My friend from work asked me the other day why the Chinese would eat dogs. Apparently he had read from somewhere dogs were stolen from their homes or on the streets in China only to be found later on someone else's kitchen table. Coming from a culture that places canines as men's number one friend, I could tell he was quite disturbed. I told him, "I am speechless. I don't have any speech."(Note: lines stolen from Seinfeld). "And that's very cruel, in my opinion," I went on, "quite frankly I don't know the reasoning behind eating dogs nor cats except perhaps the Chinese believe eating dog meat can increase one's stamina. What even puzzles me is the Chinese saying that goes 'The Chinese would eat everything with four legs except a table'. It's their culture, I guess." What I didn't realize until later on is that every time I referred to the Chinese people, I almost every time used the pronoun "they" as if I no longer belong to the collective group in question. Perhaps subconsciously I have already considered myself as a "global Chinese" drawing on the mix of both the Chinese and Western influences. In other words, my values and perspectives have drifted away over the years from what a true-blue Chinese has,yet not quite ready to assimilate into the mainstream American culture.


Here are the five things I consider that I am not Americanized:
1)I still don't understamd why baseball is being considered a great sport in America. It's not even fun.
2)I am not crazy about walking around bare-footed. As a matter of fact, I don't even feel confortable walking in the houses with no socks or slippers on.
3)I never did drugs nor have I ever had a hangover.
4)I am not arrogant and I care about foreign affairs.
5)I don't consider Mexico as part of America.

Here are the five things you can tell I am somewhat Americanized:
1)I enjoy exercise and like to perspire like a dog. I think all women should be encouraged to play more aggressive sport such as soccer.
2)I pop vitamin pills every day.
3)A pang of pain struck me when I learnt on the news that the twin towers were destroyed by terrorist attack and I cried just like any other grieving Americans.
4)I hate Uncle Sam
5)I recycle paper, plastics and cans. I protect environment and I am passionate about animal rights.