the more i think about every day life the more i wonder how people adjust to this country when they first arrive. First generation immigrants... They throw everything away upon arrival. Yet there are so many stories of survival, of success. I honestly doubt that anyone can understand the challenges that presents unless they have witnessed it in their own lives. I don't even know why I'm writing this. I'd probably be better off getting some sleep now, instead of relying on coffee tomorrow. But there are distinct cultural factors governing one's survival in the workforce. The old saying "you dont have to get along, you just have to work together" doesn't really apply if you think about it. If anyone has a choice, they'd obviously hire someone with a similar cultural background, who's interested in similar things. In fact, if it was me I'd even disregard some of the technical expertise some other guy might have. I mean, thats human nature is it not? of course, you'd justify it by saying, 'well that guy wouldn't do very well infront of a client'. but is that really true? I couldn't help but overhear a conversation on the subway the other day between this chinese guy with an accent and his white colleague. Their 5 minute conversation (it took me that long to realize how ridiculous it was to listen in) was a clear display of why immigration is so difficult. The cultural gaps are so wide that i dont think any amount of training, TV watching, or partying can overcome. These two guys both tried to joke about one thing or another, only to see the other person look back at them with little reaction or fake laughter. So again, back to immigration. That cultural gap is a defining challenge that governs all aspects of life. I was wondering today why there are so little chinese canadians involved in politics, or community centers on a geographical level. and the answer is simple, they're trying to adapt as well as they can to a foreign land, but by instinct are hanging on to the core values that got them that far. I mean yes, we see many chinese community groups. great. but if you go up to any small town theres also some sort of town community group which embodies all of the residents of the town. that kind of thing just simply doesn't exist in a big city. Is it at least partly due to immigration? and how diverse our society has become? Yes, diversity gives us strength. But its also damn painful. I think some times that i'm neither chinese or am i canadian. I have values from both societies. which is why i understood the jokes from both of those guys on the subway. and found both equally funny. but when pressed, i'll go back to the culture i'm more familiar with - chinese. However, i'm also not very chinese. I mean i've been away from there for more than 6 years now. I don't hold the same values as kids growing up and coming here... well.. at least not the 'mainstream' stuff.... it seems i'm stuck in the naive 80s culture, where china was just opening up, and everyone thought honest work would get you far and the young people were full of a desire to succeed, and make an impact on society. And that is from my parents, who are immigrants.. who went through difficult times and continue to go through very difficult challenges. Who taught me from a very young age that if you just work hard at something everything else will fall into place... just get your head down and dig... and eventually you'll hit a gold mine. Yet i guess the point of this is... (and i know this is coming in a very round about way for whoever is actually still reading this) maybe its too naive for me to still believe in the values that guided my parents through. The world's definitely changed, and you gotta mix hard work with a little bit of savvy political moves in almost everything you do it seems. Cuz i keep digging... but that hole just gets deeper... and whatever i find in there just gets claimed by somebody else... but hey. what can you do right? Either way. I think those values have been so engraved its far too late to change my character. I'll keep digging anyways. Thinking that it'll benefit some team, somebody, some how. and maybe thats why immigrants make such great IT programmers or Lab techs. They'd always avoid the conflict and just do the work..... always hoping that somehow someone will be nice enough to give them the credit... instead of claiming the work as their own. It kind of reminds me of Harold and Kumar.... Hopefully, i've wasted a good chunk of your time... or at least provided some entertainment... especially for those writing exams. oooh xanga. | 
