Exotic foods...

[ihatepop]

Has anyone here ever went overseas and eaten a local delicacy at the country? Share your experiences, wheather pleasent or unpleasent, of the exotic foods at the country you were at.

ihatepop

[00range]

I had Dim Sum at a seedy place in Chinatown and nearly threw up afterward. Does that count?

[ihatepop]

Yep. Why did you throw up? Food poisoning?

ihatepop

[shoenberg3]

Well let's go through things I ate:

A cow tongue taco in US (very very good)

A cow penis roasted on fire in China (pretty good too)

Fried Crickets in Korea (OK a little bit sick)

Salted moth cocoons in Korea (This is actually real good)

Dog in China (pretty good, tender meat)

Live Octopus moving in mouth, not a whole octopus like in Oldboy though (very fresh, GOOD)

Cow blood stew in US but it is a korean dish (one of my fav. dishes ever!)

Heheheeh...

[prometheus]

Problably brussel sprouts and lemon...

[00range]

Yep. Why did you throw up? Food poisoning?

ihatepop

Out of the two dozen or so things that I tried, I didn't recognize a single thing. It seemed like everything either had the consistency and taste of a rubber ball, or was a chicken foot. (Yes, they served chicken feet.  )

My nausea was probably more from my own questionable judgment in playing the tough guy and gorging myself on food that my mouth kept telling me was unpalatable than the food being bad.

I had hibachi steak and salmon a week ago, where the chef whirls and twirls his knives around at a grill right at your table, now that was tasty. Also, if you're into sushi, or not opposed to trying new things, try Unagi (eel). It sounds disgusting, but it's my favourite, next to lobster.

The Japanese sure know how to do food!

[prometheus]

Is eating eel strange?

It is also a common fish to eat in the Netherlands.

[mycrabface]

Bagel.
I'm asian but I don't eat weird stuff like penises and roaches. I think if your experience in asia wasn't an enjoyable one, you may have gone to all the wrong places.

[ihatepop]

The chinese do serve some fascinating dishes, despite sounding bad, they do taste pretty nice!

Did you know that the chinese believe that every animal that has its back facing the sky can be eaten? No wonder they served pig blood which is hardened into a huge cube, duck intestines, duck testicles(which taste like a rubber ball from the outside but is soft and creamy on the inside),duck heart, and almost every organ of duck, chicken, pork, and other poultry. Yum!!

ihatepop

[pianistimo]

and people call me crazy!  schoenberg3 and ihatepop have me beat.  i'd rather die before eating some of that stuff. 

hmm.  filafils?  is that how you spell them?  i've had these with chickpeas and something else in an arabic restaurant.  goat cheese.

i also like some chinese food - especially soups (don't tell me something's in it that i didn't know about - just don't tell me) - and veggie egg rolls.  i could live on egg rolls.

japanese hibachi chicken/steak - that's really good, too, isn't it.  and their soups, too. 

[ihatepop]

For course the chinese do serve delicious Dim Sum too. All of those dishes make my mouth water. For example, a classic on the dim sum table is glutinous rice wrapped in a bamboo leaf. There is also the famous pao(which is basically a round piece of bread which is hollow on the inside for something to be put, like meat.). And the popular chinese dish Siew Mai, which is a meatball with prawn wrapped inside.

Another one of my dim sum favs is the Chu Chang Fen, which is basically some cha siew(a type of meat made from pork)wrapped in some flour and steamed, with some sauce pored over it.

China and Taiwan do have many local delicacies. In Taiwan, I had the chance to taste the famous 'Coffin Bread'. It is named as it acts like a coffin. A slit is made in the bread and ingredients are placed inside. Taiwan was also the place where I tasted the famous 'duck testicles'.

I had some inpleasent experiences during the restaraunt meals in china. The chinese never failed to serve fish in every meal(fortunately, I like fish). However, I once took a bite of a fishball and spit it out immediately. Why? Because the fishball had small, tiny bones inside it! Indeed, the fish from China has lots of tiny bones inside, making eating fish a terrible chore.

But there were some pleasent experiences. In a Town in China, Wuxi, I tasted the famous Wuxi pork ribs. They steamed the ribs and poured barbecue sause all over it. However, there was lots of fat inbetween the meat. In another town in China, I tasted the famous 'Dongpuo meat'. This meat can only be found in that place in China, so you can only tase it if you take a trip down to that place.

ihatepop

[pianistimo]

horse?  dog?  dongpiu.  don't tell me.  i never want to eat dongpiu.

