Comment from MedioGringo
Time: February 12, 2008, 9:46 pm

I used to live in San Francisco and I saw some of this as well. Sure you did see lots of Chinese-American couples but there were entire neighborhoods that were almost entirely Chinese. I lived in one of those hoods. There were stores where everything was written and even priced in Chinese. I remember going into these stores and being followed around like a criminal a few times. It was actually the only time in my life I’ve felt racially discriminated against, which is strange since I’m half Mexican, half white - I’m not sure which half they’d choose to pick on.

At any rate, having had Asian roommates and girlfriends, I can say that most of it is a cultural thing. When Asians immigrate they tend to seek out other Asians and bond together into tight groups for the benefit of everyone. It’s really a brilliant strategy. They settle down in their area and create a new Asian community with Asian owned businesses that provide jobs for friends and relatives who might be recent immigrants as well.

Having experienced a lot of this culture, I can say that a Chinese person marrying a non-Chinese person tends to be frowned upon by the old guard. The two Asian girls I dated we liberal and open minded but they faced a lot of pressure from their parents to find a nice Asian boy.

I can’t speak for the Spanish, but I would only guess there would be much less pressure for a Spaniard to marry another Spaniard.

Comment from españolito
Time: February 12, 2008, 9:55 pm

you’re right Medio Gringo, there’s almost no social pressuse to marry another Spaniard.

The social and cultural statuses are seen as more important than nationality. Money is not a key factor neither, I would say. Similar cultural values are more important.

However, there’s a strong prejudice againts marrying Muslims.

Comment from luke
Time: February 12, 2008, 10:07 pm

Trivial points. Chinese restaurants in Spain don’t give you chop-sticks unless you ask (they seem to be very surprised when you do). They also serve Spanish salads. It seems they have to adapt more to the Spanish rather than vice-versa. Not sure if it is better to have cultures pressured to adapt to the main culture or whether multi-culturalism is preferrable (the former model being US model(although I’m sure chop-sticks are used in the US!) and the latter being the present UK model).

Comment from Kay
Time: February 12, 2008, 10:37 pm

Well, I’m not Chinese but I am an Asian living in the Basque Country and I’ve found it somewhat hard to integrate even when I try very hard. Maybe it’s because the Chinese have been the dominant Asian group in Spain for a long time (although I heard the number of Japanese are increasing in Madrid), but I can’t walk anywhere without people always staring at me and calling out “China” everywhere I go. It’s kind of…well frustrating since I’m not Chinese. It would be nice if people didn’t assume I was Chinese, just because I am Asian, but I guess I can understand why since there are not many Asians in the area that I live in and people are not used to seeing non-Caucasian people. Integration has been hard, I suppose it’s due to a mixture of stereotypes and cultural differences. I still hope one day that I’ll be able to walk down the street without being commented on or stared at, but that will probably take awhile (or maybe I should just move to Madrid?). I like Spain, but the lack of diversity in my area does make me very sad sometimes.

Comment from Dave_K
Time: February 12, 2008, 11:41 pm

@MedioGringo: it’s different in Spain, no comparison really. The Chinese are practically invisible. No Chinatowns, no Cal-Berkeley’s, no Chinese professors, etc.

@espanolito: “there’s almost no social pressuse to marry another Spaniard.” — tell that to my suegra!

Comment from Jose Luis
Time: February 13, 2008, 1:16 am

Ben, I think the two expressions you cite: “trabajar como un chino” and “cuento chino” have been circulating in Spain for a long time; much earlier than the presence of a sizeable Chinese community in Spain, which is a pretty recent phenomenon.

Comment from Andrew
Time: February 13, 2008, 3:44 am

Unfortunately “trabajar como un chino” is one word away from “work like a n*****”. I’m sure the former is meant in a complimentary way but still…

Comment from Ben
Time: February 13, 2008, 7:50 am

@Kay - that is terrible, I can imagine how totally ridiculous it must seem to get that kind of treatment in a corner of a western European country. I suspect the situation would be better in Madrid, but still… it’s pretty sad as you say.

