The "Introduce Yourself" Topic

[acerola21]

Ha ha, thank you!  Yeah, there was definitely a culture shock coming from Japan to the US, and coming form China to Japan as well, though I was so little I didn't know I had one.

The Japanese are insanely clean people (I think that you guys know what I'm talking about, since you guys are DC fans and all), but China is nowhere near it - when I grew up there, it was really a third world country, so we didn't have very clean . . . uh, habits.  So I come to Japan and I grow up and I realize that the other kids have major issues with the way I'm used to clean myself, and it was really weird and awkward and all that, lol.

I was born in Beijing - and since I grew up in Japan, I don't consider Taiwan a part of China, ha ha.  It's just the way people in Japan perceive Taiwan, I think, I don't know much about the issue.

Oh!  And I also think you guys know that the typical American/any other Westerner stereotype in Japan is that Westerners are always have blond hair and blue eyes, so I was rather - hmm, not surprised, but, uh . . . felt a little strange? - to see that most people didn't have blond hair with blue eyes.  In fact, I was surprised to see so many Chinese people around, as well as people of all ethnicity.  Japan's definitely not a very diverse place compared to the US, ha ha.  I was so used to being around 100% Han Chinese people or 100% Japanese people, too, so I was really surprised when it turns out that a lot of Americans are a mix of a lot of European people, with some having a really, really exotic mixture.  I think that the US is a really nice country, I'm becoming a citizen in a few months.

The amount of . . . uh . . . sexual freedom in the US was overwhelming, too, though now I realize that weird things happen when you're sexually repressed (I think you guys can pick out many evidence from DC . . . ), so it's not really bad once you get used to it.  Although, I have to say, I still have some of that whole first boyfriend = future husband mentality from Japan/China, and I can't ever imagine myself french kissing someone, so I still have a lot of Japan/China in me.  I always say that I'm like a cake, with Chinese sponge and Japanese icing and US toppings.

Oh, and you know that whole people in East Asia can tell themselves apart, from Chinese to Japanese to South Korean and stuff?  I think that that's a lie.  I thought that I knew how to tell people apart, but now that I'm in the US, everyone looks American to me.  I think that I was really judging by the hair and the clothing rather than the face - I mean, in China I've been mistaken for a Japanese once, and in the US here when I first met an East Asian lady in a chem lab I thought that she was Chinese, but she turned out to be South Korean.  Also, that lady thought that I was South Korean from my last name, Han, but I'm really Chinese.  My relatives in China think that I look American now. ^^;

[Umandsf]

Interesting story. I really like the cake analogy.

[acerola21]

Thanks!

[ranger]

I was born in Beijing - and since I grew up in Japan, I don't consider Taiwan a part of China, ha ha.  It's just the way people in Japan perceive Taiwan, I think, I don't know much about the issue.

I don't either, haha.  Actually, I think most Taiwanese think of themselves as their own country (I know Ido).  That's a pretty interesting story regarding your experience across Asia and America.

I'm actually half Chinese(parent from China but went to Taiwan during the whole Mao vs chiang kai shek deal), but I really identify myself as half Taiwanese, because the culture there is just pure awesome sauce.
I'm also half British, so you can imagine how ethically diverse my family might be, haha - And I think its awesome that you got to experience so many cultures.  I lived in Taiwan for a little bit and I know how clashing cultures can have impact on someone's life.

From what you said, I'm guessing...you live somewhere in California now in America (wild guess), as thats where a lot of Asian immigrants reside, and from what you said that there are a lot of Chinese (which fits California fairly well).

I'm blessed and incredibly fortunate to live in a very diverse area right now, and I feel somewhat sad that I'm probably going to leave within 6 months. 

lolz, regarding the sexual openness, I can't really judge, but I always assumed that Japan, even though they are pretty tight with sexuality in public, they are extremely open about in their culture.

[CoolKid3]

This is only the second time I noticed such thread exist... I didn't have enough time when I first noticed this thread... I was still a newbie here back then...
=======================================================
Forum Usernames
CoolKid3 (dctp, igma.tv, tv5, OC) / J.CoolKid1412 (onemanga) / KID=1412 (pex) /
JejaBordz-Coolkid1412 (current A4 anime forums username)
Nickname: Demz
Real name:

Spoiler:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000706991222

Age: 22 (currently), but not in a few weeks or so
Location: Philippines
Current Career: CPA in Public Practice
Future Certification(s): CIA, CMA (hopefully I'll have the resources in the near future)
Conan Fan Since: 200X (early '00s) - Can't remember when I first saw it in Philippine TV...
But the real addiction began more or less 2008... (That's when I started buying bootleg DVDs)