[ihatepop]

horse?  dog?  dongpiu.  don't tell me.  i never want to eat dongpiu.

Oh, you mean Dongpuo? Relax, its just some fatty pork with their secret ingredient sauce. I do not recommand this for anyone on a diet, but once you tasted it, it's hard to resist.

Shanghai serves small dishes. The tour guide explained to us that Shanghai has not a place where you eat until you are full, its a place where you eat because you want to. The main thing there was to enjoy the food.

ihatepop

[mycrabface]

Did you know that the chinese believe that every animal that has its back facing the sky can be eaten?

I'm chinese and I didn't know that. Really. Which chinese are you talking about? China chinese? They're more traditional I suppose. Never been to China before.

Anyway what I eat mostly is stuff like chicken rice, fried hokkien mee, nasi ayam, roti prata sometimes, err okay I suddenly have alot of food in my mind, but the list goes on...

[prometheus]

Did you forget a question mark? You said you are Chinese but you have never been in China?


A person that is called 'Chinese' is a person that lives in China and is native though I personally would still accept it when someone that is from China but living elsewhere permanently calls herself Chinese.

Well, I think that eating mammals is close to cannibalism.

[mycrabface]

Did you forget a question mark? You said you are Chinese but you have never been in China?


A person that is called 'Chinese' is a person that lives in China and is native though I personally would still accept it when someone that is from China but living elsewhere permanently calls herself Chinese.

Well, I think that eating mammals is close to cannibalism.

I take that as an insult.

[mephisto]

Well, I think that eating mammals is close to cannibalism.

Pardon me!?

[ihatepop]

Anyway what I eat mostly is stuff like chicken rice, fried hokkien mee, nasi ayam, roti prata sometimes, err okay I suddenly have alot of food in my mind, but the list goes on...

You're from Singapore aren't you.

ihatepop

[ihatepop]

A person that is called 'Chinese' is a person that lives in China and is native though I personally would still accept it when someone that is from China but living elsewhere permanently calls herself Chinese.

Aha, thats where you're wrong. Its possible that one's ancestors are from China but moved to another country later on.

ihatepop

[prometheus]

But then they aren't Chinese. I don't even know where my ancestors are from. So what am I?

As for the cannibalism, of course I am ignoring the murdering part. I think it is worse to kill a human than a animal.


But when it's already dead there isn't too much difference in eating a human and a bonobo ape when morals are concerned if you ask me. Of course the more similar to humans the bigger the objection.

[mycrabface]

But then they aren't Chinese. I don't even know where my ancestors are from. So what am I?

IF I'M NOT CHINESE, THEN WHAT AM I?

[prometheus]

Where did you grow up?

[mycrabface]

Where did you grow up?

Okay since you all want to know about me.

My parents are from Malaysia, but I was born in Singapore. I'm nyonya but chinese.

[prometheus]

It wasn't a question. Also, you didn't answer it. You said where you were born. Not where you grew up.


You are a product of your society, your parents, your school, your friends, mass-media, etc.

Genes determine only that what you can develop and what you can learn. But experience needs to 'activate' these.

So where your parents are from has little influence on you. The infuence that is there is the indirect influece through your parents.

Genes play a role, but geography has little to do with each other. Your neighbour may have genes that differ more from your's that a random person on the other side of the world. Same with ethnicities. People only look sligtly different.

And the artifical borders of countries, that only really exist on maps and in the minds of politicians and that need to be enforced by military means, otherwise they will dissapear, are even more irrelevant.

Calling yourself Chinese while you have never been there. China is huge. China has many different cultures and etnicities. Many different languages. All religions of the world. Etc etc.


Saying 'I am Dutch' for me would be problematic. I grew up in Dutch culture, if it even exists. But I can't ice skate, I don't eat that much cheese, I think that 'Sinterklaas' is racist, etc etc.

[mycrabface]

It wasn't a question. Also, you didn't answer it. You said where you were born. Not where you grew up.


You are a product of your society, your parents, your school, your friends, mass-media, etc.

Genes determine only that what you can develop and what you can learn. But experience needs to 'activate' these.

So where your parents are from has little influence on you. The infuence that is there is the indirect influece through your parents.

