How do I feel as an IBC...
Created Saturday, 20th December 2003, 18:50 by whykay
(NOTE: This is a migrated article from the old IBC blog)
An interesting comment was posted recently. So I will give it a go answering story-style. But here is the comment first:
What are the things about you that are Irish? Do you feel that you could go to London, or San Francisco, or Hong Kong, and feel more at ease or less? Do you feel that all whites are foreign devils, or are the Irish your compatriots? What do you think of the racism or the English against the Irish? Both of them against Indians? Do you want your kids to feel more Irish or more Chinese? At least they should cook Chinese…
Well, what are the things about me that I am Irish. Well, I am born and raised in Ireland, and I think like the way folks think here too. :) I’m was born in Cork, raised in Limerick. Went to a public school, nothing special. Good friends, the warmth that came through from my friends (naturally). College was fun, more Irish social life (what would I do without it!). Those were the days. I’m working in Dublin now. Social life is important. But there is probably one major thing that would be different, I would not spend every single cent I have. I have many friends who are on their last cent just before payday. So a bit of Chinese shrewdness is there in my somewhere. :P I suppose the first generation folks here are more conservative compared to us second generation folks as well. So many here would be pretty outgoing, not that I met many IBCs yet, just a few. I would be proud of the Irish teams in major events like rugby (go Munster team), football, even Olympics. I wave the flag proudly. (We gave a good try in this year’s rugby world cup, and poor Keith Woods. He did us proud.) I am lucky in a way to be able to experience both cultures. Being brought up here, I just feel right at home with everyone here. And when I am in HK, even more so! Everyone complements me on my Cantonese, but I think I will need to learn Mandarin! (This has been a really long stretch goal of mine!) Racism… it has gotten a bit worse here, maybe it is just the influx of immigrants and people are just being protective and paranoid. I have no comments about the English against the Irish, because I have not experienced any of this. Not sure what people’s perception are of me being from Ireland, seem to ask me if I am afraid of the gun fire and stuff! :) But that sort of racism is not seen much, well by me. I have never been to Northern Ireland, and media portrayal is making me paranoid of going up there, even though I know it is only a small part of a city. But I am only human. :P I do not know about racism against Indians though. I would love to have my kids know a bit of both, what I have experienced essentially. I am so lucky, is all I could say. This is a beautiful country, people here are rather nice. Knowing about your roots is important, and my future children (if any ;) ) will come to accept that it is important to love your roots, whatever culture it is, even if it is a mixed marriage. Heh, nowadays, I think many young Chinese know how to cook Chinese. I mainly follow and learn from my mom and dad. They did not force me, but I did it just because I would love to make all the things that my parents made, and love. :)Discuss more about this – IBC forum