Do You Wish You Were Born Or Lived IN Asia? [Archive]

RasFarengi

07-22-2003, 07:47 PM

I have read so many complaints on this board mainly concerning issues of discrimination I was wondering if any of you wish you were not born in America, but in Asia or do you have plans of returning to Asia in the future, and no I am not trying to say, go back to your country love it or leave it...I'm serious

I always thought Asians lucky, much more lucky than African Americans.

I believe African Americans fight so hard for equality in America, because they have no place else to go. Our culture was largely stolen, our language, our ancestral memories of a homeland, we were forced to interbreed between ethnicity, tribe, clan, religious groups etc. Even if the average African American can trace his ancestry all the way back to a country in Africa, it would be meaningless.

It would be like saying...well my great great great great great grandfather came from China, but I speak no Chinese dialect, I have no Chinese culture, and I don't even look Chinese because I am 10% or greater white, 5% Native America, the rest a mix of Korean, Japanese, Filipino, Thai, Cambodian etc. So what are you?

Even if an African American didn't have these issues, what would they go back too, the most stable countries in West Africa are Senegal, Niger, and Ghana...but they are also poor and have limited opportunity for the people already there, and being a "outsider" there might be more discrimination on us than in America.

Now Asians...that is different, most Asian Americans have a recognizable ethnicity. I have been to Taiwan, Mainland China, Japan, and Korea. Mainland China is the poorest country and the most restrictive socially but if you are educated, you can speak the language, in a practical field (like business/computers...etc) you can still have a good life...just don't publicly criticize the government and for the most part I think you would be as free as you are here...I was an obvious foreign there and I didn't feel oppressed. The other countries are mentioned are even better.

Sure they are not as developed as America, but they are not shitholes either, and to be honest if I had a country just for my people as developed as South Korea or Taiwan my ass would be there right now, because I can live with a drop income if I don't have to deal with discrimination/racism issues...to me my standard of living would be higher.

If you are from a poorer country like the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, I can understand wanting to stay here, but most of the countries in East Asia are at about the same level as America or slightly lower, and I can't see why you would put up with all the shit here in this country when you have a country for your people. That's just what I think...in a way I am jealous.

I was born here, my mother is America, but my father is Nigerian, so Technically I am Hausa, a Muslim (not by practice) and I have a clan, but I do not speak fluent Hausa, nor am I a devout Muslim, and even if I returned to North Nigeria (Hausa-land) what the hell could I do there, the country is not that stable either?

So if you are really displeased with the way Asians are treated in America or whatever why stay?

SunWuKong

07-22-2003, 07:53 PM

hey, i am going to add an extra choice in the poll for you - for those of us that were born/raised in Asia.

and i assume that when you wrote "Happy I am American", you mean that the person is happy to have been born in the US, because plenty of people who were not born in the US consider themselves American.

RasFarengi

07-22-2003, 08:03 PM

Thanks.

SunWuKong

07-22-2003, 08:09 PM

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (RasFarengi @ Jul 22 2003, 10:47 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> Sure they are not as developed as America, but they are not shitholes either, and to be honest if I had a country just for my people as developed as South Korea or Taiwan my ass would be there right now, because I can live with a drop income if I don't have to deal with discrimination/racism issues...to me my standard of living would be higher.

If you are from a poorer country like the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, I can understand wanting to stay here, but most of the countries in East Asia are at about the same level as America or slightly lower, and I can't see why you would put up with all the shit here in this country when you have a country for your people. That's just what I think...in a way I am jealous. [/b][/quote]
here's the thing, (i think) African Americans face much more discrimination and racism than Asian Americans.  there is still a glass ceiling in the corporate world for Asians in the US, but that glass ceiling is at middle management - it'll get you to middle class status.  other than that, we might face isolated incidents where we're called racial slurs, or popular media might marginalise and stereotype us, other than that, i don't think life is so bad for Asians in the US.  racially motivated violent crimes against Asians do exist, but they don't exactly happen at such a rate that people are scared of living in the country.

the US/Canada do offer better opportunities for us, they do provide a social safety net that most Asian countries just don't have, and they do have higher standards of living.  just compare the homeless people in the US to the homeless people in Asia.  the homeless people in Asia make the homeless people in the US look like millionaires.

Japan might be an exception here, but overall, we have a better livelihood in the US/Canada.  so if you are just talking about standards of living, with discrimination factored into the equation, the US/Canada are still better for Asians, in my own opinion.

the reason that some of us may want to move back, however, may be because we simply have a lot of interest in the culture, and in living in an Asian society, etc etc.

(note:  however, in recent years, there are people who are going to mainland China for business opportunities)

kasia

07-22-2003, 08:35 PM

i like being an abc.  there may be more race discrimination in the us, but there's more gender discrimination in asia.  so it evens out.

SunWuKong

07-22-2003, 08:42 PM

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (kasia @ Jul 22 2003, 11:35 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> i like being an abc. there may be more race discrimination in the us, but there's more gender discrimination in asia. so it evens out. [/b][/quote]
there is actually more race discrimination in Asia.  it's just that Asians (of the same ethnicity as the majority) are not the target of it.

Eros

07-22-2003, 08:47 PM

While I can see some benefits of living in an asian country, I disagree with many of your advantages. Many asian americans (and especially hapas) are culturally distanced from Asia because they were born here. This is especially true if they feel some resentment to the asian community/ies. I know one abc who tried to join the asian groups at a university but was shunned when people found out he was born in the US. Some of the people even enjoyed talking to him in cantonese until they found out he was born in the US. I'm guessing this lessened his want to go back. There are also many asian americans whose families have lived outside of asia for a long time and are used to a more American, a not-so-asian way of life, or a life different than their family's country of origin (think how a abc who learned cantonese might not want to learn mandarin to live in China). Hapas, depending on the asian country and their views of other races, may not not be able to blend in.