Genes play a role, but geography has little to do with each other. Your neighbour may have genes that differ more from your's that a random person on the other side of the world. Same with ethnicities. People only look sligtly different.

And the artifical borders of countries, that only really exist on maps and in the minds of politicians and that need to be enforced by military means, otherwise they will dissapear, are even more irrelevant.

Calling yourself Chinese while you have never been there. China is huge. China has many different cultures and etnicities. Many different languages. All religions of the world. Etc etc.


Saying 'I am Dutch' for me would be problematic. I grew up in Dutch culture, if it even exists. But I can't ice skate, I don't eat that much cheese, I think that 'Sinterklaas' is racist, etc etc.

Can't you guess from there??

When I say I'm chinese, I mean my race is chinese. ihatepop is right. Loooong ago people from china, as well as india, britain, malaya, migrated to singapore. There, they multiplied and today there's me. I don't have to be born in china to be chinese. Aren't you happy I came along?

Anyway, you were thinking more towards the country I belong to. If that's the case, I'm singaporean.

[prometheus]

There are no more human races. There is only the subspecies homo sapiens sapiens, basically modern homo sapiens. There was also Homo sapiens idaltu. There were probably more subspecies, or races, of homo sapiens. But none survived.

Not long ago some people argued that Homo neanderthalensis should have been classified as Homo sapiens neanderthalensis, another race of humans or subspecies. But mitochondrial DNA studies have suggested that this is not correct.

Ok, a race doesn't have to be exactly the same as a subspecies per se. But there needs to be a clear genetic distinction between the different groups. And those don't exist.

You are talking about ethnicity. But that doesn't tall much about you. It only tells you a little about a few specific features. Like hair and skin tone and eyelid shape when it comes to many 'asian' people. The features are largely irrelevant except that we have learned to focus on them a lot because that way we can identify and classify people.


Anyway, with the globalisation of the world there is so much interacting that there are now many people of 'mixed ethnicity' making talking about it even more problematic. We are already at the point that there are people with such a diverse ethnic linage that you cannot describe their ethnicity at all.

China has split up it's population in 56 ethnic groups. So which one are you?

[ihatepop]

Would you believe me if I said that I have NO religion at ALL?

ihatepop

[mycrabface]

There are no more human races. There is only the subspecies homo sapiens sapiens, basically modern homo sapiens. There was also Homo sapiens idaltu. There were probably more subspecies, or races, of homo sapiens. But none survived.

Not long ago some people argued that Homo neanderthalensis should have been classified as Homo sapiens neanderthalensis, another race of humans or subspecies. But mitochondrial DNA studies have suggested that this is not correct.

Ok, a race doesn't have to be exactly the same as a subspecies per se. But there needs to be a clear genetic distinction between the different groups. And those don't exist.

You are talking about ethnicity. But that doesn't tall much about you. It only tells you a little about a few specific features. Like hair and skin tone and eyelid shape when it comes to many 'asian' people. The features are largely irrelevant except that we have learned to focus on them a lot because that way we can identify and classify people.


Anyway, with the globalisation of the world there is so much interacting that there are now many people of 'mixed ethnicity' making talking about it even more problematic. We are already at the point that there are people with such a diverse ethnic linage that you cannot describe their ethnicity at all.

China has split up it's population in 56 ethnic groups. So which one are you?

What's a nicer word for dissing?
Stop challenging me, its not the right thing to do.

[prometheus]

Huh? What do you mean?

[galonia]

Actually, prometheus, according to Chinese culture, it doesn't matter how many generations you have been away from China, if you have Chinese blood in you, you are Chinese.  For example, I was born in HK and grew up in Australia, and when I am in China and tell people I am Australian, they always correct me and say that I am a Chinese who is an Australian national.

A few years back, the Chinese government gave a scholarship to an African girl, who looks nothing like a Chinese person, but whose ancestry could be traced to a Chinese person who arrived in Africa as one of the early Chinese explorers several hundred years ago.  As far as the Chinese people are concerned, this girl is Chinese, and in Africa, she is poor and cannot afford to go to school, so it is only right that the Chinese give her a scholarship to study in China.

A friend of mine is of Korean ancestry, has Korean citizenship, but was born and grew up in Japan, his parents were born and grew up in Japan, and his grandparents lived most their lives in Japan.  My friend speaks not one word of Korean.  But he said, if a Korean from Korea said, "He is really Japanese" (which they do), then he feels very hurt, because in his mind, he is still Korean.

