You are where you live

Unless, of course, your ancestry is the same country for the last three hundred or more years, in which case you are where you live, and probably (though not necessarily) feel bored about it.

What I mean is that if you were chucked into a new country when you were young (like me), it is likely your current self in every conceivable manner aside from physiological traits related to your race will be different than if you had never moved.

I thought about this when I was wandering around hong kong looking at the kids -- the kids who just grow their hair long and call it a hairstyle, the women with the most bizarre hairstyle? The unflattering clothes, the rampant UK look..it's all different than Canada.

Looking at myself, I would've been completely different -- I wouldn't have had the influence of muscular men instead of just playing sports, so I would be built differently -- I'd imagine I would either be skinnier or tremendously fat from overeating. I would have different values, and definitely would probably be three times the "nice guy" I was before, with no change in sight. I'd want to get married, not see anything wrong in the sacrament, and probably still be Catholic. I'd probably slouch or whatever it is the posture men typically have here (very few people stand straight...or they don't have a chest and I can't tell?), I would probably be somewhat xenophobic, speak significantly less english, be Cantonese fluent and literate in Chinese, and might even speak some Mandarin.

My teeth would be dirty though. I can't figure that out. Also I developed an overbite during my youth -- I wonder if my parents could've afforded orthodontry?

I wonder if I would've been smarter?

You see, moving to Canada, forgetting Cantonese, being Chinese illiterate...that's all I've lost. Staying in Hong Kong..I wouldn't be PG. Everything that is 'PG' -- that's all a biproduct of Canadian freedom.

Does this apply to you? What would you be like if you hadn't moved to whatever country you live in now? And if your ancestry has been stuck in the same country for generations and there's no moving away for you, how do you feel about your culture?

There's another topic I want to start about the sudden decline of expressive racism within the last twenty years (it helps that I'm older than most of you kids -- I've been through more history...it's all pokemon and pop culture and invisible feminism for you within the last ten years)...but that's off topic and fit for another day.

Go!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...icfound8vu.jpg

I'm drunk so I didn't read any of that. That's a cool helmet in your signature so I like you.

People like me or hate me. There is no middle ground.

Daresay I'd be fairly different, but as I'm not a fan of some aspects of myself, it's probably not a bad thing.

I like you. What's your name?

We should be friends.

If I wouldn't have been born here I'd probably hate the United States.

Well... I'm thrid gerneration Irish, so it's depend on my dad's side of the family to stay of not stay, and if they did, I would've defenity been differnet, like I'd be Iirish Cathloc, and go to church, but I'm a christain, and stillhaven't found a church... i'm lazy, but I'd probably stillbe lazy over there. I probably wouldn'r be alive and all, my mother's not Irish at all, she's british and French and stuff, and my dad isn't compelety Irish, but my grandpa was... so I'm like 1/3 Irish. I'm a mutt, and if the USA didn't exsit, I wouldn't either.

If I was in India, I'd probably be a lot less open minded about other people. And I'd be more fluent in Hindi. And I'd have less exposure to other cultures. India is way too homogenized for my tastes, but that's what an upbringing as a minority in America will do to you - forces you to understand majority culture, which in return urges you to understand minority cultures. I dunno about how I would change physically though - I carry a "skinny gene" (hypothyroxia is the resultant condition), so chances are I'd probably be skinny anyways. I might have been strict vegetarian, though, but I'd find the protein in legumes and stuff. Erm, what am I saying now?

Or, there are people like me who are so mixed and culturally deficient it is impossible to tell what they are.

I was born and raised in the same city so I have nothing to compare to, but, uh, yeah... society.

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Originally Posted by pureghetto

People like me or hate me. There is no middle ground.

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Yes there is. Trust me, there is. Pie face ass cow.

I lived in Saudi Arabia for sixteen years and moved to Pakistan two years ago. I like Pakistan better than SA, though. If I lived here all my life I might have been slightly closed-minded, I wouldn't have gone for hajj or umrah as much as I have and I would be so much skinnier.