There are also some disadvantages you missed. I personally enjoy using the internet to post a complaint about Bush, looking up some porn, and then read the news on BBC.com. This would be almost impossible (substituting Bush for a Chinese political figure) in China where I would go up against the Great Red Firewall.  Granted, this is partially because I am a strong believer in freedom of speech and communism kind of goes against that.  An example of this lack of informnation was during the whole SARS thing where China refused to let out much information to it's general public.

One last point is that people who left a certain country may have fled it. The descendents of these people may not want to go back. Look at Toronto and most of their Hong Kongnese(sp?) population.

Again, I am not saying I don't see advantages for an an APA going back to their families country of origin. I am glad that many do choose to do this as it broadens their horizons and lets shows that they are choosing where they want to live their life. Personally, I really enjoyed the trips I took to China and Hong Kong, would love to go back, and think it would be amazing to spend a few years in Japan (even though that isn't my country of origin). For me, however, this is about learning more about different cultures and I would but just as interested to live somewhere like England or Spain.

As for being born and living in an asian country, I really don't have much to say about that since that is both quite different from my life experiences and feel there are many different issues that would color their choice in were to live.

Emperor_Mike

07-22-2003, 08:51 PM

I was born in Malaysia and I'm perfectly happy with Canada. I'm actually quite bitter about my old country since the Malaysian government literally forced my family and I out of our home and Malaysia itself due to rotten anti-Chinese initiatives. Parts of Asia are nice, but as SunWuKung said discrimination can actually be a lot worse in that part of the world.

I will eventually head back my home territories in Asia (China and the Philipines, not Malaysia) but for the time being I find the West to my liking.

AngryABCGirl

07-22-2003, 09:02 PM

I was born here and I guess I like it here, but there's plenty of bullshitty things that piss me off, like people who can't accept other cultures, people who think diversity is a bunch of colors that all act the same.  Plenty of bullshitty things in Asia too, it depends on what you want to take as the lesser evil.

If I had to choose to live in a backwater place in America or someplace in America without a lot of Chinese people or without any Ethnic diversity at all and living in Taiwan, I'd pick Taiwan in a heartbeat.  Right now if I had to choose living between living LA, SF, or NY and Taipei, I'd pick the formers for sure.

Sometimes I wish I were born in Asia because like someone mentioned before, a lot of people turn out to be massive bitches when they find out you weren't born in Asia, even if you are culturally more Asian and know the language more than a 1.5 gen-er who immigrated as a small child.  In the end that distinction doesn't make that much sense though.  However I think there are definite advantages to be born in the US, by default I'm a US Citizen and I don't have to worry about immigration stuff, it is looked more favorably on in some situations.   Definitely bullshity, but that's life.

airborneranger

07-22-2003, 09:07 PM

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Eros @ Jul 22 2003, 07:47 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> I personally enjoy using the internet to post a complaint about Bush, looking up some porn, and then read the news on BBC.com. This would be almost impossible (substituting Bush for a Chinese political figure) in China where I would go up against the Great Red Firewall. [/b][/quote]
Eros do you looking up porns first or
BBC news first then porns ?

ras ferangi I don't live in Europe so why
don't I want to live in Asia to be a majority
is irrelevant

RasFarengi

07-22-2003, 09:12 PM

ras ferangi I don't live in Europe so why
don't I want to live in Asia to be a majority
is irrelevant

What?

SunWuKong

07-22-2003, 09:12 PM

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (AzNBuffGrL @ Jul 23 2003, 12:02 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> However I think there are definite advantages to be born in the US, by default I'm a US Citizen and I don't have to worry about immigration stuff, it is looked more favorably on in some situations. [/b][/quote]
plus, only those who were born in the US are eligible for the US Presidency.

RasFarengi

07-22-2003, 09:16 PM

I don't know about you, but I don't there will be an Asian president in our life time...anything is possible though...but I wouldn't make that a serious consideration.

thanks for all the responses so far, I am still reading...it's interesting.

SunWuKong

07-22-2003, 09:28 PM

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Eros @ Jul 22 2003, 11:47 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> One last point is that people who left a certain country may have fled it. The descendents of these people may not want to go back. Look at Toronto and most of their Hong Kongnese(sp?) population. [/b][/quote]
HKers who leave HK do so for better opportunities at making money, and in the 80s and early 90s, they did so because of the fear that the CCP would just completely change HK as soon as the PLA rolls in with its tanks (but that did not happen... yet). remember, these are the same people that grew up with stories about the Cultural Revolution in the mainland.

a lot of HK kids who immigrated to Toronto/Vancouver when they were at least in their early teens actually want to go back to HK to live. there is pratically a small community of these Chinese Canadian "Returnees" living in HK.

moschikat

07-22-2003, 10:05 PM

:huh:

where's the choice for born in the US - grew up in Asia - and then moved back ???

I'll throw in my two cents and say that kids can be really mean during those akward teenage years - but since I was growing up as part of the "majority" I don't feel as self concious about my identity (whether that be interpreted as asian/female/bi-sexual etc etc etc.)