So please respect my culture, and that of mycrabface, and not impose your rigid views on us.

But back to the original topic: the idea that Chinese people eat strange food is wrong - the correct thing to say is that Cantonese people eat strange food.  People from other parts of China find the ingredients of a lot of Cantonese dishes a bit disgusting.  I've eaten most - e.g. snake, dog, turtle, snails, frogs, the insides of animals.  I don't see what's wrong with it, I mean, the French eat horses.  But then, I'm Cantonese.

Dongpuo pork is from Hangzhou, a city near Shanghai.  It's named after a poet and statesman, and it tastes delicious, even though it's really fatty.  If it's made properly, it should feel greasy to eat, just melt in your mouth.  And you can actually find it in a lot of places, although I think it still tastes best in Hangzhou.

The only line I will draw is with brains - I won't eat the brains of animals, because I'm worried about variant Jakob-Creutzfeld disease (e.g. BSE aka mad cow disease) which can be transmitted to humans.

I read somewhere that Japanese people eat with their eyes - they really emphasize the visual presentation of food.  Europeans eat with their noses - the emphasize the fragrance of food.  French people eat with their hearts.  Americans eat with their brains - always asking, "Is this edible?"  But Chinese people eat with their tongue - the emphasis in on flavour.

I don't know how true this is, but I think it does define in some way what each person thinks is "exotic" food.

[ahinton]

Actually, prometheus, according to Chinese culture, it doesn't matter how many generations you have been away from China, if you have Chinese blood in you, you are Chinese.  For example, I was born in HK and grew up in Australia, and when I am in China and tell people I am Australian, they always correct me and say that I am a Chinese who is an Australian national.

A few years back, the Chinese government gave a scholarship to an African girl, who looks nothing like a Chinese person, but whose ancestry could be traced to a Chinese person who arrived in Africa as one of the early Chinese explorers several hundred years ago.  As far as the Chinese people are concerned, this girl is Chinese, and in Africa, she is poor and cannot afford to go to school, so it is only right that the Chinese give her a scholarship to study in China.

A friend of mine is of Korean ancestry, has Korean citizenship, but was born and grew up in Japan, his parents were born and grew up in Japan, and his grandparents lived most their lives in Japan.  My friend speaks not one word of Korean.  But he said, if a Korean from Korea said, "He is really Japanese" (which they do), then he feels very hurt, because in his mind, he is still Korean.

So please respect my culture, and that of mycrabface, and not impose your rigid views on us.

But back to the original topic: the idea that Chinese people eat strange food is wrong - the correct thing to say is that Cantonese people eat strange food.  People from other parts of China find the ingredients of a lot of Cantonese dishes a bit disgusting.  I've eaten most - e.g. snake, dog, turtle, snails, frogs, the insides of animals.  I don't see what's wrong with it, I mean, the French eat horses.  But then, I'm Cantonese.

Dongpuo pork is from Hangzhou, a city near Shanghai.  It's named after a poet and statesman, and it tastes delicious, even though it's really fatty.  If it's made properly, it should feel greasy to eat, just melt in your mouth.  And you can actually find it in a lot of places, although I think it still tastes best in Hangzhou.

The only line I will draw is with brains - I won't eat the brains of animals, because I'm worried about variant Jakob-Creutzfeld disease (e.g. BSE aka mad cow disease) which can be transmitted to humans.

I read somewhere that Japanese people eat with their eyes - they really emphasize the visual presentation of food.  Europeans eat with their noses - the emphasize the fragrance of food.  French people eat with their hearts.  Americans eat with their brains - always asking, "Is this edible?"  But Chinese people eat with their tongue - the emphasis in on flavour.

I don't know how true this is, but I think it does define in some way what each person thinks is "exotic" food.

