Aliens...the tables have turned.
Though it seems my environment has entirely naturalized itself to me… I don’t feel I need to comment on my surroundings anymore. Thoughts I previously had (though still entirely relevant) don’t perk me to say them, but I will anyway...
Before coming here I had a discussion with a friend interested in my reaction to being in HK as an alien "satellite kid" (and as someone who is somewhat culturally dislocated). I look like everyone, but somehow, I'm not…
Chinese are known to inhabit every corner of the planet - no matter how far or desolate. It is not uncommon for Chinese natives to come across washed people of their own kind. They will still treat you as if you are Chinese and will not look strangely upon you. They are generally glad to have someone back.
To my surprise there are a surprising amount of Canadians. Scarborough (Toronto) / Vancouver as well as San Francisco (USA) are the major satellite communities inhabited by huge numbers of Chinese. The communities are so large that CBC's and ABC's (American Born Chinese) have become a breed of their own.
Perhaps if I wandered into the mainland, I would be treated more as a foreigner. For now, though language problems are always a barrier in any new territory, HK's not so bad.
Tables have turned...
It's interesting here to see reactions to the White minority. The Chinese have similar prejudices against the visible aliens. To the Chinese they are see as clumsy, lumbering...even stupid. It shows that appearance does matter more than essence, which is a sad fact of life. Getting a job here at face-value would be easier, since I naturally fit the profile. People are more inclined to listen if they like what they see.
Part of the fun for being here for me is being in a world that is build and designed for someone like me. I am the average size and stature of an average Chinese person. I fit a size medium and 37 shoe, which gets hard during sale times since those are the first sizes to go. Even little things like the height of a door knob or eye hole, or water fountain, public chair or ceiling are all perfectly proportional to me. I can comfortably walk into any shoe store (except for the one in IFC American/European stores tend to be a bit larger) and try on a display shoe and it will fit without needing to get a new size. I can try on a pair of pants and have the length, ass, width fit perfectly snug - no hemming or altering required. Perfect pants are so hard to come by. It is a glorious feeling.
One of the first things I noticed about being here is that everything is somehow.. very "Chinese". Just little things.. Chinese are very practical and cleanly. I remember as a grade-schooler I was one of the kids who didn't like sharing straws. I thought it was gross while my friends were going around sharing gum. I also remember not liking having to change in front of everyone during gym class. It was kind of violation of privacy. After a few years, I soon lost every inhibition I ever had. One of the first things I noticed here are that almost all the public bathrooms have large and distinct coat hangers, large locks (without holes) and doors that close without gaps. Walls are also lower to the ground and there is almost always paper towel and toilet covers. Certain things my Mom always complained about in North American public bathrooms were no longer an issue. Functionality and cleanliness (in modern China) prevail.
Before coming here I had a discussion with a friend interested in my reaction to being in HK as an alien "satellite kid" (and as someone who is somewhat culturally dislocated). I look like everyone, but somehow, I'm not…
Chinese are known to inhabit every corner of the planet - no matter how far or desolate. It is not uncommon for Chinese natives to come across washed people of their own kind. They will still treat you as if you are Chinese and will not look strangely upon you. They are generally glad to have someone back.
To my surprise there are a surprising amount of Canadians. Scarborough (Toronto) / Vancouver as well as San Francisco (USA) are the major satellite communities inhabited by huge numbers of Chinese. The communities are so large that CBC's and ABC's (American Born Chinese) have become a breed of their own.
Perhaps if I wandered into the mainland, I would be treated more as a foreigner. For now, though language problems are always a barrier in any new territory, HK's not so bad.
Tables have turned...
It's interesting here to see reactions to the White minority. The Chinese have similar prejudices against the visible aliens. To the Chinese they are see as clumsy, lumbering...even stupid. It shows that appearance does matter more than essence, which is a sad fact of life. Getting a job here at face-value would be easier, since I naturally fit the profile. People are more inclined to listen if they like what they see.
Part of the fun for being here for me is being in a world that is build and designed for someone like me. I am the average size and stature of an average Chinese person. I fit a size medium and 37 shoe, which gets hard during sale times since those are the first sizes to go. Even little things like the height of a door knob or eye hole, or water fountain, public chair or ceiling are all perfectly proportional to me. I can comfortably walk into any shoe store (except for the one in IFC American/European stores tend to be a bit larger) and try on a display shoe and it will fit without needing to get a new size. I can try on a pair of pants and have the length, ass, width fit perfectly snug - no hemming or altering required. Perfect pants are so hard to come by. It is a glorious feeling.
One of the first things I noticed about being here is that everything is somehow.. very "Chinese". Just little things.. Chinese are very practical and cleanly. I remember as a grade-schooler I was one of the kids who didn't like sharing straws. I thought it was gross while my friends were going around sharing gum. I also remember not liking having to change in front of everyone during gym class. It was kind of violation of privacy. After a few years, I soon lost every inhibition I ever had. One of the first things I noticed here are that almost all the public bathrooms have large and distinct coat hangers, large locks (without holes) and doors that close without gaps. Walls are also lower to the ground and there is almost always paper towel and toilet covers. Certain things my Mom always complained about in North American public bathrooms were no longer an issue. Functionality and cleanliness (in modern China) prevail.
posted by elle est chiNoise at 9:47 AM
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