On the other hand, I would have loads more bags coz bag shopping here is great.

my ancestry has been in the same country for 1500 years do i win a prize?

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Originally Posted by ShlupQuack

Yes there is. Trust me, there is. Pie face ass cow.

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I mean people who know me. Of course people who don't me don't have an opinion.

How can you neither like nor dislike/hate a person?

I want to hate PG but he helped me get laid so I have to middle him here.

I probably would. If I still lived in Queens, I have to say I'd be a better person. I'd be much more fit as in Queens you walk everywhere, despite that "OMG0RDZ U NOO YOIK PEOPLE LIKE, DRIVE CARS ALL THE TIMEZ" thing. I'd have more friends. I'd have a thicker Noo Yoik accent which is an awesomely cool thing.

Then again, I might not have discovered EoFF or have gotten into the music I listen to or be singing, so I like how I am right now. :)

My great, great grandfather came from Africa, and my great, great grandmother from the Original Tribe of the Philippines. So try to imagine the HORROR!

I've always been lived in the same country, but I've lived in different places. If I was to still be living in Newcastle, chances are I would never be online and always be out with friends, and chances are I'd probably be in trouble a lot of the time. I probably wouldn't be as nice as I am now, either. Don't get me wrong, I love the place, and I enjoy myself when I visit, but if I had of spent my whole childhood where I was, that is likely the way I would of turned out.

I've been shuttled around quite a bit in my life; so I'm not totally sure where the bits and pieces come in! xD And I've never lived in India either, so my comparisons won't be accurate or whatever.

All I can say is that I'd be extremely different than I am now, I'm pretty sure. It's a matter of the lifestyle I'd be living and the stuff I'd be exposed to.

One of the things I've picked up in my wanderings from continent to continent (exagerration xD) is a retarded accent. *stabs* WTH IS IT? ;_;

I've never personally moved out of my country but my ancestors might have ithout my permission! I love my country

well, my dads side is irish and my mums is german....(yes, i am a mutant), We used to live in Brighton. I guess if we still lived there id probably go out alot more because its got a great rave scene! I dont think id be quite as mad as I am now, and id prob neva got in to final fantasy.

Kagga :love:

ive lived in Peckham (London) all my life so im fully English

I've lived on Hayling Island in the south of england for all my life, so I don't know any different, but my grandmother is Maltese (is that spelt right?). I guess if you grow up only knowing one way of doing things, anything else would be hard to adjust to.

I have lived here all my life... so I don't have anything to compare too. :D

I'm third generation Russian and I can't even imagine what my life would be like or how I'd be if my greatparents stayed in Russia and did not move to Canada. I think that Canada has got to be the greatest country in the world to live in for all of the freedom and opportunities that it has to offer.

Ive lived in England all my life, ive moved 3 times, but always lived in merseyside..i think.
St Helens > Rainhill > St Helens

Hopefully,this is were i will stay

I moved to America when I was four, from China, and I'd have to say... yes, I would be very different. ^_^

To what extent, I'm not sure yet. I'll probably get a better idea when I go back to China in a week or two :)

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Originally Posted by Leeza

I'm third generation Russian and I can't even imagine what my life would be like or how I'd be if my greatparents stayed in Russia and did not move to Canada. I think that Canada has got to be the greatest country in the world to live in for all of the freedom and opportunities that it has to offer.

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I kind of wonder that myself sometimes. Except replace Canada with the U.S.

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Originally Posted by kaggski

well, my dads side is irish and my mums is german....(yes, i am a mutant), We used to live in Brighton. I guess if we still lived there id probably go out alot more because its got a great rave scene! I dont think id be quite as mad as I am now, and id prob neva got in to final fantasy.

Kagga :love:

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as above :p
if daddys family stayed in ireland i'd deffently be different. .....i'd probally not bee born though!! :p
if i'd stayed in brighton i'd be very different. i am who i am because of the people around me and the influences. of course genetics would stay the same, it's not as if i'd have black hair if we stayed :rolleyes2