Favorite Conan Movie: (1) Movie 4 (2) Movie 6 (3) Movie 5
Favorite Conan Case: ALL
Favorite Conan Opening Theme: Nazo (Miho Komatsu)
Favorite Conan Ending Theme: -None-
Favorite Conan Movie Theme: -None-

Other Favorite Anime/Manga: Top20 favorite (Guess what's #1?)
Mystery / Suspense / Psychological Thriller
(2) Death Note  (3) Monster  (4) Detective Academy Q  (11) Welcome to the NHK  
(12) Code Geass

Ecchi + Comedy (5) Golden Boy (6) Green Green
Sports (7) Prince of Tennis (15) Hajime no Ippo (16) Eyeshield21 (18) Slam Dunk
Romance + Comedy -8- Ouran High School Host Club (14) Saiunkoku Monogatari

Action + Adventure
(9) Hunter x Hunter (10) One Piece (13) Full Metal Alchemist (17) Yu Yu Hakusho
(19) Flame of Recca (20) Bleach

Favorite Movies:
(1) L: Change the World (2) Saw (1 to 3 only) (3) Final Destination (all) (4) Sherlock Holmes

Favorite Songs:
Anime songs (Top 5):
(1) Asterisk - Orange Range (2) Share the World - Touhoushinki (3) Chain - Back on
(4) Colors - Flow (5) Wonderful days (Prince of Tennis)
Non-anime songs
(1) What hurts the most- Rascal Flatts (2) Your Guardian Angel - The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
(3) Only One - Yellowcard (4) Westside - TQ (5) Each time - East17
(6) Until the day I die - Story of the year (7) Una - Sponge Cola
Songs I love to sing with the Videoke
(1) and (2) Fly By and Too Close - Blue (3) Stupid Luv - Salbakuta (Local rap song)
(4) Mr. Brightside - The Killers (5) Closer you & I - Sponge Cola version

Favorite TV Series:
Foreign
(1) Lost  (2) Supernatural (3) Monk (4) Chuck (5) Psych
Local
(1) Showtime (2) Cool Center (3) Everbody hapi

Favorite Books/Stories: -None- I don't like reading....

[acerola21]

I don't either, haha.  Actually, I think most Taiwanese think of themselves as their own country (I know Ido).

Yeah, it's a can of worms.  Apparently the Chinese pride themselves for having other countries naturally integrate into "China" (For ex. the Mongolians who conquered China in Yuan Dynasty, who adopted Chinese culture and customs anyway), so they're really keen on claiming everyone as Chinese. -_-"  Once, my mom's friend came over, and she looked at some of the Japanese things we had around the house, and she said something like "Oh, the Japanese art is really calmer compared to China's," as if she had no idea and assumed that Japanese culture = Chinese culture because Japan adopted a lot of stuff from China or something, without realizing that they might twist the Chinese things to their own taste *rage* - well you can see why I chose to be a US citizen over a Chinese citizen. ^^;  And ever since the whole Google mess, I've lost all respect for the Chinese government, ha ha.

I mean, I appreciate Chinese literature and arts and realize that most Chinese people are perfectly nice people, and it's not like Japan doesn't get arrogant about their own culture sometimes, or the US citizens, for that matter, and believe it or not, I am proud of my Chinese roots, but - well I just don't want to have anything to do with the Chinese government.  Apparently one of my relatives could have died in the Tienanmen Square mess - ha ha there's no way I'm going to subject myself to the Chinese government, which all its censorship and arresting of human rights activists and whatnot.

Ooh, you live in Britain?  That's so cool, I want to go there some time.

From what you said, I'm guessing...you live somewhere in California now in America (wild guess), as thats where a lot of Asian immigrants reside, and from what you said that there are a lot of Chinese (which fits California fairly well).

Good guess!  I meant I was surprised to see so many Chinese as in I didn't expect to see anyone at all, ha ha - I live in Michigan, around the Detroit area - there's a lot of Chinese people here, too.  I think that there's a lot of Chinese people everywhere in the US, but I don't really go outside of the state much so I don't know. ^^;

I'm blessed and incredibly fortunate to live in a very diverse area right now, and I feel somewhat sad that I'm probably going to leave within 6 months.

Me, too, though I essentially live here so I don't ever have to leave unless I want to.    That's too bad that you have to leave, though.

lolz, regarding the sexual openness, I can't really judge, but I always assumed that Japan, even though they are pretty tight with sexuality in public, they are extremely open about in their culture.