Bangkok is tolerant and embraces almost everything . . . hey, I mean, look! They've got their own she-male pagent!  :P

TyTea36

07-22-2003, 10:09 PM

I'm American, but I'd rather be born in Asia. Dunno why, but I see all da smart ppl over thre come here and they tower everyone else at bein smart

YuheiCarreau

07-22-2003, 10:24 PM

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (SunWuKung @ Jul 23 2003, 12:12 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> plus, only those who were born in the US are eligible for the US Presidency. [/b][/quote]
Yeah, what's up with that - I was born a US citizen, but just 'cause I was born in HK I can't run for president? That's just BS. Then again, if I ran for government office, I'd probably have to give up my dual citizenship, so I guess that's not in the cards for me anyway...

Now, all the people from Hong Kong in the room go "You were born in Hong Kong? Really? No way! Really? No way!" :rolleyes:

AliBabaIncorporated

07-23-2003, 04:47 AM

Well, I've thought a lot about going back to Malaysia once I retire. Just because of the familiarity level, got people speaking my own dialect, warm weather, all the food I'm used to, etc. Wouldn't be too bad as an old man, but I don't think I'd want to raise my kids there, cuz of all the same shit Mike mentioned. The discrimination isn't so much in your face, and Malays themselves are actually some of the friendliest people, it's just that the system they set up pushes down on you at every major turning point in your life.

I'm not particularly excited about the thought of raising my kids in the US. So I'll probably try to develop my career in Taiwan or Japan.

littlebutfierce

07-23-2003, 05:53 AM

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (AzNBuffGrL @ Jul 22 2003, 08:02 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> people who think diversity is a bunch of colors that all act the same. [/b][/quote]
HAHAHAHA that is a fabulous turn of phrase. Good way to explain things succinctly to people.

Back on topic, I was born in the US, & I'm not sure if I'd rather have been born elsewhere (but that didn't seem to be a poll choice). I can see advantages for both *shrugs*.

RasFarengi

07-23-2003, 06:50 AM

So I'll probably try to develop my career in Taiwan or Japan.

Alibab:

You think there is no discrimination in Japan against foreigners, especially foreign Asians. :huh: Think again.

It is probably better to be black in Japan than it is to be a foreign Asian national. My Chinese friends overthere, were all college students, and they were treated like shit, usually assumed to be low class illegals or criminals. Hmmm...kind of how a lot of black and latins are treated here. It was weird to here their stories of discrimination, because I definately stood out as a black man, but I never got that kind of treatment. It felt kind of weird not to be on the bottom of the racial caste system.

I think you should do some research into Japan before you make that move.

then again if you are Hapa, maybe people will think you are half Japanese and you can get some fame, but even in Japan I didn't see many "hafu" running things, accept in entertainment, typically women...lot of Japanese men have a white girl fetish and a Happa girl is probably the next closest thing, cause if she was raised "Japanese" they can enjoy her "white attitubutes" withouth having to deal with her "white attitude." :(

SunWuKong

07-23-2003, 07:31 AM

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (RasFarengi @ Jul 23 2003, 09:50 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>Alibab:

You think there is no discrimination in Japan against foreigners, especially foreign Asians.    Think again.

It is probably better to be black in Japan than it is to be a foreign Asian national.  My Chinese friends overthere, were all college students, and they were treated like shit, usually assumed to be low class illegals or criminals.  Hmmm...kind of how a lot of black and latins are treated here.  It was weird to here their stories of discrimination, because I definately stood out as a black man, but I never got that kind of treatment.  It felt kind of weird not to be on the bottom of the racial caste system.

I think you should do some research into Japan before you make that movie.[/b][/quote]

actually i think he already knows all this.  i remember he posted about this before.

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (RasFarengi @ Jul 23 2003, 09:50 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>then again if you are Hapa, maybe people will think you are half Japanese and you can get some fame, but even in Japan I didn't see many "hafu" running things, accept in entertainment, typically women...lot of Japanese men have a white girl fetish and a Happa girl is probably the next closest thing, cause if she was raised "Japanese" they can enjoy her "white attitubutes" withouth having to deal with her "white attitude."[/b][/quote]

you could be right.  or maybe it's just that a white girl or a hapa girl who was raised in Japan would have a better understanding of Japanese society and culture, and Japanese men like that.

RasFarengi

07-23-2003, 07:51 AM

you could be right.  or maybe it's just that a white girl or a hapa girl who was raised in Japan would have a better understanding of Japanese society and culture, and Japanese men like that.

Well that may be possible, whatever the case, I know there aren't 100's of Slavic fake blond big breasted women being pimped by Nigerians and Yakusa for no reason.  Someone is buying them, and you can even see on Japanese TV shows how they drool over white American and European actresses and talk about how big thier breast are (yes Japanese have not been afflicted with political correctness yet, well not much)...I think it is every Japanese man's dream (okay I'm exaggerating a little) to have sex with a big breasted blond woman. :D   That doesn't mean they want to marry them, although I have seen a few middle age  Japanese businessmen type with Mail Order Russian brides in Tokyo, but it is not so common, most Japanese men want a Japanese wife, or at least an Asian one.

SunWuKong

07-23-2003, 08:04 AM

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (RasFarengi @ Jul 23 2003, 10:51 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>
Well that may be possible, whatever the case, I know there aren't 100's of Slavic fake blond big breasted women being pimped by Nigerians and Yakusa for no reason. Someone is buying them, and you can even see on Japanese TV shows how they drool over white American and European actresses and talk about how big thier breast are (yes Japanese have not been afflicted with political correctness yet, well not much)...I think it is every Japanese man's dream (okay I'm exaggerating a little) to have sex with a big breasted blond woman. :D That doesn't mean they want to marry them, although I have seen a few middle age Japanese businessmen type with Mail Order Russian brides in Tokyo, but it is not so common, most Japanese men want a Japanese wife, or at least an Asian one. [/b][/quote]
the combination of these two attributes of 1) wanting Japanese wives, 2) liking how white women look, totally explains why some Japanese men might like white or hapa women that were raised in Japan.

