C
curious
Most people on usenet (that means internationally) know that the term
"American idiots" is a common usage since most Americans who choose
not have have clues about things and listen to their biased media and
quick to form biased opinion are idiots. As for the Burmese, I only
said to not assume me like the Burmese you met. You were the one who
started accusing me this and that and that's when I elaborated the
hypocritical nature of the majority of the Burmese in general. As with
the term "American idiots", it would not be far off to make a general
statement about them either for the majority have deep-seated
resentment against the immigrants that arrived during the British rule
failing to understand that the Burmese economy was made by those
people and not that these people came to reap the benefit of their
country. Hell, what kind of economy Burma had before? Burma became a
rice exporter during the British time, owing greatly ot the money
lenders of Southern India and yet, all they can see is that those
money lenders benefited. They didn't even have any clue that those
Chattiers did not loan directly to them for they have no established
credit. It was the middle men from whom they loaned and these
middlemen themselves were Burmese. That's just one example.
Fair enough but my statement was to let him know that I wasn't so keen
on moving to Bubba town.
See what? Do you see how you were the one doing the name calling. Like
I said, you are a typical representation of typical American on
usenet.
After creating a label "a foreign-born female Muslim", you are
joking with the above claim, right?
This (the above statement) is exactly the kind of proof that you ar a
typical American loser.
I only complained about the crook at the dealership, which, I am sure
she did because the management encourages. Heck, it is not even a
complaint as much as to expose them. But, you being a typical
American did what you did. I know that it hurts your reputation to be
called a typical American. But you need to acka=nwledge that you did
become a typical American with that initial reply of yours and live
with it.
I told you already. I chose to change myself for I am sick of being
the nice and understanding person and the jealousy I get form so
called friends. When I was new to this country, when I went to
Burmese get-togethering, I thought that the people (who has been here
for more than 7 years, 10 years. etc.) would not be acting with tribal
mentality but what I saw was the opposite. Sure it was the individual
and so I didn't not make a decision to just form a generalized view
though these *lovely* people you called are full of prejudice. The
first thing they would ask is where I lived back home. It was the way
to determine my socio-economic background. Once they get the answer,
they pretty much formed the opinion that I was from one of those rich
family back background. Since they couldn't treat me down based on
that, they tried to find ways to find something but unfortunately for
them, as a person on student visa which most of knew nothing about
(especially back in those days), my English was not weak like them
(for I had studied and took TOEFL and GRE already and with my habit of
reading, I was not clueless the way a typically newly arrived person
from Burma would be). In summary, I stayed away, realizing that I do
no fit it with them. Their topic in all those get-together is gossip.
That did not stop me from not giving a chance for friendship to some
other people - this was much later, after i had been in US for 8,9
years. The youngest of three sisters were my age. Before
nationalization, they used to well-to-do but afterward, like some
Anglo-Indians, who didn't get to leave Burma, they became poor.
(Typical Anglo-Indians were salaried employees during British time;
most were never Business owners or in highly educated professions).
For Being Christians, through Church organizations, they typical find
work in the circle of the diplomat community. The ones with some
education get secretary jobs in the British and US Embassies. Boys
work as guards in such Embassies or waiters in some restaurants that
these diplomats go. The girls do babysitting and housekeeping for the
diplomat family. Yes, it was my mistake to assume that we could
form a friendship with them. The middle girl, 3 years older was a
little brighter to know that coming to US on a student visa, no
comparison should one made but the oldest one was another story. It
was not like I was putting them down but she was just jealous and
would try to find petty ways to imply (based on colonial mentality) as
if they were superior. The stupid head had no clue that my
grandfather, in colonial days, was a big business man, not some
salaried employees like theirs. finally, the youngest one, the one my
age said something that sort of attack me and that's when I printed
the humble history of Anglo-Indian, written by an American professor -
that article has been taken off; I guess it's because it was
criticized for speaking the truth - that started with Irish soldiers
impregnating native Indian girls w/o marriage and how Catholic Church
took these children and made them think English was their home though
they have never been there. Over time, an Anglo-Indian community was
formed and some ended up in Burma. I may appear mean for sending
them that article *which I translated for them for they can't read
that level English", but as far as i am concerned, if they have the
nerve to attack me as if I am inferior, they should know who they
really are first.
I thought that they would be different from the native Burma group and
so after that, I didn't try to make any more friend with anyone form
Burma to get together and cook Burmese food, etc. But, upon moving to
this city, I ended up becoming friend with a Burman family. The couple
is pretty good but over time, I learned their version of democracy.
Through them, I met a girl form an ethnic group called Karen. She
came to US on a student visa - hers was via a Christian organization
and not privately like mine but she understood me though she didn't
stay put with her studies and got married. Then her brother and his
wife came via refugee program; her father was in the Guerilla army
since she was young and with Thailand being overburdened with newly
arrived refugees after student's protest, US started relocating these
people to a third country and she was the first in her family apply
for the program and they ended up in US. The couple of was nice and I
was becoming friend with them but ...
The husband started getting into computer hardware in Thailand and so
in US, he started studying for networking. He has no bachelor
degree; he had an electrical technician degree from Burma. He may take
some programming class as a part of the program he is studying but the
IT consulting firm (typically run by Indians who come from India) I
joined would not have been his arena aside since he was not in
software (neither programming or SW testing). The next thing I knew,
he was very inquisitive when he learned what I was doing - he probably
saw some Indians at where he works as a desktop support - out it and
so I explained to him but what I did not realize was that he started
holding ti against me a if I owed him to report everything I do. For
****'s sake, I have an MS degree (from US) in the field and that's why
they took me though they typically only takes the people needing their
sponsoring for work visa and not US residents like me who wouldn't put
up with their exploitation. To make the story short, after that, the
friendship just gone don the hill. They did not spell it out loud abd
I didn't notice right away but eventually, I realized that told them
how these It consulting firm operates which requires agreement to be
sent to anywhere in US for the assignment. With a family with a 4 year
old daughter, he wouldn't want to do that even if he is eligible for
it. It made me feel hurt that they were like that like that to me
after I gave him my programming text book, etc. I also came to
realize a few of my inquisitive questions about the programs for the
refugees and low income she attended that they would not give which I
feel amuse as i am writing this.
So, I decided that of people are like that and I only get hurt, I need
to develop a mentality in a way that would prevent me from getting
hurt like this. My experience with them doesn't stop me from helping
people. I am now helping someone who arrived US, not on refugees
program, not on student visa, but as a regular immigrant. I met her
at a get-together last December hosted by a Physician couple who are
originally from Burma. I met the couple in Nordstrom at a mall. They
heard m speaking Burmese on the phone and introduced themselves to
me. The couple is in their late 50s and the girl was just staying
with one of their daughters temporarily.
BTW, basically the same with people from other groups, namely
Americans. I had had Americans who were jealous at me that's just
pathetic. Rarely do I see people who are worth making friendship but I
do meet a few. Usually, they are men, and for being men it's hard for
the friendship to last when they want more and I do not feel the same.
I have my reason to want to become a pain in the ass. I am not going
to revert back to how I used to be. I am going to stick with this. I
am pissed off. May be this is what people means by becoming jaded. I
guess I am getting old enough to start becoming jaded.
All this in a Subaru forum? You asked for it. This is my last post.
What a waste of time!