Ha ha, it's open because we suppress it, I think.  For me, I guess that I did, at one point, feel - uh, experimental, but ever since I came to the US and sort of accepted my Chinese/Japanese roots, I realize that I didn't really want to do all the crazy sexual things.  I mean, yeah, people in Japan are certainly "open," but I think that's because they're exposed to Western standards of open sexuality a lot through movies and such, so they start wanting to experiment and whatnot.  Personally I'm that way, because I've lived in the US for a while, I think, and I realize that I'm not that "open" at my roots.  But then, I guess that I can't assume the same for everyone. *shrug*

Hi CoolKid3! Lol I don't like to read much, either.

[ranger]

Ooh, you live in Britain?  That's so cool, I want to go there some time.

Nope, I live here in the states...lol, born in America and lived here most of my life, I just have British blood.

[Abs.]

Ooh, you live in Britain?  That's so cool, I want to go there some time.

Nope, I live here in the states...lol, born in America and lived here most of my life, I just have British blood.

Ranger is a Chinese Hakuba/Shiho.

[acerola21]

Ha ha, more like Shiho, since apparently Shiho studied in the US. 

[mangaluva]

Wow, you've travelled a lot, Acerola... It's fascinating to hear your feelings on moving between two such vastly different cultures. I mean, the furthest I've moved is from the USA to Scotland, and while there are differences (largely in TV and schooling) it's not that foreign.  If you do want to visit Britain, I don't think you'll be as bothered by sexual openess (depends what part of town you visit, I guess ) but you will need an umbrella. ^_^;

[Callid]

Well, I'd say that even from America to Scotland it's quite a large step. Although I've moved about 8 times now, I've never left Munich and its suburbs - except for holidays, of course, and even there, I've never left Western Europe. So a move from America to Scotland is still something to impress me with, let alone acerola's moves...

[acerola21]

Wow, you've travelled a lot, Acerola... It's fascinating to hear your feelings on moving between two such vastly different cultures. I mean, the furthest I've moved is from the USA to Scotland, and while there are differences (largely in TV and schooling) it's not that foreign.

Ha ha, like Callid says, I think that that's quite a jump, too!  I've moved from China to Japan and I still had a culture shock, didn't I?   I've heard about how TV programs from Scotland need to be subbed to be viewed by . . . er, English audiences (as in people near London), because the language sounds so different.

If you do want to visit Britain, I don't think you'll be as bothered by sexual openess (depends what part of town you visit, I guess  ) but you will need an umbrella. ^_^;

Ha ha, does it rain a lot there?

Well, I'd say that even from America to Scotland it's quite a large step. Although I've moved about 8 times now, I've never left Munich and its suburbs - except for holidays, of course, and even there, I've never left Western Europe. So a move from America to Scotland is still something to impress me with, let alone acerola's moves...

This is what I love about the Internet - you get to meet all kinds of people from all over the world!  It sounds like you've made quite a move there, too - I'm sure you have stories to tell.

[mangaluva]

Wow, you've travelled a lot, Acerola... It's fascinating to hear your feelings on moving between two such vastly different cultures. I mean, the furthest I've moved is from the USA to Scotland, and while there are differences (largely in TV and schooling) it's not that foreign.

Ha ha, like Callid says, I think that that's quite a jump, too!  I've moved from China to Japan and I still had a culture shock, didn't I?   I've heard about how TV programs from Scotland need to be subbed to be viewed by . . . er, English audiences (as in people near London), because the language sounds so different.

Yes, that is actually true. ^_^; Scottish-english is nearly a language all of my own, but I live in the Central Belt, so it's not as bad as Rab C Nesbitt... The weird thing is that across the UK there are over 800 distinct accents and dialects in english, but across the USA there are only 12. How weird is that? I think the largest UK-USA culture shocks would be serving sizes (an American small drink is the same size as a large in most places) and how OLD some things are. I mean, the USA has about three hundred years of history, so the fact that there are buildings all over the place here over a thousand years old- some even still regularly used and lived in, like our local church- always staggers my cousins XD

If you do want to visit Britain, I don't think you'll be as bothered by sexual openess (depends what part of town you visit, I guess  ) but you will need an umbrella. ^_^;

Ha ha, does it rain a lot there?

In Scotland, yes. I think in England too, but I've only been there once. Scotland's an incredibly lush and green country, but that's because a very large proportion of the weather is grey, rainy days; normally, our weather spectrum is from cold and rainy in the winter to warm and rainy in summer- it doesn't change that much. That's why the past couple of years have been so bizarre. Snow for a whole months like last month is bizarrely cold, and last summer it was hot enough that the grass started to dry up and go brown and my friend got a tan. When you can tan naturally in Scotland, you know global warming is real. XD

Well, I'd say that even from America to Scotland it's quite a large step. Although I've moved about 8 times now, I've never left Munich and its suburbs - except for holidays, of course, and even there, I've never left Western Europe. So a move from America to Scotland is still something to impress me with, let alone acerola's moves...

