This Mix-Blood-Youth got a haircut

Interesting comments to the last post. Whether I am a half-breed or not. More on that in a second.

Culture Gap
The gaps in cultures interest me. Like how the sovereignist / separatist movement and the reactionary Federalists of Quebec (and Canada) just did not understand each other. Neither side understood what the other side was saying - newspapers had very little overlap. And they weren't quite listening either. So push came to shove and shove came to bombs and war-time policies - to say the least. Gaps in cultures.

When getting a haircut in Hong Kong, I don't go to the foreign-friendly areas. They're typically more expensive and I don't learn anything. I go to local places. I went to a place in Mong Kok and despite being asked about 20 seconds on my background (perhaps they were in fact curious - or maybe polite), I noticed that I sure learn to speak Cantonese quite fast when someone is holding scissors to my head and I have a haircut riding on it.

After some discussion from the question-and-answer session, one of the workers at the hair salon returned with the Chinese writing I requested. "混血兒". That's what I am.

混血兒
The words mean Mix-Blood-Youth (Person)
The combination of words in my cellphone-dictionary comes up with the entries "half-blooded", "half-blood" and "half-breed".

The Chinese word (混血兒) is legitimately accurate - it's a term for the kind of quasi-common people that are in Hong Kong. The English interpretation of the name, though less common, is an acceptable translation - it seems.

The word "Mulatto" comes to mind...the slang term for mixed people of half-black/half-white descent. The name, despite its possible negative connotations in its origin, is acceptable to communicate one's background. Though half-chinese-half-whites may be less common in the west, doesn't mean it isn't here in Hong Kong, and that the terms they may have is any less acceptable. But when using the English translation of it (half-breed), different interpretations and thoughts come to mind.

Overseas-born Chineses (OBCs)
In Hong Kong, I've met quite a few OBC's, you know, overseas-born or raised Chinese, and they seem quite confused to me. For one thing, they have no clear purpose in Hong Kong, or direction. They come here, with a priviledged background having studied at a good Unviersity, being well-versed in both Cantonese and English, without much idea as to what they want to do or where they want to work. All the while going to western bars and restaurants. They are trying to make their foreign home here in Hong Kong. They speak the language, but many can't write, or have any interest to.

A guess
It's a pilgrimmage without any support. Hong Kong, as the West's Gateway to Asia, there is huge security blanket for everyone. Interested in getting away from it all? It's got it. Interested in learning more? It's a few subway stops away. But the OBCs learn a priviledged life, with freedoms and opportunities afforded to them from their parents. They don't need to work hard, learn to write Chinese, And in growing up, they learn about culture and food from this far-away land, and in coming to Hong Kong, to seek to find it, only to avoid the hardships, the lessons, the values and the benefits.

Proof: Where are they?
I'd like to join with OBCs at the Chinese bar-b-qs, visits to the beach. Meet other OBCs who are Sea Cadet leaders, teaching foster children, eating at dai-pai-dongs (local diners), going hiking or to Karaokes with friends. Where are they?

Sure you can tell me there aren't that many OBCs in Hong Kong - but there are. I've been to the Western Bar district (Lan Kwai Fong), and I've played sports with the westerners (Ultimate Frisbee) - they're there. I've worked with them and somehow they all know many others in Hong Kong. So what are they doing?

Of course, this pretends that I have this moral superiority that what I'm doing is right and what they're doing isn't. Yeah, that's warranted. But keep in mind that I don't attach the same to foreigners - they have their purpose in HK as for many they are brought here, or HK is part of their world-travelling excursions. There's no blame upon them for not undertaking the exploits and lessons I do. I also don't credit myself for being able to knock heads with the OBCs and demonstrate often times I know more about the popular culture, the local current events, have more local friends and can read more of the language - I blame the OBCs for lacking in these areas despite all the privileges to gain in these areas. It's a shame to come this far around the world and forget to take off your blinders once you're here because while on the road to individual pursuit to find out who you are.

Well that's a culture gap this 混血兒 has filled. Came with a haircut too.


More from this group of photos
Me, a foreigner - or maybe she's a local, I think she was born in HK, and an OBC...I think. I was drunk at a fashion show and these are friends of a friend from England.