Overseas friends...
In my last article I was writing about finding it difficult to integrate into the British society and about how most Chinese nationals couldn't speak proper English. Now let me elaborate on the irony of my own feelings regarding the first issue.
Since I've been in the UK, I've always felt the need to mix around with people of different nationalities. I don't mind if they're Brits or not, but as long as they do have not too many things in common with me! Like I mentioned, it's quite ironic, really, that whenever I walk towards the departure hall at Heathrow, this weird lacklustre feeling always consumes me when I see fellow Malaysians waiting at the departure as well. It always feels like I'm already home without being home. I would not encourage other Malaysians who are thinking of furthering their studies overseas to stick among themselves once they're there. It really defeats the purpose of going abroad. It's just like moving to another college where you meet other Malaysians, but remaining in Malaysia nonetheless. Trust me, there are people who're so isolated, or so fond of clicking among themselves, that even after spending a few years elsewhere, they're still the same as before. Most young Brits at university are as equally guilty of being clique-ish as their foreign classmates, but hey, it's their country anyway.
That said, wanting to integrate does not mean being a white-man worshipper. These are really the people I hate the most, and most of the time, I'm sad to say, these people are always the "bananas" from Malaysia or Singapore. When I first came to Edinburgh, I was lonely and was looking to sign up at a Malaysian society or something. I eventually found one and went to the AGM, but there were so many characters in the society that I disliked. The one I disliked the most was probably this ex-president guy who's trying to put on a Scottish accent while addressing to fellow Malaysians and Singaporeans at the meeting (did he even need to do that?! Moron...). I've got to say he was really crap at doing that, as I did not detect any hint of an "accent" at all. You know how easily you can actually detect fake accents when someone is obviously trying too hard to put on one? It's disgusting isn't it? There was also this girl who told me that the expression "Cheers!" for "thank you", which is commonly used by the Brits and the Aussies, are "started" by the Scottish. Huh? Ms. Smart-Aleck also informed me that the Scottish pronounce "home" as "hume"! Double huh?? Well I know they've got a..."unique" accent, but surely that's going too far.
I've managed to mix around quite a bit, but I always find it extremely easy to run out of topics of conversation with the Brits. Maybe they feel the same way with many of their foreign friends as well. I'm living with a Chinese national (Michael) and a Hong Kong-er (Nelson), and am getting along fine so far. Michael's the "wait-and-see what happens" sort, while Nelson and me are more of the "make things happen" kind, though my folks would probably disagree! I'm too laid back for their liking, but I sincerely feel I'm too pushy for other people. Sometimes Mike's attitude really drives me up the wall...both are extremely easy-going blokes, though, thank God for that!
Since I've been in the UK, I've always felt the need to mix around with people of different nationalities. I don't mind if they're Brits or not, but as long as they do have not too many things in common with me! Like I mentioned, it's quite ironic, really, that whenever I walk towards the departure hall at Heathrow, this weird lacklustre feeling always consumes me when I see fellow Malaysians waiting at the departure as well. It always feels like I'm already home without being home. I would not encourage other Malaysians who are thinking of furthering their studies overseas to stick among themselves once they're there. It really defeats the purpose of going abroad. It's just like moving to another college where you meet other Malaysians, but remaining in Malaysia nonetheless. Trust me, there are people who're so isolated, or so fond of clicking among themselves, that even after spending a few years elsewhere, they're still the same as before. Most young Brits at university are as equally guilty of being clique-ish as their foreign classmates, but hey, it's their country anyway.
That said, wanting to integrate does not mean being a white-man worshipper. These are really the people I hate the most, and most of the time, I'm sad to say, these people are always the "bananas" from Malaysia or Singapore. When I first came to Edinburgh, I was lonely and was looking to sign up at a Malaysian society or something. I eventually found one and went to the AGM, but there were so many characters in the society that I disliked. The one I disliked the most was probably this ex-president guy who's trying to put on a Scottish accent while addressing to fellow Malaysians and Singaporeans at the meeting (did he even need to do that?! Moron...). I've got to say he was really crap at doing that, as I did not detect any hint of an "accent" at all. You know how easily you can actually detect fake accents when someone is obviously trying too hard to put on one? It's disgusting isn't it? There was also this girl who told me that the expression "Cheers!" for "thank you", which is commonly used by the Brits and the Aussies, are "started" by the Scottish. Huh? Ms. Smart-Aleck also informed me that the Scottish pronounce "home" as "hume"! Double huh?? Well I know they've got a..."unique" accent, but surely that's going too far.
I've managed to mix around quite a bit, but I always find it extremely easy to run out of topics of conversation with the Brits. Maybe they feel the same way with many of their foreign friends as well. I'm living with a Chinese national (Michael) and a Hong Kong-er (Nelson), and am getting along fine so far. Michael's the "wait-and-see what happens" sort, while Nelson and me are more of the "make things happen" kind, though my folks would probably disagree! I'm too laid back for their liking, but I sincerely feel I'm too pushy for other people. Sometimes Mike's attitude really drives me up the wall...both are extremely easy-going blokes, though, thank God for that!
posted by Keith at 10:14 AM
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