Sitting in Japanese class, we had to say a sentence with the new vocabulary we're currently learning. A friend/classmate of mine raises his hand to volunteer to incorporate a vocabulary word into a sentence. In Japanese, he says, "I want to become Japanese."
Our Japanese teacher, a native from Japan, tells him, "Well, good luck." She goes on to tell us that it's very hard for non-Japanese people to be accepted in the society. All though anyone can live there, it doesn't mean that you will be accepted immediately. People from other Asian countries can be more accepted than a White person, but it is still hard to see even them as Japanese.
She also says, "Unless you memorize 3,000 kanji characters with the correct stroke order, can pronounce and dictate the words with fluency, and know all the mannerisms, you will not be accepted as Japanese. They have an in-group."
I can't remember what exactly she said, but she also mentioned a non-Japanese guy who went on Japanese news. He was "very Japanese" but because the native Japanese newscasters were doubtful of his literacy, they made him write a complicated kanji character, paying attention to his stroke order. But when he did it correctly, even in calligraphy, they finally accepted him as their own.
Wednesday, December 6, 2006
I Want To Be Japanese
At The China Garden
The outside of China Garden, a Chinese dim sum restaurant in Georgetown, shows itself royally with an entryway reminiscent of the walls and pillars in Chinatown across the United States that let you know that you're in Chinatown territory. Above it is the Chinese dragon that is supposed to represent fortune. Next to the pillars are wooden slabs with Chinese characters painted on it. The architecture around this restaurant reminds me of architecture of ancient China.
Inside, I feel blasted by red color everywhere. The whole wall is painted with a dark reddish tone. A Chinese woman, costumed in the Mandarin chi pao, greets me in Chinese, probably because I look Chinese. Except, I tell her, "For two, please." She understands that I only speak English, and leads me to a free table.
I order hot tea, and comes a traditional tea set. The waiter also hands me a pair of chopsticks. I hear the couple in the next table say, "I love this place. It makes me feel like I'm in China."
Tuesday, December 5, 2006
What race were you meant to be?
Marriage as a White Person Thing?
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/25/AR2006032500029.html
Fellow Blogger
http://actingwhite.blogspot.com
Acting Race
http://www.inthesetimes.com/site/main/article/2572