Friday, March 26, 2004
Chapter 34: In Which Gretel Gets Used To Help Raise the Profile of a Politician, and In Which Gretel Ponders the Nature of Racial Pride
Today we had a field trip while all the chinese language centres in Taiwan got together for a meeting in Tunghai. We went to Mazu Temple, where the Mayor of Taichung County and the 'Secretary of the Cultural Affairs Bureau' and a bunch of photographers and a news crew were hanging out to get photos with foreigners eg Maryanne and I. Me and my new buddy Mr Mayor used these divining sticks together and did the whole bowing worshipping thing for the cameras. My hair sucked, I didn't have time to brush it this morning, and my cardigan did not go with my pants. But as long as I was born a foreigner, none of it mattered.
At dinner I was asked where my parents were from, "...no not Italy...", and one girl from Eastern Europe said "well in Australia who knows where your ancestors came from?" I think life would be easier if Australia changed its name to something like "Mongrelia", registered its new name with the U.N. and everything, and then maybe noone would bother asking. Then she said, well I think its better to be mixed, and well, I thought to myself, I think its better not to give a flying hoot whether you're a Siamese or a Bonwa*. Although personally I think its more useful not be immediately identifiable.
What does race mean to you? Is it all about pride? If you have never felt racial pride are you missing out on something? Do people feel they don't have enough things to be proud of, then look to themselves and their own existence as a source of pride? How much pride can you derive from simply knowing you share a bunch of physical features with a bunch of other people?
We also made our own cake thingies at a patisserie which were greasy and despite my tremendous threshold for greasy disgusting food I actually felt gross after eating it. Not too worried about the whole diet thing. I took up smoking again and trust me, it works. I never even think about food anymore, and my protruding derrier has already begun to recede.
*Our cat, of feral parentage ¶ 22:28
Today we had a field trip while all the chinese language centres in Taiwan got together for a meeting in Tunghai. We went to Mazu Temple, where the Mayor of Taichung County and the 'Secretary of the Cultural Affairs Bureau' and a bunch of photographers and a news crew were hanging out to get photos with foreigners eg Maryanne and I. Me and my new buddy Mr Mayor used these divining sticks together and did the whole bowing worshipping thing for the cameras. My hair sucked, I didn't have time to brush it this morning, and my cardigan did not go with my pants. But as long as I was born a foreigner, none of it mattered.
At dinner I was asked where my parents were from, "...no not Italy...", and one girl from Eastern Europe said "well in Australia who knows where your ancestors came from?" I think life would be easier if Australia changed its name to something like "Mongrelia", registered its new name with the U.N. and everything, and then maybe noone would bother asking. Then she said, well I think its better to be mixed, and well, I thought to myself, I think its better not to give a flying hoot whether you're a Siamese or a Bonwa*. Although personally I think its more useful not be immediately identifiable.
What does race mean to you? Is it all about pride? If you have never felt racial pride are you missing out on something? Do people feel they don't have enough things to be proud of, then look to themselves and their own existence as a source of pride? How much pride can you derive from simply knowing you share a bunch of physical features with a bunch of other people?
We also made our own cake thingies at a patisserie which were greasy and despite my tremendous threshold for greasy disgusting food I actually felt gross after eating it. Not too worried about the whole diet thing. I took up smoking again and trust me, it works. I never even think about food anymore, and my protruding derrier has already begun to recede.
*Our cat, of feral parentage ¶ 22:28
