--- In [email protected], new.morning <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In [email protected], Duveyoung <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > > > I did a lot of traveling on the Pacific Rim, and I spent months on > > various business missions where I'd return to my hotel room and just > > be stunned that I hadn't seen one person that day who didn't have > > black hair or was as tall as me or who didn't like cold fish hunks on > > rice with a watery gruel for breakfast. Talk about anomie! > > > > I'd be walking down the street in a big city and the sidewalks would > > be four, five, ten people shoulder to shoulder deep. I'd scan ahead > > of me, and there'd be this sea of bobbing black haired heads, and > > every now and then, HEY, there'd be a western head bobbing above the > > rest of them -- seemingly to be bouncing on the "surface of heads." > > > > And I would just be so happy to know the sound of one head floating! > > > > Almost like love at first sight. > > > > And, once, I met this person who I barely knew back in the States, and > > I didn't much care for him, but he spoke English and knew what "Snap > > into a Slim Jim" meant, and that a dog can be a friend not, you know, > > cuisine. Oh, the sanctuary of our sharing a Coke and Burger. Someone > > stop me -- this is sounding so racist! > > > I lived and taught in Asia for over a year. And "lost" western > identity in a way. I would come home at night and when brushing my > teeth see face the mirror, it would sometimes make me jump in shock -- > fair complexion, blondsish hair, green eyes -- who was this odd > looking person? > > And upon seeing westerners, sometimes I would be shocked at the > "missing" inherent, sweetness, kindness and grace often so common in > the interactions of my acquanintances of locals. > After returning to the States after growing up in SE Asia, the weirdest thing was getting used to air that had no smell, and the sea of mostly white people. I was no longer a minority and it was overwhelming at first. I'm kind of used to it now, though one reason I like the Bay Area is its more like 'home' than any place else in the US. Odd thing is still when I am around a group of SE Asians, I feel just like one of them, energetically.
Also love those cheeseburgers! Couldn't find a good one living in Malaya, Indonesia, the Philippines and finally Hong Kong. Still can't believe the supermarkets here. When I didn't have much money as a young adult here I'd wander around a supermarket for pure entertainment. Growing up in Asia possibly partly explains my life long reliance on experience over "book learnin'". Kids here grow up in the suburbs or a city, maybe a farm, whereas I was roaming rice paddies and jungle at the same age. A less structured environment for sure. Not any better or worse, but definitely different. Also didn't have the laws and restrictions everyone grows up with here. If you could reach the counter, you could buy it. Etc.