This is very interesting and well put, especially in the manner in which you draw the distinction between race and nationality; that said, however, "prometheus"'s point about increasing multi-ethnicity is equally important here, to the extent that we as a race - by which I mean the human race - are ever more rapidly integrating race with race that the dividing lines beween individual races and ethnicities are blurring fast and will largely disappear; this is due not only to intermarriage but to population movement in general. Increasing travel and other intercommunications have long ensured the persistent expansion of cultural mixes, but more permanent relocation is fast becoming a more drastic phenomenon in terms of gradual racial and cultural fusion. Nowadays, for example, many British people are leaving Britain to live elsewhere; Spanish people are also doing so in greater numbers than ever before. The immigration from various other countries that accompanies this increasing emigration will soon mean that, in certain countries, what has long been accepted and understood to be an "indigenous" population will no longer constitute the majority. Inevitably, all the cultural differences spread as a consequence both of racial intermarriage and population relocations; one can therefore accordingly envisage a time when what is understood as "Spanish", "British", etc. will increasingly become matters of historical memory and accordingly kept alive, if at all, by the continual teaching of history alone - this will, of course, include food traditions along with all the other cultural histories.

Best,

Alistair

[prometheus]

Actually, prometheus, according to Chinese culture, it doesn't matter how many generations you have been away from China, if you have Chinese blood in you, you are Chinese.

What is 'Chinese blood'?

For example, I was born in HK and grew up in Australia, and when I am in China and tell people I am Australian, they always correct me and say that I am a Chinese who is an Australian national.

That is their xenophobia, almost often harmless. The actual Australian people are the aboriginals. But of course even they come from asia and them from Africa.

It is done often by many people. It had to do with prejudgement, etc.

A few years back, the Chinese government gave a scholarship to an African girl, who looks nothing like a Chinese person, but whose ancestry could be traced to a Chinese person who arrived in Africa as one of the early Chinese explorers several hundred years ago.

Ah, Zheng He. Well, that's their laws. I don't say they can't use their laws. But what they are doing is giving people with a Chinese ancestory a scholarship. Now you may claim that this person has 'Chinese blood' but there is no such a thing.

But he said, if a Korean from Korea said, "He is really Japanese" (which they do), then he feels very hurt, because in his mind, he is still Korean.

So what does he think is Korean about him? A person is neither Japanese nur Korean. A person has a particular background. I must assume that person does not have a Korean background. He may absorb particular parts of Korean culture.

But do you realise that if that person is going to live in Korea and gets a korean passport he has to give up his Japanese passport?

Same thing happens in my country with people from Morocco. Here they are Moroccan. But in Morroco they are Dutch. That's xenophobia for you just there.

Also, about the passport thing. States still seem to view their citizens as their subject. One cannot have two passports. 'Where lies there loyalty?'-issues. Stupid things like that.

Do you realise your idea is a double edge? What if someones ancestors came from China and now live in Europe but aren't viewed as Europeans. But they do feel European. They like European things. But the European people view them as Chinese and thus not European. But this person cherishes her Chinese ancestory. She still speaks the language of her parents, eventhough she is also fluent in German/French/Dutch and English. She still likes rice more than potato's, etc. The European people all think that she needs to assimilate all European culture and abandon all cultural influences of her parents to become a 'true European'.

What do you say to that? That's just what you are proposing. If you are from China then you can never be anything else. Right?

If I come to China tomorrow and I tell people in English that I feel Chinese people will laught at me. Why? Because to them it is a stupid statement. Same as with your friend. Maybe she or he really 'feels' Korean, whatever that means, but you can't expect people to understand that. Particulary with the narrow view you seem to propose.


According to you there is no Chinese person on this earth. They all came from Africa. No wait, they all came from the ocean.

And maybe someday it will be discovered that life came to earth through a microbe from Mars on an astroid. Then we are all martians, eventhough that microbe didn't have 'martian blood'.

So please respect my culture, and that of mycrabface, and not impose your rigid views on us.

Uuh... I haven't talked about Chinese culture. Let me say that I will not accept culture blindly just because it is culture. In Ethiopia they circumsize female genitals. It's their culture. I still think it is immoral.

I think we should have diversity of culture. Go and make your Chinese foods in Europe, US, Malaysia or Japan. But just for the sake of diversity and richness. Not because your culture is somehow better because it is yours.

As for rigid views. The whole point I am talking about is stupid use of nation names, racism and xenophobia. Come on, 'Chinese blood' is a racist idea. Even if it is not meant negative or hateful.

[ahinton]

Also, about the passport thing. States still seem to view their citizens as their subject. One cannot have two passports.

Certain people are, however, permitted by the mutual consent of two or more nations to have dual - or even in some cases triple - citizenship...

Best,

Alistair

[prometheus]

Of course. But different countries have different regulations. Galonia mentioned Japan, so I said something about it.


