Job Discussion Forums

[Ming_2008]

[mcl sonya]

China is so not a multicultural country. Maybe there are other cultures in the minority regions, but they're not mixed into the mainstream. As far as Taiwan goes, maybe ideologically to some they're one country, but in reality they're two very different worlds.

There are words for foreign visitors and foreign teachers, etc. Most of them have the word "wai" in them (for example, foreign teachers: waijiao). A lot of people call foreigners foreign friends too.

Laowai really isn't supposed to be offensive. The lao thing isn't offensive at all, nor is calling someone a foreigner offensive. Living in the States, the Chinese call themselves laozhong, the Mexicans are laomuo, the white Americans laomei, etc. That said, pointing at someone in the street and saying, "Laowai!" is rather silly; but sometimes in China people just can't contain their excitement. In a way it's kind of innocent. I didn't realize it was the same way in Taiwan... it must be far less pronounced, because I've never noticed it while I was there.. then again, being Taiwanese-American, I'm not a laowai, and when I'm there I don't know any. I have noticed that the pretty Taiwanese lamei have a definite preference for laowai, but I don't think that's anything to complain about...

I used to study in Finland and spoke enough Finnish to hear people discussing me in the streets (usually along the lines of, look how dark her hair is, do you think she's Japanese or Korean, Japanese people don't like salmiakki, etc.). In Israel it was the same way, people talked about me a lot, little kids would chase me half a block to yell, "Shalom sinit!!!" over and over, or random people would come up to me and say sawadepka (however you say hello in Thai) and tell me that they spent half a year in Thailand. I was like, great...you must know then that I don't look Thai... I got bothered by this too in the beginning, actually; it does feel strange to stand out for something like your race; but ultimately I thought it was kind of cool, you know, being a cultural ambassador, making the world a slightly more cosmopolitan place one day at a time just by being there. Because you know the next time they see one of you, instead of going sinit!! or laowai! they're going to think, "Oh yeah, I saw one of those the other day. Hm. What a mixed up world we live in."

[MomCat]

I think women are less bothered by being started at and having people call them out. At least they're staring at our face and not our *beep* and the "HELLO"s and "Laowei"s don't have crude meanings.

[Ming_2008]

[BigWally]

As far as Taiwan goes, maybe ideologically to some they're one country, but in reality they're two very different worlds.

This is true, and what Ming is saying about China may be true on the mainland, in Taiwan there is still a mix of Buddhist, Taoist, Christian, and other local beliefs from the native people.

I think the "religious" diversity, as well as the multicultural diversity of Taiwan is more pronounced than on the mainland. Every day I see Chinese, Taiwanese, Hakka, Filipinos, Indians, Americans, Canadians, South Africans, Australians, New Zealanders, Brits, etc, etc.

I'm sure it'd be even more noticeable if I lived in a "big" city like Taipei, not this small little hick town down south.

[Aristotle]

I find Loa Wai offense because loa means old and I am old.
It's like being ugly and being called ugly all the time.
Good luck!
A.

[KaiFeng]

The funny thing about this, is that back here in the states, I _still_ hear Chinese and Taiwanese referring to people like me as "wai-kuo-jen". When their attention is diplomatically drawn to the fact that actually _they_ are the "wai-kuo-jen" here, they are invariably shocked. It's literally never occurred to them that they could be foreigners. Even my savvy Taiwanese wife was stunned the first time I drew this to her attention.

[JZer]

I often hear Koreans doing the same. I heard Koreans calling white people in Taiwan foreigners. Also some Koreans can not seem to understand that a Korean born in America is an American. Some think that only white people can speak correct English.

[Ki]

Jzer,

Quiet. This belief is what's keeping us employed.

[killian]

in wish they would call me "laowai" but they call me "laoshi", except in the local dialect that comes out "lesi" (garbage).

[foreignertobe]

I have always wondered if the Taiwanese have any idea where the desireable part of their lives comes from. Personally, I would feel a foreigner in my own land if I were Taiwanese, seeing how modern life has virtually nothing to do with them (despite the manufacturing of it). The world is interconnected, and polar, enough that it seems Taiwanese would feel themselves as outsiders no matter where they were. If they thought about it.... Alas....

[t-asia]

If it helps any, I am often called 'Farang' in Thailand. Translates to 'Foreigner'. For those teachers who have several words shouted your way, take note, this expat has but one to adjust too. Sensitivity of the abnormal, and being sensitised to the norm, never harmed anyone. WE HOPE.

[t-asia]

There is an exception to the rule, whereby an Indian tourist visiting Thailand is labelled a 'guest' and not 'farang'. Which does not shout out as being different from our normal visa staus, but it does make you wonder about most Asian countries, and most overtones, which are xenophobic. Why, what do the Japanese call visiting tourists? Curious.

[BigWally]

I'm pretty sure that anyone who is a foreigner in Japan is called "Gaijin".