randomz-tephiee

Contradictions that Intertwined in My Culturally Split Mind.

While I was on my way home from the city, I was sitting in the bus when the bus stopped at Central. We were about to leave that bus stop when an old Asian lady was screaming and waving her hat in the air. It caught my attention. I didn't know what and why she was yelling until she got on the bus. It was then I realised that she had been yelling for the bus to wait for her.

What was interesting was when she got on the bus, she didn't say 'thank you driver' or something along those lines. I know to you it may seem so what?! But I thought it was strange and I began judging this old lady. My train of thought was 'how rude! she didn't say thanks or anything. Here,I thought Asians are pretty well-mannred and polite people but why didn't she say anything?' I began to think negatively Asians as a whole, despite completely understanding that I am Asian myself. I thought about this for a while until it occured to me! 'What if that was my mother or aunt who was yelling for the bus and didn't say thanks?!' That's when I realised that I am one twisted, mixed and unpredictable walking, talking human - culturally twisted. At first I thought in a more Western thinking, being polite and everything and dismissing my Eastern culture. It's here when I realised that I'm contradicting myself everyday, on the bus, on the way to class etc.

In spite of this, I do value both my Western and Eastern cultures but sometimes it gets really hard, where I get confused or don't know where to stand or where I have to stand. My traditions and values are based from the parents - Eastern culture, yet my education and ideologies are based from my up bringing, surrounding, society in which I live in - a Western culture.

~ Confusing but cherishing both cultures. ~

posted by tephiee @ 8:24 PM