I pictured all PRCs. It doesn’t help after I’ve heard horror stories of relatives who’ve been to China and talk about the way taxis were grabbed.

However, I am now working in a firm where there are a number of PRCs, and I must say that the impression they give me is entirely different. They are cultured, they speak well and they are in fact, just like the rest of us, albeit the accent. They are in fact, very friendly. This director came with his family to oversee the Singapore branch, and I must say he is very friendly. Talks to me normally like, well, his friend. Same goes for all the other managers and directors. His daughter, a 14 year old, gets along really well with my colleagues and me. Like her father, she’s naturally friendly, and I must say she is very smart. Taught me what there is to know about the antiques. In fact, we got along to well that when I had to go back to office, I actually missed being at the exhibition with my new Chinese friends.

This incident really changed my mind about many conventional thoughts that I’ve had.