AliBabaIncorporated

07-23-2003, 08:11 AM

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (RasFarengi @ Jul 23 2003, 08:50 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> You think there is no discrimination in Japan against foreigners, especially foreign Asians. :huh: Think again. [/b][/quote]
Hehe, thanks for the heads up, but I'm familiar with the basic deal. :P I minored in Japanese linguistics in college and studied in Tokyo about 3 years ago. While I was there I hung out mostly with Chinese people (to get away from both American students and Japanese girls who just wanted to practice their English), so I've seen the stuff you refer to.

Besides, no matter how bad it gets in Japan, it's unlikely to compare to Malaysia. :(

I'm under no illusions about Japan, but my motivation in going to Japan for work has nothing to do with escaping discrimination or finding some mythical society where Asians unite and lord it over Evil Whitey or whatnot. I just don't want my kids to grow up in US where they're likely to join this "asian american culture" while forgetting anything about actually being Chinese. And the software industry in Japan doesn't seem to be as much in the tank as the rest of the economy, they want bilingual staff, etc. ... you said you were doing contract work for a while, right?

Further, there's two things I grew to hate in college, which would be easier to avoid in Asia: driving (especially for commuting to work), and looking over my shoulder nervously when I walked down the street at night (one night at my school there were two muggings right across from the police station :ph34r: ... actually it was kinda funny. First, there was a report of a guy who got mugged while walking back from the liquor store, three guys stole 2 bottles of hard liquor from him. Then several hours later, another guy got hit on the head with an empty vodka bottle and had his wallet and jacket stolen by someone he described as "smelling heavily of liquor.")

And finally, where I choose to raise my kids is probably gonna be their default fallback position for starting their own careers ... as much as I've heard about problems Chinese people face in Japan, the widespread publicization of any little crime a Chinese immigrant commits, etc., I know a decent number of Chinese kids raised in Japan, speaking fluent Chinese and Japanese, who are doing quite well for themselves in the business world even with the economy in the state it is, and don't face the social exclusion that overseas born foreigners do. Also, to be blunt, I'm not too confident in the long-term prospects of the US economy with our trade deficit the way it is. So I'd rather give my kids Japan than the US as a jumping-off point for their own lives.

SunWuKong

07-23-2003, 08:23 AM

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (AliBabaIncorporated @ Jul 23 2003, 11:11 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> Further, there's two things I grew to hate in college, which would be easier to in Asia: driving (especially for commuting to work), and looking over my shoulder nervously when I walked down the street at night (one night at my school there were two muggings right across from the police station :ph34r: ... actually it was kinda funny. First, there was a report of a guy who got mugged while walking back from the liquor store, three guys stole 2 bottles of hard liquor from him. Then several hours later, another guy got hit on the head with an empty vodka bottle and had his wallet and jacket stolen by someone he described as "smelling heavily of liquor.") [/b][/quote]
these are two of the things i personally like about HK.

there's no need to drive. i don't really like driving that much. (but owning a car will definitely help you get women, and being a car-owning American Chinese boy will help you get lots of women.)

and no matter how bad HKers think crime is in HK, it is so much tamer there than it is in the US.

kasia

07-23-2003, 02:20 PM

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (SunWuKung @ Jul 23 2003, 07:23 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> there's no need to drive. i don't really like driving that much. (but owning a car will definitely help you get women, and being a car-owning American Chinese boy will help you get lots of women.)
[/b][/quote]
i wonder what dan drives...

SunWuKong

07-23-2003, 04:15 PM

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (kasia @ Jul 23 2003, 05:20 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> </div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (SunWuKung @ Jul 23 2003, 07:23 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> there's no need to drive. i don't really like driving that much. (but owning a car will definitely help you get women, and being a car-owning American Chinese boy will help you get lots of women.)
[/b][/quote]
i wonder what dan drives... [/b][/quote]
in HK?  he seems like an MTR (subway) kind of guy to me.
but who knows?   :)

MellowDrama

07-24-2003, 07:55 PM

I'm happy how I was born and raised, but I wanna live somewhere abroad, pref. in an Asian country for at least a year or 2. 

tapestrybabe

07-24-2003, 08:02 PM

John0101

11-05-2003, 11:56 AM

3 billion people live on less then $1 a day, no I do not wish I was born in America, I am thankful and grateful that I was born in America and not in Asia.

ChinaLama

11-05-2003, 01:38 PM

i'm happy to be raised in america, although it's kind of hard to say whether my life overall would be easier or harder if i had never come to america. Most indicators say it would have been harder, but one or two indicators say that there would have been some perks, at least. :)

deez nuts

11-05-2003, 02:01 PM

i was born in taiwan. but, i'm sure glad we got the hell out of there and i'm never going back. even, if i go back to visit no more than 2-3 weeks tops. i like it too much here in america.

i'm a firm believer that the idea was to get off the boat not get back on it. a lot of my mit friends share this sentiment.

amietron

11-05-2003, 11:14 PM

I'm glad I was born in America. :)

kimpossible

11-06-2003, 10:16 AM

I have no problem with being a born American. The rest of the world can hate me, I'll deal. All the good shit is here.

applehead

11-06-2003, 12:23 PM

i was born in seoul
but i'm so glad i was raised in the states.
well. in ny.

i never want to go back.
i hate it there.
i can only tolerate like 2 weeks
in seoul.
the air is bad.
traffic is worse.
people are rude.
i guess i'm just used to life here.