There are also countries that disallow you to give up your passport once you aquire it.

[ahinton]

Of course. But different countries have different regulations. Galonia mentioned Japan, so I said something about it.

Indeed - and fair comment in that particular context.

There are also countries that disallow you to give up your passport once you aquire it.

But then, at the same time, there are certain others that will, in certain circumstances, give you a second one upon granting of citizenship, even if the one that you already have is from a country such as the kind that you mention here.

All of this is rapidly changing in any case; the collapse of the Soviet Union and the continuing expansion of the European Union alone have made vast differences to this - and political changes elsewhere will only serve to add to them and complicate them.

Best,

Alistair

[pianistimo]

apologies if i do not understand exotic foods as dongpuo (sp?) because i'm agreed with the idea that different cultures see different foods as 'exotic.'

i do think that whoever said 'american's eat with their brains - saying is this edible?' is correct for me...although i know several americans that truly like all kinds of exotic foods that might be considered by many unedible.

but, some 'exotic' food seems very edible.  my hubby and i went to thai restaurant once and i was expecting sort of a preconditioned not liking the food.  but i LOVED it.  even the soup which was REALLY spicy.  lots of hot peppers or something.  and, the dessert was mango sticky rice.  i still remember the meal to this day and was really pleasantly surprised.

it's all in the particular person's tongue, probably - and less of culture in some instances.  i mean - we all grow up with food that we're used to eating - but some people go past that and like to experiment a lot.  i usually stick with known quantities.  i cannot imagine eating anything live - and i always want to rescue lobsters because i think it is inhumane to boil them live.

[tompilk]

i was faced with a meal at chinese new year at the yang sing, my friend's uncle's restaurant (suposed to be a huge chain) and they but a special dinner on. I thought "great", but this is what it was:

Pig blasted in oven - chisel off crispy fat and put on plate (ok its not that bad, only like pork scratchings)
Shark fin soup - unknown clear but chewy strands in watery oil... with a big shark fin in the middle - not cooked i fear, as it was see-through... yum
prawns and caramel cashew nuts - this was really nice...
water boiled with chickens in (not plucked, so floaty feathers too ...
Some weird mussels (abalone) that were huge, cakey and tasted of rotten seaweed...
then sea slugs and urchins - lumps of gristle with warts on... i couldn't eat these...
seaweed and jelly fish...
fruit...

Wasted money on me im afraid, I'm sure many people liked it, apparently it cost loads, but i'm glad i wasn't paying

Anyway, I've also eated octopus and chicken feet (basically gristle-like rubbery skin...)
Tom

[00range]

Is eating eel strange?

It is also a common fish to eat in the Netherlands.

You'd think so, but it's actually quite tasty. If you're familiar with sushi or sashimi, it has the consistency of salmon or tuna and, in my opinion, is much more flavourful.

[ihatepop]

i was faced with a meal at chinese new year at the yang sing, my friend's uncle's restaurant (suposed to be a huge chain) and they but a special dinner on. I thought "great", but this is what it was:

Pig blasted in oven - chisel off crispy fat and put on plate (ok its not that bad, only like pork scratchings)
Shark fin soup - unknown clear but chewy strands in watery oil... with a big shark fin in the middle - not cooked i fear, as it was see-through... yum
prawns and caramel cashew nuts - this was really nice...
water boiled with chickens in (not plucked, so floaty feathers too ...
Some weird mussels (abalone) that were huge, cakey and tasted of rotten seaweed...
then sea slugs and urchins - lumps of gristle with warts on... i couldn't eat these...
seaweed and jelly fish...
fruit...

Wasted money on me im afraid, I'm sure many people liked it, apparently it cost loads, but i'm glad i wasn't paying

Anyway, I've also eated octopus and chicken feet (basically gristle-like rubbery skin...)
Tom

Delicious!!!! Have you tried abelone before?

By the way, the shark's fin was supposed to be transperent. I only drink the soup...

ihatepop

[mycrabface]

Delicious!!!! Have you tried abelone before?

By the way, the shark's fin was supposed to be transperent. I only drink the soup...

ihatepop

I say no to shark's fin soup.. Do you know the way they get the fin is inhumane..

[galonia]

So what does he think is Korean about him? A person is neither Japanese nur Korean. A person has a particular background. I must assume that person does not have a Korean background. He may absorb particular parts of Korean culture.