@Jose Luis - I guess you are right, but I suspect the presence of the Chinese has at least ensured these phrases stay current. And when did the Chinese arrive in Spain? I must find out.

@Andrew - I did consider that. But I think the phrase you mention tends to be delivered with much more venom than the chino phrase is here in Spain.

Comment from Arpi Shively
Time: February 13, 2008, 8:20 am

Fascinating, Ben, Fred and I will look out for them when we come to Madrid this weekend. I just have to say - again - how much we love Notes In Spain and the language site. The most excellent thing of its kind, and we tell everyone about it.

Keep up the wonderful work, all the best, Arpi & Fred

Comment from Ben
Time: February 13, 2008, 8:35 am

Thanks Arpi!

Comment from Marina
Time: February 13, 2008, 11:52 am

I would say that the Chinese started to come to Spain about 20-25 years ago, when Chinese restaurants started to become popular. As Jose Luis says, the phrases that Ben mentioned were used by my grandparents so they are obviously older. One variation that Ben forgot is: “Es un trabajo de Chinos” = when something is very difficult or complicated.

Chinese also deal with flowers, there are some shops in Lavapies area apart from the single rose selling that they do in bars on the weekends.

I was very surprised recently when we went to the Ramirez workshop to record the podcast, as the area was completely taken by Chinese shops in a similar way of what I’ve seen in the UK, not only selling Chinese food as you can see in Lavapies, but lots of kitchen hardware including rice cookers, magazines and news papers and many other things.

Comment from Marina
Time: February 13, 2008, 11:52 am

By the way, many thanks Arpi for your comment:-)

Comment from Moscow
Time: February 13, 2008, 11:57 am

Ben,
Those phrases about the Chinese have been in use in Spain - probably for centuries. Spain had in the Philippines a large colony in Asia, one with a substantial population of Chinese origin. The Philippines were a Spanish colony for more than 300 years. And Spaniards did trade with the Chinese in Fukian and other Chinese provinces in the 19th century.

Comment from Ben
Time: February 13, 2008, 12:03 pm

@Moscow, thanks for the info, I’m going to update the post above to make sure people read the comments!

Comment from leftbanker
Time: February 13, 2008, 1:31 pm

There is an old joke about racial prejudices that can be adapted to this subject;

Q: What does a Spaniard call a person of Chinese ancestry who was born in Spain, speaks flawless Spanish, plays flamenco guitar, goes to the corrida, fanatically supports Valencia CF, and cooks the best paella in the city?
A: A chino.

For all of our problems, one thing about America is that if you say you are American, no matter how thick your accent or the color of your skin, people will believe that you are American. I have only lived in Spain a year and I am about as integrated as I ever could hope to be, but I am of European stock (albeit the trash that got kicked out a century ago). I find the Chinese immigrants’ seeming lack of desire to integrate as rather odd. I also find it odd how my Spanish friends see the Chinese here as an almost separate entity. It’s like every Chinese-owned business is a Chinese Gibraltar to Spaniards—not that Spaniards are the least bit resentful, they just don’t consider the owners to be Spanish.

I frequent a café owned by a Chinese couple who speak little Spanish. Their teenage son speaks fluent Spanish and Chinese (and dresses like an American inner-city hood). He seems to be bridging the cultural gap quite well but I notice that on his laptop all of his cultural leanings are towards China: music, videos, web sites, etc. He told me that he doesn’t like Spanish music.

An interesting topic in need of a lot of follow-up by all of us.

Comment from Ben
Time: February 13, 2008, 3:21 pm

Random thought re “I have yet to see a Chinese-Spanish couple holding hands in the street” - a lot of Spanish couples are adopting orphans from China these days, so I guess that will change in about 10 years time…

Comment from dimonió
Time: February 13, 2008, 4:50 pm

re Spanish couples adopting orphans from China. A married 30something Spanish friend of mine says that a number of her unmarried / single contemporaries are also adopting Chinese children. She thinks the background checks are less stringent and make adoption by a single parent easier. She knows of 3 in her immediate circle in Palma and so I wonder how the single parent with Chinese offspring will work within Spanish society.