SunWuKong

11-06-2003, 12:42 PM

applehead

11-08-2003, 11:09 AM

i think i'm just used to life here.

and may i add.
new yorkers are not rude.
it's too bad we have a bad rep.
but we're very polite and helpful.
and friendly.

Napoleon Chynamite

11-14-2003, 01:06 AM

i think i'm just used to life here.

and may i add.
new yorkers are not rude.
it's too bad we have a bad rep.
but we're very polite and helpful.
and friendly.

if you were so friendly you'd get a cell phone :happy:

SunWuKong

11-14-2003, 02:15 AM

i think i'm just used to life here.

and may i add.
new yorkers are not rude.
it's too bad we have a bad rep.
but we're very polite and helpful.
and friendly.

eh. maybe Manhattan. they're not very friendly out in Brooklyn.

ChinaLama

11-14-2003, 08:40 AM

if you were so friendly you'd get a cell phone :happy:

it's not very polite to phone stalk people, you dirty Washingtonian. ;) And you're calling NY'ers rude. :rolleyes:

teaz0r

11-14-2003, 10:47 AM

i was born in bangkok.
i'm glad i grew up here.
and i'm glad i got to live
abroad also.

i like it way better in bangkok.
maids are way cheaper than a
silly kate spade.

applehead

11-14-2003, 11:56 AM

if you were so friendly you'd get a cell phone :happy:

fine. i'll have my bills
sent to your dorm room.
:p

amietron

11-14-2003, 12:47 PM

i think i'm just used to life here.

and may i add.
new yorkers are not rude.
it's too bad we have a bad rep.
but we're very polite and helpful.
and friendly.
i bet you i'm nicer than the average new yorker. :licka:

TTChino

11-14-2003, 12:53 PM

But pushovers generally are nicer than the average person!

fresh22

01-17-2004, 12:29 AM

I would say I like America more, alot more opportunities and many more avenues to spend your time and advance your life.

Kuchana

01-17-2004, 03:29 AM

America's the only country I've really known even though I lived 6 years in Korea before that. However much of the trials and tribulations I've gone through while living here, it's not enough to make me want to move to another country or wish it for that matter.

Even if I went back to Korea, I don't think I would fit in since I don't know the culture so much nor the language. Frankly, I would feel ostracized even though my heritage is Korean but I see myself moreso as American. I'm not saying though that living here in the U.S. has been a piece of cake. But what makes me think any differently that the situation would be improved if I lived in Korea?

Faithless

01-17-2004, 10:07 AM

Sure sucks to live in Malaysia these days.

I'll take my little corner of America any day.

Iconoclastic

01-19-2004, 04:16 PM

I'm Chinese. If China became the dominant country in the world surpassing US, I would probably raise my family there.

Faithless

02-03-2004, 06:53 PM

I'm Chinese. If China became the dominant country in the world surpassing US, I would probably raise my family there.
Sure you would.

Given the fact that there about as democratic as piss.

SunWuKong

02-04-2004, 12:28 PM

i don't need China to become the global superpower in the world to know that i want to raise my family there. or at least, in HK.

Mr.Lum

02-04-2004, 12:32 PM

America right now, is mad dope in standards of living. unmatched in Asia. maybe Japan but I wouldnt go there. I dunno why, I dont speak Japanese and I dont really wanna learn haha.

Napoleon Chynamite

02-04-2004, 12:37 PM

America right now, is mad dope in standards of living. unmatched in Asia. maybe Japan but I wouldnt go there. I dunno why, I dont speak Japanese and I dont really wanna learn haha.

Yea but I think it's already a given and everyone already knows that the U.S. has the highest standard of living in the world. But I think this thread was started for the fact that people still might wish that they were born or living somewhere else for other reasons such as feeling more at home in terms of culture, practice, ideology, etc.

Mr.Lum

02-04-2004, 12:42 PM

^ah, no then as well. I can be rich here. US is mostly Christian of some kind. I dont mind Christians. I could do w/o so many whites, but thats aiight. Asia? naaah. I dont know anyone there.

damashii

02-04-2004, 10:22 PM

Mr.Lum

02-05-2004, 02:38 AM

yo, I hear Singapore got mad fine Chinese girls! Id go there they mad rich too. but I wouldnt live there permantly.

Faithless

02-05-2004, 06:38 AM

i don't need China to become the global superpower in the world to know that i want to raise my family there. or at least, in HK.
Isn't HK a bit too urban? Check out the CIA's World Fact Book on Hong Kong (http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/hk.html)
7.4 Million people in a 1000 square kilometer area.
Only 5% arable. 1% for crops.
Increasing water and air pollution problems.

SunWuKong

02-05-2004, 12:35 PM

yo, I hear Singapore got mad fine Chinese girls! Id go there they mad rich too. but I wouldnt live there permantly.

actually, i've heard that S'pore girls aren't very attractive. i only know a few and they seem ok. but i really like their accent - Singlish. i think it's cute. but only when coming from a girl.

SunWuKong

02-05-2004, 12:35 PM

angel nympho

02-05-2004, 03:43 PM

At this moment in my life, I am not happy nor proud to be an American. But I am what I am. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

PS, I know I am very late to reply. Go away.

Napoleon Chynamite

02-06-2004, 10:51 AM

actually, i've heard that S'pore girls aren't very attractive. i only know a few and they seem ok. but i really like their accent - Singlish. i think it's cute. but only when coming from a girl.

Ya, except for Felicia Tang:

http://genmay.com/showthread.php?threadid=283866

<3<3<3 But I guess she's just kinda like a Chinese version of Sung-Hi Lee.