This is what I love about the Internet - you get to meet all kinds of people from all over the world!  It sounds like you've made quite a move there, too - I'm sure you have stories to tell.

I love that about the internet, too... there's such a variety of people that you might never meet otherise. And you get to hear cool stories like yours

[acerola21]

Yes, that is actually true. ^_^; Scottish-english is nearly a language all of my own, but I live in the Central Belt, so it's not as bad as Rab C Nesbitt... The weird thing is that across the UK there are over 800 distinct accents and dialects in english, but across the USA there are only 12. How weird is that?

Huh, really?  That's really interesting, I never knew that.  Maybe it has to do with the way the US developed historically . . . ?  Lol I have no idea.

I think the largest UK-USA culture shocks would be serving sizes (an American small drink is the same size as a large in most places)

Oh, tell me about it!  I've gained so many pounds coming here . . .

Speaking of pounds, I was surprised that the US was using the "Standard System" instead of the metric system - you'd think that as the world's ~leader~ or something the US would convert to the metric system, but nooo - lol I had trouble picturing how far a mile is or imagining how hot or cold a temperature is in farenheights . . . though I admit that the metric system is just as physically random as the "Standard system," but still.

In Scotland, yes. I think in England too, but I've only been there once. Scotland's an incredibly lush and green country, but that's because a very large proportion of the weather is grey, rainy days; normally, our weather spectrum is from cold and rainy in the winter to warm and rainy in summer- it doesn't change that much. That's why the past couple of years have been so bizarre. Snow for a whole months like last month is bizarrely cold, and last summer it was hot enough that the grass started to dry up and go brown and my friend got a tan. When you can tan naturally in Scotland, you know global warming is real. XD

Ha ha the weather's getting weirder and weirder here, too - and apparently, the term these days is "climate change" instead of "global warming," but - eh, I don't know too much about the issue.

I love that about the internet, too... there's such a variety of people that you might never meet otherise. And you get to hear cool stories like yours

[mangaluva]

Yes, that is actually true. ^_^; Scottish-english is nearly a language all of my own, but I live in the Central Belt, so it's not as bad as Rab C Nesbitt... The weird thing is that across the UK there are over 800 distinct accents and dialects in english, but across the USA there are only 12. How weird is that?

Huh, really?  That's really interesting, I never knew that.  Maybe it has to do with the way the US developed historically . . . ?  Lol I have no idea.

I think it might be to do with history, yeah. Britain is, after all, a far older country than the USA... also immigrants to the US, I think, often homogenized their language to stick with people from the same country. That might be it.

I think the largest UK-USA culture shocks would be serving sizes (an American small drink is the same size as a large in most places)

Oh, tell me about it!  I've gained so many pounds coming here . . .

Speaking of pounds, I was surprised that the US was using the "Standard System" instead of the metric system - you'd think that as the world's ~leader~ or something the US would convert to the metric system, but nooo - lol I had trouble picturing how far a mile is or imagining how hot or cold a temperature is in farenheights . . . though I admit that the metric system is just as physically random as the "Standard system," but still.

I still don't know why America doesn't use the metric system, either. It's caused a lot of problems. Did you hear about that NASA mission to send a probe to Mars, where they mixed up Imperial and Metric miles or something like that, and the probe ended up crashing full speed into the planet's surface? ^_^; I fail at anything involving numbers, though, so whether I fail in metric or imperial doesn't really make a difference XD

In Scotland, yes. I think in England too, but I've only been there once. Scotland's an incredibly lush and green country, but that's because a very large proportion of the weather is grey, rainy days; normally, our weather spectrum is from cold and rainy in the winter to warm and rainy in summer- it doesn't change that much. That's why the past couple of years have been so bizarre. Snow for a whole months like last month is bizarrely cold, and last summer it was hot enough that the grass started to dry up and go brown and my friend got a tan. When you can tan naturally in Scotland, you know global warming is real. XD

Ha ha the weather's getting weirder and weirder here, too - and apparently, the term these days is "climate change" instead of "global warming," but - eh, I don't know too much about the issue.

I think it is "climate change", because the result is weather getting more extreme, not just hotter (like our colder winters), but the talking heads on Fox and the like still use the snow as an excuse to refute global warming.

Spoiler:

I personally prefer Jon Stewart's phrase, "Global weather catastrofuck" XD