Comment from Edith
Time: February 13, 2008, 7:24 pm

The worldwide Chinese diaspora is not new although Chinese immigrants are a relatively recent phenomenon in Spain.

Chinese immigrants were heavily persecuted in northern Mexico during the 1911-1918 Revolution - Pancho Villa hated them with a vengeance which I find difficult to fathom.

Chinese communities around the world have always been rather close-knit, and many Chinese immigrants tend to keep to themselves (and out of local politics). In Holland, they don’t even claim social security benefits! There’s a small ‘Chinatown’ section near Amsterdam Central Station - on the Zeedijk - with restaurants and a Buddhist temple.

In California during the 1800s, Chinese people helped construct railroads and they were expert at blasting tunnels. Of course, the Chinese were also famous for running laundries. They had a special name for San Francisco which I don’t recall, but this city has always played an important part in their history.

BTW, chop suey is an American invention. Chinese restaurant owners adapt their dishes to local tastes wherever they settle. I have eaten at a Chinese restaurant in Guatemala and the food was very different from the fare you’d get in Amsterdam. Sechuan cuisine has become rather popular over the last few years, but menus always include a warning about its spiciness.

Last year I watched an episode of España Directo which was about Spain’s new Chinatowns. Will they develop a local Chinese culture here, too?

Comment from HereWeGoAgain
Time: February 13, 2008, 8:55 pm

These types of public photo shoots of young Asian couples in wedding attire are extremely popular in New York City and have been for many years. The building complex I used to work in had a huge interior promenade with great natural lighting and wonderful views of Manhattan. So many of these wedding parties used to come through during the work week taking photos that finally building management had to post signs saying that photos could not be taken without a permit!

Regarding chinese food, well, in a country of a billion people, there is a lot of variety. Each region of China has it’s own particular cuisine and while to a Westerner, it is all “chinese food” there are regional differences to the dishes. Hmm, kind of like Spain, don’t you think?

Comment from moscow
Time: February 14, 2008, 6:57 am

Actually, I have been to China recently and observed the following similarities with Spain:
1) Massess of people walking down the streets (even late in the evening).
2) Eateries&bars everywhere
3) The Chinese are very, very loud. Conversations easily end up in shouting matches. High-pitch mobile phone conversations with no regard for people around.
4) Extremely sociable and friendly, but may seem rude to (specially) Anglos.
5) No sense of privacy.
6) Chaotic driving (well actually China is much worse, but still).
7) Feisty, uninhibited women.
A lot of high-speed train lines are been built around the country (someone tell ZP about it).
9) Construction&builiding absolutely everywhere. A sense of a society in perennial change (stronger in China, of course).
10) Parts of town are extremely clean, other parts are less so.
11) Vibrant music scene, virtually unknown abroad.
12) A mix of the old and the new. A very long history, but a feeling that a new society is being formed.
13) Beijing-Shanghai = Madrid-Barcelona?
14) And as the former comment stated an incredibly varied regional cuisine.

Comment from Grace
Time: February 14, 2008, 1:17 pm

The lack of Chinese-Spanish couples was recently explained to me by a Chinese classmate and it was attributed to the simple fact that Chinese men found the rear-end of Spanish women too… big. Chinese men apparently like their women skinny. On the other side, Chinese women who take on non-Chinese partners are seen to be loose and a Chinese man would never take a one who has had a foreign partner as a wife.

Having spoken to various Chinese store owners, most seem to have taken on a general dislike of the Spanish (reasons unknown) and were looking not to live a life here but to make as much money as possible before returning to China.

@Ben - Look harder and you might see those couples. Love your site.

Comment from Ben
Time: February 14, 2008, 3:19 pm

That helps explain things, thanks Grace!

