Now the real message of this post. I read this in a book about China today:
"Another key factor in the emotional impact that China has on foreign residents is that no matter how long they may have been in China, whether years or a lifetime, they remain outsiders. For most foreigners this inability to merge themselves into the local scene and become one of the crowd, to not be stared at or singled out for special treatment or discriminated against for no reason other than the fact that they are not Chinese is a burden that eventually becomes unbearable."
It was like the author read my mind. And other Peace Corps Volunteers here. We had dinner together a few weeks ago and the main topic of conversation was how frustrating it is to be treated like an ignorant outsider in a place you consider a second home. At first it didn't bother us as much, because we felt like outsiders; it felt normal to be treated like one. But now? It gets quite irritating and frustrating. At least now I know this is normal.
I've heard from people I know who went to and lived in China and speak the language very well, that it's horrible what the chinese can say about you because they think Outsiders will never understand their language... Super racist and terrible comments spoken to your face with a smile. Sad, really.
ReplyDeleteIt is sad. At least I know it is not just us. One of the guys here speaks better Chinese than I do, he swears back at people (in Chinese). It shocks them and they run away. I usually just ignore it. Maybe I should learn to swear, though, too.
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