SunWuKong

02-06-2004, 11:04 AM

Ya, except for Felicia Tang:

http://genmay.com/showthread.php?threadid=283866

<3<3<3 But I guess she's just kinda like a Chinese version of Sung-Hi Lee.

wow, i think she has a better ass than Sung Hi Lee.
but anyway, actually, one of my favourite girls is from Singapore. Jaymee Ong. but it could just be because she's mixed...

Napoleon Chynamite

02-06-2004, 11:05 AM

wow, i think she has a better ass than Sung Hi Lee.
but anyway, actually, one of my favourite girls is from Singapore. Jaymee Ong. but it could just be because she's mixed...

^^ Yea I know...but my friend thinks her head is too big. Maybe it's just the angle in some of the pictures. Jaymee Ong looks almost like one of those hot Hispanic women...I dunno why maybe it's just me. But yea she's awesome anyway.....All this aside, sorry for going off track with this thread :redface:

tapestrybabe

08-13-2004, 09:55 AM

i was born in s. korea...
came to the us when i was 3...
and never stepped out of the united states since than...
i would love to visit korea one day..
but america... i think i will always deem it as home...

whoa...
did i say that??!!!
i changed my mind...

my passport my say america...
but my heart says korea...
yeah, being here in korea for my first time...
has given me a new outlook...

plan on living here...
for at least one year or more...
when i can...

moJo

08-13-2004, 10:20 AM

i'm glad to have been raised here. but i think it woulda been cool to have lived a few years in HK during my childhood. for the cultural experience as well as for the language skills.

BigLew

08-13-2004, 11:18 AM

I was born in Asia but have no memory of my experiences before adoption but I think I would like to try and live in Asia sometime.

hooligan

08-13-2004, 11:26 AM

Born in NY, I'd like to live a couple of years in Taiwan if I could.

Chris

08-13-2004, 01:13 PM

born in Malaysia bred in San Francisco. Longing to work overseas in Asia

tommyhtown

08-13-2004, 01:43 PM

Born in CA. Bred in LA, Bangkok, and Houston. I am lookiing for an opportunity to work in Thailand for a year or two.

SunWuKong

08-14-2004, 01:23 AM

Born in CA. Bred in LA, Bangkok, and Houston. I am lookiing for an opportunity to work in Thailand for a year or two.

send pip a message. she knows people in high places.

Filiprish

08-15-2004, 04:13 PM

Do I Wish I Were Born Or Lived IN Asia? I suppose things are relative. I know I'd find something to complain about in Asia. Would I ever move to Asia. Probably not, the US is all I know. If I did I'd move to Manila, it's very westernized. Besides, I'm half -Filipino. So, it wouldn't be big change. Just to give you an idea of how westernized Manila is, I met this girl from there who couldn't speak Tagalog fluently. Wtf!?!

AliBabaIncorporated

08-15-2004, 07:32 PM

Isn't HK a bit too urban? Check out the CIA's World Fact Book on Hong Kong (http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/hk.html)
7.4 Million people in a 1000 square kilometer area.
Only 5% arable. 1% for crops.
Increasing water and air pollution problems.
Pollution will be a lot less of a problem as Guangdong becomes too high wage and all the factories move towards Hunan or something. HK still has lots of wilderness and rural area, that will be a lot more enjoyable as the air gets less polluted and there are fewer mainland criminals wandering around them mugging people. As long as they don't cover it with identical office towers and residential complexes on top of fully-enclosed malls first. (Basically, it's the Hong Kong equivalent of suburbia, filled with the same kinds of people who want to escape the "unpredictable" and "dangerous" urban core to live in a fully controlled environment.)

Personally, I also think reducing the gasoline tax would help a lot in mitigating locally-generated pollution. There are already enough disincentives to owning a car, that only the rich own them. And their demand for gas doesn't change all that much with fluctuating prices. So gas taxes hit the owners of mass transit. They (especially minibus owners in northern New Territories) then switch to using highly-polluting smuggled diesel fuel, in order to avoid passing costs on to their customers.

Crowding's a bitch, but it also has its advantages. Like nice public transit which shows up every 3 minutes instead of leaving you waiting for half an hour like in the US.

Mr.Lum

08-15-2004, 10:09 PM

I was born in the US and I live in the US. I have no desire to live in Asia. I'd live in Fiji, NZ or Europe tho.

SunWuKong

08-16-2004, 12:17 AM

Crowding's a bitch, but it also has its advantages. Like nice public transit which shows up every 3 minutes instead of leaving you waiting for half an hour like in the US.

you have no idea how much i miss that about HK.

BigLew

08-16-2004, 09:35 AM

I wonder what Ras would say if he were here, we kinda veered left of his original point which was "if you don't like discrimination the maybe you should move to Asia".

AliBabaIncorporated

08-16-2004, 06:03 PM

Just to give you an idea of how westernized Manila is, I met this girl from there who couldn't speak Tagalog fluently. Wtf!?!
In former Brit/American colonies with lots of dialects and languages, this is more common than you might expect. Speakers of a national minority language move to an area inhabited by speakers of the national prestige language (e.g., the national capital). They want their kid to learn English, since it's an economically valuable skill. They also want their kid to learn their heritage language, in order to preserve their cultural identity in a place where the kid is surrounded by the majority culture and language. Quite possibly, they don't want their kid to learn the national prestige language --- they think it's a waste of effort, they don't want to get the kid too confused learning so many languages, and often, they want to preserve their identity by preventing the kid from assimilating into a majority culture which they resent. Though of course, non-assimilation has economic costs, so speaking excellent English becomes paramount for the child.

So, ironically, English becomes a symbol of reaction against the cultural imperialism of the central government and majority ethnolinguistic group. I see it a lot in heavily Malay districts --- Chinese kids and especially Indian kids grow up speaking only English fluently.