Comment from vozbox
Time: February 15, 2008, 2:08 am

Reading about Kay’s frustration over the confusion of her ethnicity brings another issue to mind: political correctness. Living in the United States, I’m well aware of the importance of verbal precision when it comes to the sensitive subject of race. In a country where practically every ethnic group under the sun is represented, you really need to tread carefully. I’m not complaining, though; I think this rich cultural diversity is what makes America great. That said, staying politically correct can become confusing and even ridiculous at times, as it sometimes relies on syntax alone

Example: The term “colored people,” used to describe any non-White person, was phased out in favor of “racial minorities,” which in recent years has been scrapped for “people of color.” The fact that this term essentially ended up exactly as it began is laughable, especially to a foreigner who isn’t accustomed to all this seemingly needless complexity. The irony continues when certain ethnic groups actually reject the label that society has determined for them! Case and point, some indigenous peoples of America prefer to be called Indians, the term coined by Columbus when he mistook the Caribbean islands for the Indies of Asia, instead of the more accurate and politically correct term, Native American. Most people have agreed to compromise and refer to these groups as American Indians, not to be confused with Indian-Americans who are US citizens of Indian (hindú) heritage. This is only a taste of how convoluted things can get!

Anyway, let me get back to Asians in Spain! From an American perspective, referring to all Southeast Asians as “Chinese” would be considered highly ignorant, but in a place like Spain where the large majority of Asians are actually Chinese, I think it’s more excusable to make this assumption. In fact, I’d even say that Spaniards aren’t consciously making the assumption that a person is Chinese; it’s just that a lack of diverse Asian cultures in Spain has prevented the blanket-term “asiático” from entering the vernacular.

I guess the point I’m trying to make is that Kay has every right to feel irritated that people call her “china,” but this issue won’t change until Spain houses greater ethnic diversity. When it does, the need to be more politically correct will become apparent (as it has in the US, the UK, Canada, etc.).

I don’t want my argument to sound elitist, because by no means am I trying to tout the United States as the paragon of cultural awareness; we definitely have our share of ignorance, racism, and bigotry. Political correctness is not a measure of the public’s sensitivity but an indication of their desire to get people of varied backgrounds to cooperate, collaborate, and coexist.

Comment from Alexandria
Time: February 15, 2008, 8:54 am

When I was studying in Madrid, I didn’t hear a bad word against the Chinese from my host family or any Spaniard that I personally met. Still, my Asian classmates and I could hardly leave our houses without “Oye, China!” catcalls. I had classmates who had been told very matter-of-factly that “slanted” eyes were ugly. And even more non-Chinese Asian classmates were called Chinese even after clarifying that they were in fact another ethnicity entirely. This kind of stuff is generally socially unacceptable in the US. When it does happen (it may not be acceptable, but Americans are not beyond it at all), it is normally taken as a serious offense.

Over the course of my time there, I began to understand that race relations in Spain and the United States are very different. I could understand that although they may hold strong preconceptions and stereotypes of the Chinese, the Spaniards still had the capacity to respect them, which I think is much less so the case in American racially charged comments/ideas. Still, at this point, I would not be so generous as to call the Spanish accepting of Chinese. I would call them tolerant, which is much farther than the US was 20 years into mass Chinese immigration.

Comment from Dawn
Time: February 15, 2008, 9:52 am

Oddly enough, one of the most visible members of Madrid’s Chinese community, Li Lui Yan (she’s the Chinese-language correspondent on Telemadrid’s Telenoticias Sin Fronteras - http://www.telemadrid.es/telemadrid/programa.pag?codigo=6) did marry a Madrileño, but if memory serves, she met her (now ex-) husband in China, not in Madrid. She’s an interesting example of integration; not only does she work in Spanish media, she also works for Caja Madrid - echoing leftbanker’s comments. Maybe integration isn’t happening now, but that doesn’t mean that it may not eventually happen…

