I never thought it will ever happen to me when I'm sitting in my car. I'm do consider myself pretty strong. However, sometimes when I watch a good film, I might get slightly emotional...and yes, that is what happened to me that afternoon when Senator Obama was inaugurated into presidency. Please don't laugh at me for being emotional. Why I have become slightly emotional that afternoon, I gave up seeking the answer to that question. However, an African descend human being inaugurated is history in the making. Thus my thoughts as a visible minority slowly rises and creeps its way into my mind constantly.
Lately, I continued reading a blog of an Aussie, Ho Kwok Wing (aka Gregory), living in a land that is totally strange to him and he now calls it his home. His struggles as a foreigner living in a place where competition of time is fierce. Are we, as Asians, supposed to be sympathetic? Perhaps we feel entertained by a foreigner who speaks Cantonese with an accent? We might even feel it's comical. It might be possible that we see fit for a television show to have a foreigner portray a foreigner and thus it's suitable. If not, what makes it so special? Someway and somehow Gregory's life on foreign soil is nurturing and encouraging.
Watching some videos on YouTube, I think I might have found the answer for that. Michael is a Canadian living in Vancouver. He speaks Cantonese so fluent and his usage of idioms in Chinese fascinates me. Even I myself have been told countless times that I created an image so believable to people that I'm born and raised in Hong Kong, China, despite the fact, that I'm not. When these folks find out that I'm not born and raised in Hong Kong, I'm constantly questioned as how I have become so fluent. My response is that I'm Chinese and learn the language and hang out with those who speaks it. My parents also speak it fluently. In that video, Michael mentioned that he would one day become a professor of the Chinese linguistics.
In another video of the same source, YouTube, I see a South African making a living in Hong Kong, aptly named: Phillip. He also struggles in a foreign land and in turns loves Hong Kong and according to the video, he claims all his friend are Chinese. Phillip is a singer and entertains in songs of local Hong Kong, Taiwanese, Mandarin, and of-course in English. Making a living is though according to his interview. Making a living in a foreign land with a foreign language is even tougher. Very true statement. Phillip has learnt it first hand experience.
What makes these videos and blog posts from the above mentioned persons so inspiring and humbles me as an Asian of Chinese descend, is that their effort in learning a language and culture they have a passion for. The inauguration of President Obama has been witnessed by millions around the world. The citizens of African descend are the most proud for their passion of their dream has finally seen the light of day. For them it was an extreme special occasion and an eventful moment in history as the colour of their skins are no longer a stumbling block or prevention into anything. The inspirations of other people who makes it a passion to put in every effort they have to fit into a culture and learn a language that is not of their origin is essential enough to humble especially me.