But do you realise that if that person is going to live in Korea and gets a korean passport he has to give up his Japanese passport?

Same thing happens in my country with people from Morocco. Here they are Moroccan. But in Morroco they are Dutch. That's xenophobia for you just there.

Also, about the passport thing. States still seem to view their citizens as their subject. One cannot have two passports. 'Where lies there loyalty?'-issues. Stupid things like that.

Do you realise your idea is a double edge? What if someones ancestors came from China and now live in Europe but aren't viewed as Europeans. But they do feel European. They like European things. But the European people view them as Chinese and thus not European. But this person cherishes her Chinese ancestory. She still speaks the language of her parents, eventhough she is also fluent in German/French/Dutch and English. She still likes rice more than potato's, etc. The European people all think that she needs to assimilate all European culture and abandon all cultural influences of her parents to become a 'true European'.

What do you say to that? That's just what you are proposing. If you are from China then you can never be anything else. Right?

You seem intent on mis-interpreting me.  My original post meant that if someone claims to be Chinese, then you should respect their right to say that, for whatever reasons that person has for saying it, whether it is because they hold Chinese citizenship, or because they have completely adopted Chinese culture, or because their ancestors at any time lived in China.  It seems unfair when you say that mycrabface isn't Chinese - if mycrabface wishes to identify him/herself as Chinese, then it's his/her right.

My friend - the Korean - actually holds a Korean passport, but was born, raised and always lives in Japan.  I believe it is his right to identify himself as Korean, whatever other people may think.

As for me - I'm Australian, I hold and Australian passport, and identify myself as Australian, and Australia of course recognises multiple citizenship.  But by a quirk of law, I also hold a Chinese identity card, which is supposed to be for Chinese citizens only, even though Chinese does not recognise dual citizenship.  This is amusing at times, although the other day it was rather annoying at the bank, because the teller was trying to work out how this can occur, until I told her off for wasting my time, and pointed out that either is valid, all I'm trying to do is prove my identity, now get on with it and give me my money!

So what I am saying is - if a person who has ancestors who once lived in China, but was born and bred in Europe - she can call herself whatever she likes - if she identifies herself as Chinese, then why not?  If she identifies herself as European, then why not?  And why can't she do these as appropriate at different times?  Obviously there are formal situations where it would only be appropriate to use a specific one - e.g. on immigration forms - but these cases are very formally defined, where you write your Nationality and it's whatever appears on your passport (although as I've pointed out before, Chinese immigration officers think I'm Chinese even though "Australian" is written in my passport).

I say no to shark's fin soup.. Do you know the way they get the fin is inhumane..

Yes, it's so sad.  People laud the increasing wealth of the poor, but all it means is that all the tasty things in the world are becoming over-consumed.  e.g. shark's fin, turtles, orange roughy, etc.  I've stopped eating all these things for the same reason.

[lichristine]

McDonalds.
Who knows what's in that stuff...

[ihatepop]

McDonalds.
Who knows what's in that stuff...

Their burgers are made of chewed gum, licorice, cinamon, radish, mud, sugar and cement, leaving behind a delicious yet overpowering taste in your mouth. Why do their fries taste so good? Because the potato still has leftover dead bugs inside, like crickets, moths, and ants.

Does'nt that make your mouth water!

ihatepop

[lichristine]

Ooh appetizing.

[ihatepop]

Have you heard of the man who ate a whole birch tree, or the guy who drank a huge bowl of cement, or the family who ate their granny's ashes in soup? I swear, This is ALL true.

ihatepop

[lichristine]

Did the family know they were eating their ancestry?

[ihatepop]

Did the family know they were eating their ancestry?

No. Another family sent their granny's ashes to them in a bottle. The family mistook it for a kind of soup-mix and added it into soup.

ihatepop

[imbetter]

Ah yes I've eating cow penis before too  I was quite grossed out by it but it was pretty good

[tompilk]

Ah yes I've eating cow penis before too  I was quite grossed out by it but it was pretty good

was it still attached to the cow?
We were offered moonshine whisky in thailand with tiger penis in.... yukky..
Tom

[arbisley]

Well I hater cow tripe and cow tongue, frogs legs are delicious, and when I went to China (Beijing or Pekin) I must have gone to all the wrong places and never was as slim as I was after that trip. I basically lost my appetite!