Comment from Moscow
Time: February 15, 2008, 11:09 am

@Vozbox, I couldn’t agree more with you. Spain is already a lot more PC than it used to be, and the trend is clearly on the increase. People in Peru, many of them Andean Indians, call former president Alberto Fujimori “El Chino”, although he is of Japanase origin. I don’t think they are being racist or condescending - with exception perhaps of his political opponents.
@Grace, over the years I have observed - perhaps I’m wrong - disproportionately more Caucasian-male/Asian-female couples than Caucasian-female/Asian-male couples. And why do most European/Caucasian/white (whatever you want to call it) women generally find Asian men unatractive? Or so I’ve been told rather often. Am I misinterpreting something?

Comment from Shana
Time: February 15, 2008, 1:49 pm

Kay,
I can sympathize with you too. I’m currently living in Sevilla, and multiple times have already heard people say, “(something) and China” as I was walking right past them in the streets. First of all I’m not even Chinese, I’m Korean. Parts of me want to say “It’s not like I don’t understand/speak Spanish.” I mean I sometimes get the same thing in the US, but here people are much more blunt.
As for Ben’s comment, I have been pleasantly surprised to see a handful of adopted Asian children with Spaniard parents while walking around Sevilla.

Comment from Grace
Time: February 15, 2008, 2:14 pm

@Moscow - The higher ratio of Caucasian-male/Asian-female in my opinion, largely stems from the fact that Asian men want a partner who shares similar values such as filial piety to his parents - which means living with them after marriage and gender equality is still not as common as it should be - these men still want a wife to come home to. The Caucasian female would probably laugh these things off while the Asian female is increasingly becoming aware of this. Also, the Caucasian female is very likely to be taller than the Asian male and even in this day and age, I doubt both sides would be comfortable with this. There are of course many who don’t embrace the same values but there are more who do.

Comment from Jon Hundt
Time: February 15, 2008, 6:59 pm

“Work like a Chinaman” … someone above equated that to “work like a nigger” (sorry, did I say the dreaded word? ) meaning to work very hard. In California you hear people refer to it as “working like a Mexican”. The funny thing is, each group uses the phrase to mean “working very hard”, but the stereotype of the subject group is usually exactly the opposite.

In California, the stereotype of a Mexican is a lazy, unambitious type who naps all day… of course the reality is that most Mexicans will work their asses off to put a few bucks in the bank and a few meals on the table, and will send as much money as possible home to support family there.

Comment from Maria S.
Time: February 15, 2008, 8:26 pm

Shana’s comment caught my eye.
Being Korean in a European country will most likely label you Chinese. We have the same “phenomenon” in Germany — all my Korean students, coming from ex-pat families, are usually mistaken for Chinese. Of course, this also implies they are supposedly poor and their fathers are working in Chinese restaurants. Quite the contrary, they come from well educated families, with fathers having graduated from one of the SKY universities in Korea and working in middle to high management. Their fringe benefits include school tuition of over € 30.000 for two kids….
But they get mistaken for Chinese migrants. And a few people talk badly behind their backs on the train. The ones, unlucky enough to understand it, then tell me about it. I have been in close touch with the Korean culture for the past 13 years.
In regards to Chinese babies: Adopting Chinese babies is becoming more common as more and more young Chinese have unprotected sex - they are having their own sexual revolution - and due to their one-child policy, babies get shoved off. It is not uncommon to abort a baby girl or kill it after birth.
One of my Chinese friends, a girl whose parents decided to let her live, is still a sore to her maternal grandfather’s eye.
As far as the group thing - this is universal. I think Caucasians do the same in Asian countries: cluster, hang out together, live in high- security compound areas, shop at import stores, etc.

As far as being stared at: In Japan I was always mistaken for an American, again the same stereotypical prejudice.
Caucasian= American. Asian = Chinese.
People would come up and ask me if they could touch my hair. I had my photo taken with strangers a zillion times with the Japanese doing the notorious “V” sign.
I really had a lot of fun over there. It was never boring.