Filiprish

08-16-2004, 06:46 PM

So, ironically, English becomes a symbol of reaction against the cultural imperialism of the central government and majority ethnolinguistic group. I see it a lot in heavily Malay districts --- Chinese kids and especially Indian kids grow up speaking only English fluently.
You're talking about in Asia these kids are only taught English? If so, I feel sorry for them. I wonder who do they talk to.

SunWuKong

08-16-2004, 07:37 PM

You're talking about in Asia these kids are only taught English? If so, I feel sorry for them. I wonder who do they talk to.

expats, and each other.

Filiprish

08-16-2004, 08:36 PM

expats, and each other.
In other words, not a lot of people. :wink:

SunWuKong

08-16-2004, 08:43 PM

In other words, not a lot of people. :wink:

that is correct. social groups of expats and international school kids often don't have much room to grow. but at the same time they are usually pampered compared to the average local.

in terms of HK, the HK that expats know and the HK that most locals know are almost like two completely different cities.

AngryABCGirl

08-17-2004, 06:49 AM

Filiprish

08-17-2004, 12:46 PM

^Isn't Taiwan about to be invaded by China?

yoMAMA

08-17-2004, 01:20 PM

^Isn't Taiwan about to be invaded by China?

Nah...china's navy sucks. :redface:

IMO china's best bet is to buy off some taiwanese military officials and let them stage a coup inside the island.

:biggrin:

that is correct. social groups of expats and international school kids often don't have much room to grow. but at the same time they are usually pampered compared to the average local.

in terms of HK, the HK that expats know and the HK that most locals know are almost like two completely different cities.

I'm glad i went to a totally commie school, instead of those "international" schools in beijing.

ok, i take back the commie part.

:wink:

AngryABCGirl

08-17-2004, 05:21 PM

^Isn't Taiwan about to be invaded by China?

Um, no.

tapestrybabe

08-17-2004, 07:36 PM

I was born in Asia but have no memory of my experiences before adoption but I think I would like to try and live in Asia sometime.

wait...
you mean you were born in korea...
and would like to try
and live in korea sometimes... right??

i dont have any memory of
my experience before adoption either...
and i wish i could explain...
how i feel about just merely
visiting korea...
but it has been quite moving and profound...
god... i so wish i could stay here longer...

and its funny...
BEFORE visiting here...
i had always had the attitude...
visiting korea would be nice...
but i would NEver want to actually live here...
but i have changed my mind tho...

but speaking from experience...
and not knowing the korean language...
if i truly want to actually live here...
its important to have a circle of friends...
and some sorta support network...
so you dont end up feeling so isolated...

and there are quite a few korean organizations...
here in korea... to support korean adoptees...
who want to return and live in korea for awhile...

Furious Ming

08-17-2004, 07:51 PM

i enjoy meeting non-asians that have visited asian countries. do they not feel out of place? of course they do. they admit it, when i ask them. lol. so they must know how i feel. maybe. for a second.

i am weak? cause it is an incurable need with me to be around other asians. to see them is to reaffirm that i exist, but then how alien would an asian country be to me, when this is all i know?

i've begun preparations for just one visit. it will happen next year. if i like it, perhaps i could spend an even longer length of time there. perhaps i should not build it up too much in my head.

rocketbunny

08-24-2004, 10:10 AM

Sometimes I think about how I would be different as a person if I was born and raised in the Philippines. Part of me wants to live there for a while. Just to be able to absorb the language, the culture, and the people. I can't even speak Tagalog. :frown:

Powerful T

05-16-2006, 10:18 PM

Yeah, I wish I was born in Asia alright...

...no, not really. America is really one of the best places to be in at the moment, aside from all the racism and furor over illegal immigration.

America is so awesome, people are just sprinting to get in here!

Napoleon Chynamite

05-17-2006, 12:27 PM

As a result of the efforts and hard work of my parents I was able to grow up in an environment where I had access to education, services, healthcare, and the sheltering of a community that the majority of the world's youth can only dream of...at this point in life I couldn't really imagine wishing to grow up anywhere else than the U.S. My parents were neither the wealthy nor splurging type yet I felt I grew up absolutely spoiled and well-provided for. The country isn't without its problems and has more than a few shameful events epitomizing the evils of bigotry, prejudice, greed, and racial genocide and/or subjugation in its relatively short history (of which are too many to list, but this applies to almost every nation out there), our current administration is shit, our government has an arrogant and hypocritical tendency to play unilateral rogue policeman and juggle power politics in order to keep ourselves on top, all of which is well reflected in our approach toward foreign and domestic policy (but what country doesn't, once again), that's for sure, but given the standard of living and the exposure to the experiences and stories I've had of life overseas it's made me feel really fortunate to be American.

I would much rather grow up discriminated against and in the minority here and still be much better off than live among the majority or privileged, in, say...China or even more developed and industrialized Asian nations with higher standards of living such as Japan or Korea as the conditions currently stand. When I mean conditions I'm talking about everything including the weather, access to social services and help from communities, space for me to run around and play sports, and second or third chances at education or employment opportunities. In other words, the privileges I have received here in the US as an underprivileged minority of Asian American status still surpass any type of benefits I would receive growing up as a member of the privileged or majority in any Asian country.

I'm sure I've posted my response on this topic before, but it's been long enough that it's safe to assume that my opinion has probably changed somewhat to warrant writing something again.

Filipino_Ako

05-19-2006, 10:51 PM

I was born and raised in the Philippines, but spent a good part of my life growing up in America.

I love the US and all, but wouldn't mind moving back to Pinas. One thing in the Philippines that you won't find here in the states are rice fields. Ha ha thats when I know Im no longer in the US.

