Prelude To Even More Confusion

National Holiday/Vacation time has begun.

Many people are scrambling around today, the last day of work before the mass migration to visit family during the holidays. Traffic is heavy, honking horns everywhere, cars driving on sidewalks, forcing electric bikes, motorists, vendors and even pedestrians aside.

My flatmate Paul is taking a trip with another foreigner down south, and may end up in Macau. They'll be gone for almost a week, leaving myself and my kittens. Around the time of Paul's expected return, Kevin will be visiting from Canada. Much like Santa, he is bringing gifts for all the good girls and boys. A Fossil brand watch I'm paying him for, and catnip toys for my kittens. Kev's a sucker for kitteh!

Laundry day, and downloading a few of my current favourite TV series, and studying a bit of Chinese. Mostly, the rules for writing Chinese characters.

Recalling one of my older posts (http://northkin.blogspot.com/2008/04/i-dont-understand.html) I'm making the same complaint today. Contemplating shaving my head.

Photo: Stree scene. Exact location unknown. Found in google image searching "China street". Double the volume, in the evening, a more accurate example here during this pre holiday season.

Xiǎojiě, nǐ shì nǎ guó rén?

America is not a country.

I didn't think much about it until a few days ago in a cab ride to work. The driver of the taxi asked me a couple of questions. I became aggravated as the conversation progressed.

Taxi - "nǐ shì nǎ guó rén? Měiguórén? [which country are you from? American?]
Me - "wǒ shì jiā ná dà rén" [I am a Canadian.]
Taxi - "ahhh, (nodding) nǐ shì Měiguórén." [Ahh, you are American.]
Me - (Thinking for a moment) "shì, jiānádà. wǒ shì jiānádàrén." [Yes, Canada. I am a Canadian.]
Taxi - "zhī dào, Měiguórén." [I know, American"]

It was a refusal to acknowledge my identity. We know it is impolite to refer to someone as "Middle-Eastern", "Asian", and "South African". In these situations, we tend to ignore it unless it is directly related to a given situation. Courtesy would be that being corrected expects the conversation to adapt and use the preferred term.

Idiot - "Which country are you from? Asian?"
Chinese National - "Yes, I'm Chinese."
Idiot - "Ahh, Asian."
Chinese National - "China. I am Chinese."
Idiot - "I know. Asian."

Mistaking someones nationality with their geographic region is excusable. Refusal to aknowledge someones identity by considering their regional origin to be their country of origin regardless of being corrected, is belligerent.

My computer is back in working order. I lost alot of data, but my Mandarin software has been reinstalled.

Photo: The McDonalds here keeps messing up my order. I literally point and touch the menu item, so why do they still get it wrong? Next time, I'm opening everything as soon as the bag is on the counter. >:[ Edit: Who am I kidding? I should be happy that they mess up simple orders. It gives it that "like back home" feeling.