Comment from españolito
Time: February 16, 2008, 12:21 pm

Maria S, stereotypes are very stupid. The label “Asian” is pretty inaccurate itself.

Aren’t the Indians, Arabs and many Russians, to name just a few, Asian as well?

If white people are called Caucasian, for reasons beyond my understanding, (why not Mediterranean, or Alpine, or Nordic, or just white??), Koreans should be called Mongoloid, shouldn’t they?

My favorite labels are “latino” and “hispanic/spanish”.

Latino means different things depending on which side of the Atlantic you are, and Hispanic/Spanish is used as a racial label in the States, when Hispanics are not even an ethnicity, let alone a race.

Hispanics are the people who speak Spanish, and that’s all. We come in different colors (there are lots of Asian Hispanics in Peru, for instance) and we have very different cultures. We all know the label “latino” implies a lot of prejudices and stereotypes also, most of them negative.

I’m really tired to hear “you don’t look Spanish”, just because I have blue eyes and light brown hair.
Ok, most of the Spaniards have brown eyes and dark brown hair, but people who look like me are not uncommon in Spain. I’ve always wondered why people think all Spaniards should look like Antonio Banderas( I wish I did!). The first 10 times your are asked that question, it’s fun, but the number 11 starts to get on your nerves, and it’s frustrating. That one and the unavoidable “siesta” question are my favorites.

Comment from Maria S.
Time: February 16, 2008, 8:28 pm

Of course, stereotyping is ignorant. But we all do to some extent until we learn more….
From what I have observed here in Europe is that the Chinese keep to themselves and do not bother the government for handouts. They work diligently and do not complain. They like to gather over food and enjoy talking about food and money - among themselves they are rather lively!! Not only the bowing and submissive kind one might expect. They are very kind and respectful of others.
While in China, I was in some hole-in-the-wall shops and could only say “hello” and “water” in Chinese, but got treated very kindly. That friendliness left a lasting impression on me.
We also have had a Chinese teacher coming to our house once a week for my son’s private Chinese lessons for the past five years. I also have other Chinese contacts.
They are very adaptable in regards to living in foreign countries. Work hard, eat and be merry, make the best of it.
This is how I see them.

Comment from luke
Time: February 16, 2008, 10:57 pm

Friends of mine from Singapore and Taiwan refer to themselves as Chinese, as do those from Hong Kong. I guess Malaysian Chinese also call themselves Chinese. In London , many “Chinese” women I know have married non “Chinese” but don’t know many “Chinese” men with women of a different ethicity.

Anyway the interesting part of this debate is whether Spanish ladies have larger rear-ends. I’ve been researching this and here in Madid the aboriginal Spanish women are definately generous in this respect. Those from “Chinese” origins seems to be pretty wide in the hips too. All good, as far as I can see.

Comment from Zi
Time: February 19, 2008, 6:07 am

wow, i loved readin all your comments. i’m actually chinese, but i was raised in spain. i find it quite funny really - reading about the wedding parties at the parks! I’ve never heard of that! but well i havent been to madrid in a while. This whole issue about the chinese community being so independent from the rest of you guys ( spaniards) really depends on the chinese individual. My parents were never in a community and i often hear them say how hard it was to cope ( not being able to speak spanish - culture differences- my mom cooked cheese cause she thought it was tofu) - so i guess it’s a reassuring feeling when you have other chinese people you can relate to. I guess when i lived in madrid there weren’t as many chinese people. I was certainly the only asian person in my school. i adapted well enough because i was only 2 at that time ( and yes eventually i spoke better spanish than my folks :p). My parents were always surrounded by spanish folk and i KNOW that, that is the reason why my parents aren’t so strict.

I just find it weird that as time advances, more an more chinese people migrate to spain but the cultural gap grows farther because of these so called chinese communities. interesting!

i’m back in china, and when people guess where i’m from they never say china. They say my personality and my actions don’t seem chinese haha. maybe i went to spain at the right time cause my parents are certainly not pressuring me to marry some asian dude

On insults : the only insult i remember was being called yellow. but that soon faded cause i went to the beach too much for my own good an turned a dark shade of tanned brown.