Chinasaur

06-08-2006, 12:57 AM

As of now, I will be going to Taiwan the academic term after this one for a year to study abroad and find some work so if I ever decide to work in Asia, I'll have some academic credential and just because it's an opportunity I have right now.

Taiwan, eh...

Over the past few years, I often wished that I lived in China or Taiwan, cuz I have family in both places. Well...I'm in Taiwan right now, typing from an uncle's place...and the first thing I realized during my bus ride from the airport last night is that the Taiwanese middle class is definitely not the same as the Canadian middle class.

Another thing I've noticed is the popularity of scooters. I rode my first scooter in my entire life just earlier today, lol. It's like a fucking necessity here, you see them parked on every street. And to think, me and my boys used to make fun of them back home. Another thing is the amount of Philipinos over here. There's even a channel here that teaches tagalog to native Taiwanese. A third observation is that people BARELY speak any english over here. It also seems--from talking to some of my cuzns--that many of them see no need to learn english. Or maybe it's just my family. Not sure why, but I was a little surprised to find CNN (!) on TV, which I actually watched for a while after I woke cuz it was the only english channel that I could find.

Btw, right now I'm drinking something with the words "Biotechnology" underscoring the label "Tuck-More", and I have no clue wtf it is...only that it tastes like honey. And in this case, at this moment, that's all that really matters.

Never have I been more grateful that I was born and raised where I was, in Canada.

-----------------------------
EDIT: this is my first time travelling anywhere outside of Canada. The flight from Toronto to Chicago O'hare was also my first time being on a plane.

yoMAMA

06-10-2006, 10:17 AM

Powerful T

06-10-2006, 06:01 PM

America has a lot of problems...

Yeah, I was being sarcastic for the most point, but at the moment we ARE the strongest superpower....

AliBabaIncorporated

06-11-2006, 04:17 AM

I would much rather grow up discriminated against and in the minority here and still be much better off than live among the majority or privileged, in, say...China or even more developed and industrialized Asian nations with higher standards of living such as Japan or Korea as the conditions currently stand. When I mean conditions I'm talking about everything including the weather, access to social services and help from communities, space for me to run around and play sports, and second or third chances at education or employment opportunities. In other words, the privileges I have received here in the US as an underprivileged minority of Asian American status still surpass any type of benefits I would receive growing up as a member of the privileged or majority in any Asian country.
No offense, but this reminds me of David Horowitz's argument that black people should be grateful that white people brought them to the US because black Americans are now the richest African-origin people in the world ...

Anyway, my personal preference would be raising my kids in Asia, and then sending them to university in the US (if that still makes sense two or three decades down the road, which it might well not). Regardless of all the benefits of the US you cite versus all your stories of shithole poverty in Asia you heard about, personally, I'd much rather live in a country where you don't have to move to an ultra-expensive neighbourhood or way out in some suburbs just to be able to have peace of mind that you're not gonna get mugged when walking home at 3AM.

Napoleon Chynamite

06-11-2006, 01:05 PM

No offense, but this reminds me of David Horowitz's argument that black people should be grateful that white people brought them to the US because black Americans are now the richest African-origin people in the world ...

We come to grow up in the environments we are given because of a variety of different historical and cultural factors and reasons, many of which involved subjugation, violence, and not the purest of motives. This is true everywhere, whether you were born in China or Russia or Japan or Canada. It would be ridiculous to say that I'm grateful that NA's and other groups were shit on in order for the U.S. to arrive at what it is today. But I'm not going to jump on the cynical bandwagon and ignore the reality that basically I've had a much easier life than most from a global standpoint, and for that I am grateful. I'm thankful that I didn't grow up 5 to a bunkbed, I'm thankful that I never had to worry about my next meal, I'm thankful that money was never ever an issue for me, I'm thankful that I was able to still attend a decent college after having the shittiest high school grades possible and taking years off to work at dead-end jobs, I'm thankful that I was able to receive all the health care services and help from my community, and I refuse to feel bad for feeling thankful for that and choosing to live in an area that would allow me to live a life of minimum stress and hardship. This is different from saying that I'm thankful that whitey raped the New World and its people for centuries.

My point/opinion in this case was I'd be willing to put up with racist shit from white people if it meant that I would be able to grow up and live with relative ease in society (like I have in the past); this doesn't mean that I think that this racist shit is ok. I also realize that each situation is different and that racism affects Asian people in different ways to different extents depending upon location, neighborhood, city, etc. in the U.S. Meanwhile, people from MM and other keyboard warriors are advocating returning to the motherland (when they've never really been there themselves but need something to latch onto anyway) because at the very least, oh...they won't have to worry about their women being taken by white guys. Sure, you guys take the white man-free homeland, and I'll take my chances over here.

Anyway, my personal preference would be raising my kids in Asia, and then sending them to university in the US (if that still makes sense two or three decades down the road, which it might well not). Regardless of all the benefits of the US you cite versus all your stories of shithole poverty in Asia you heard about, personally, I'd much rather live in a country where you don't have to move to an ultra-expensive neighbourhood or way out in some suburbs just to be able to have peace of mind that you're not gonna get mugged when walking home at 3AM.

Difference in experiences and location (I'm on the West Coast) perhaps. The house I grew up in was situated in a relatively safe neighborhood; I'm surrounded by old white people, I never worried about getting mugged, and the house and neighborhood is far from ultra-expensive or even expensive for that matter in comparison to other places. In fact, a lot of inner city property associated with the more "dangerous" neighborhoods or areas are all much most costly than where I live, and I don't live in the suburbs.