Banana Speaks Out

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Banana Speaks Out, originally uploaded by jolinjojobeans.

So my roommate’s birthday was this past weekend (Happy birthday Roomie!!). She had a bunch of friends drop by and they went out for dinner, etc etc. I didn’t join only because I already had other plans made from before. But here’s the interesting part about the visitors though, they were ALL Chinese. China Chinese. I don’t think I ever felt so out of place! yeah, what can I say, I’m a true Banana – yellow on the outside, white on the inside.

I could comprehend maybe 10% of the mandarin they spoke (it was in a different dialect than I’m used to I think…although I’ll be honest, I only understand 10% of the dialect that i DO speak anyway). When they broke off their conversation to speak in English I could tell they were making an effort to help me feel included. I bet what they really thought was “TRAITOR! Traitor to your own race!!!” *hangs head in shame* Could feel all 20 squinty judging eyes boring into my back as I tried to blend into the furniture.

This lead to SigOther asking the profound question – is there a name (besides traitor) for someone like me. Someone who doesn’t solely hang out with their own kind. Thinking about it, it’s not like I SHUN other Asians. A quick count recalls 2 Koreans, 1 Taiwanese (now deported), 2 Singaporeans, 1 American Chinese, 1 mainland Chinese, 1 Indian, 2 Filipino.. (i’m sorry, I tried to make it ring like a Christmas carol but I can’t say i have 12 Korean friends) yeah, that seems like a VERY decent number of Asian friends. Not to mention the gazillions that I have from back home.

Friend suggested the term SPG, or Sarong Party Girl. But that doesn’t apply here. SPGs originated on the Singapore club scene where the local girls (caricatured wearing the sarong) would hunt the expatriate white men in hopes of marrying them and moving to a foreign country. Gold-diggers. But that doesn’t apply to my case. Number 1, I do not hunt white men, I have plenty of female white friends too. Number 2, I may be dating a caucasian but in the US, caucasians ARE the locals hence the expatriate part doesn’t apply.

So.. I guess I’d say I’m quite .. assimilated… It’s not strange to find people who kinda keep to their own kind, like Roomie. Nor is it difficult to find those like me who like having friends from all over. In my case I think the significant difference was that I moved here 5 years ago alone, separate from the pack that went to study in Australia or England where they have their cluster of local friends. When you’re a stranger in a new country it’s too easy to find a comfort zone with your own countrymen and I guess for me because I came alone, it was a case of ’sink or swim’. I swam. To my advantage I’ve always spoken English growing up. I regret not trying harder to learn mandarin or cantonese but I guess it’s helped me assimilate faster here.

How did I get into this pondery post? It was supposed to be funny and uplifting! damnit.. oh well. Now you get to see the pondery side of Jojobeans!