On Chinese (asian) guys and rear ends: I’ve had plently of asian friends and yes it’s a big generalization but they DO like skinnier woman. They like to think that they’re the ones who can go act crazy and then come home to their beautiful-white skinned- well mannered wifes. Who all know how to cook. In high school, none of my asian guy friends hit on me cause they wanted a quieter chick. haha. But there certainly is a growing trend for people like me who are more open without many barriers. but i do understand why chinese people group together ( security, familiarity, a place to call home). in my case i don’t have a place i can call home because i’ve been internatioally bred.

anyways, i absolutely love and adore spain and spanish people! marenosturm just opened up here in beijing. YES!!! and i finally found a good place that sells jamon an lomo..thank god…

xx

Comment from JustWondering
Time: February 19, 2008, 9:00 am

@Luke: “aboriginal Spanish women”? WTF???

@Zi: Your English is excellent. Where did you learn it? Definitely not in Spain!!

Comment from Ben
Time: February 19, 2008, 9:21 am

Thanks for your insights Zi, it’s really interesting to hear your point of view.

Comment from Zi
Time: February 19, 2008, 10:16 am

you’re welcome ben. i love all the advanced podcasts! its great to hear spanish! you and marina make the best team.

@ JustWondering : haha gracias!. after i moved from madrid i’ve been attending international schools. I’ve got a really weird accent cause i speak fluent spanish and english and now i’m trying to perfect my chinese. i love languages. by far my favourite remains spanish

Comment from Juan
Time: February 20, 2008, 10:34 am

I’m spaniard and i find asian girls very atractive…

Comment from ali
Time: February 20, 2008, 12:05 pm

To Kay and Shana,
I’m Asian-American, Korean, living in Spain, smaller city. I’ve been here over 5 years and I’m just really sick and tired of the ” (something, something) China”. Many times I find groups of people in the street are just simply bored and wanna quick laugh at another’s expense and I’m the target. I really don’t understand what is the funny part of pointing out to an Asian person that they are ‘China’.
I think also growing up in metropolitan USA the stereotypes of being ‘Asian’ were quite positive ones. It’s quite a shock to come to another civilized society and get treated like a 2nd class citizen.

I realize it’s something I will have to deal with in order to live here. And also something I can’t really deal with while living here.

Sometimes in the US, I would think that the level of P.C. was over the top but now I consider being P.C. sort of a necessary part of living in a multi-cultural society.

My husband is Spanish and he finds it very rude that his own people will just blurt out racial comments to strangers in the street.

I have several Asian-American friends who come to visit and I’m actually quite embarrassed that I live in a society where you have to somehow tolerate so much bluntly displayed stereotyping.
As my husband is surprised when I tell other Spaniards of this sort of intolerance out there in the streets, people are so surprised.

As for Chinese adoptees here, I’m not sure how that changes anything. I went once, during the beginning of the school year, to pick up my children from the schoolyard. A newer ‘monitora’ unknowingly brought me a Chinese girl–adoptee. Duh. Ask first.

Comment from luke
Time: February 24, 2008, 10:58 am

@JustWondering
‘aboriginal’ is another word for ‘native’ as opposed to Spanish people from Chinese backgrounds.

Comment from Edith
Time: February 24, 2008, 11:22 am

But the word ‘Aboriginal’ is only used in Australia, and sometimes in Canada (First Nations = aboriginal nations). ¿No es así­?

Comment from luke
Time: February 24, 2008, 5:09 pm

@Edith
If you use the word ‘Aboriginal’ with a capital ‘A’ then you’d be talking about the native Australians. But ‘aboriginal’ with a small ‘a’ means ‘indigenous’ or ‘native’ and can be used in many different contexts.

Comment from Edith
Time: February 24, 2008, 6:18 pm

OK!