Leading Bi-Cultural Lives | Asian American Poll

LEADING BI-CULTURAL LIVES
(Updated Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:24:38 PM to reflect the 100 most recent valid responses.)

Is it possible to embrace both American and Asian cultures and find social acceptance with both Americanized and non-Americanized groups of friends?
Yes | 77%
No | 23%

Which of the following factors is most important in facilitating a successful bi-cultural life?
Familitarity with both cultures | 32%
Family upbringing | 28%
Fluency in both languages | 16%
Security in one's identity | 24%

Which of the following factors most discourages bi-cultural lives for U.S.-raised Asian Americans?
Inability to speak Asian languages | 28%
Outmarriage to non-Asians | 14%
Fear of seeming too Asian | 30%
Concern for kids' image with peers | 28%

Which segment of the Asian American population currently has the greatest positive impact on American society?
American-Born | 56%
Foreign-born, American-educated | 44%

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WHAT YOU SAY

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Jade:
The whole Croatian guys with an alleged Asian fetish thing is probably just the interaction of two factors: local culture combined with most people never having seen an Asian in their life except on TV, probably either in the news or in an American movie. In parts of the US midwest, the same two factors simply lead to people staring at you when you go into a convenience store to buy some juice. Some people there have never seen Asians either, but they aren't all that curious when they happen to stumble through their world. However, at least from what I've seen, Croatians are ridiculously friendly and curious about the outside world, especially given their national history. I've never actually been to Croatia, but in every country I've been to in my life, I've always met at least one Croatian tourist, and even though to me they all seem pretty pushy they're also treating me like an old friend before I even got their first name out of their mouth.

Also, you keep emphasizing your dislike for FOBs and their activities. We get it. However, there's no need to continue degrading them as childish idiots simply because their interests differ from your own. I'm sure you also clique together with people whose interests overlap your own, it's hardly unnatural to do just that. As for the whole language thing, most Chinese people simply expect overseas Chinese to be able to speak Chinese and have more tolerance for their habits and interests, at least compared to the average citizen of the country they're in.

Finally, as for going back to China to find your roots: as a fellow Malaysian-Chinese I feel a lot more sense of home in Malaysia. Depends how long ago your ancestors left China to go overseas, but our two cultures have evolved separately for some time. Besides, since perakan also have this common struggle of integrating into a multicultural nation while still retaining Chinese culture, and in many respects pulled it off far more successfully than in the US, I was able to find in Malaysia both the culture of my ancestors and the answers to some of the dilemmas I face in my own life.

PS. You're right though, many Chinese have no "mobile-phone manners," and not just to Western ears. In Japan, there are notices all over train stations reminding you of the law - mobile phones on silent mode while riding the train. A disproportionate number of conversations following mobile rings were in damn loud Chinese. One time I even heard some old man said to his wife, "Why don't these Chinese kids just remember to turn off their phones? Is it that difficult?" So I guess it is on the way to becoming a global stereotype ...
T.H. Lien

Toi San Jai: same kind of comment could be made about the word "Negro" (as in United Negro College Fund) or "Colored" (as in National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). Nothing inherently offensive about it, just people felt like making up a new word cuz they figure by changing the language around you actually change the content of people's thoughts and banish all traces of the bad old days when people used the other word. BTW "oriente" is often used in Spanish to simply mean "eastern portion," like Sierra Madre Occidental vs. Sierra Madre Oriental (the eastern side, nothing to do with Asian culture or Chinese-like people living there, and in fact the portion of the mountain FARTHEST from Asia)
T.H. Lien

Jade,

Even if you found the fluent English speaking asian male. The chance are of him not liking video games, cel phones, KTV (karaoke), or widget worship are very slim. Haha...you've just wiped out half the asian male population from your mating selection. ^_^

But in all honesty having partied a bit in Shanghai, HK, and Taipei. There are plenty of "cool" Chinese asian to hang with. The language barrier is something that will have to be cross though. I've been known to learn a new dialect just to hit on a cutie asian chick. You never know maybe some asian male will learn English to hit on you one day.

The James Bond factor...never underestimate the added allure of the British English accent on the opposite sex. I wonder if the American accent gets the same reception in Europe.

Some of my Chinese dialects spoken are fluent but slightly accented. This causes a lot of openners with the opposite sex for me when I'm in asia. Practice up on your Chinese if you have the time, your population of available males will skyrocket. Maybe Mandarin would be a good choice, since your experiences with HK FOBs are not too good. You don't like HK FOBs with only 10% cantonese comprehension, you're probably not going to like them any better with 95% cantonese comprehension skills.

Yeah, as job and $ become responsibilities in adult life. Self indulging globe-trotting seems more and more out of the question.

Croatia...not really my #1 vacation destination due to its recent war.

However, Asian fetish..hmmmm...If the croatian women also suffer from this delmenia, get me a plane ticket.^_^

Toi San Jai,

Oriental vs. Asian....It's a PC thing in America, just go with the flow. The people in USA from the East want to be labelled Asian. Nothing right or wrong about it. They just want ownership of the word that's all.
AC dropout

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