Friday, April 10, 2009

My Favourite Foreign Peoples...

I realised my overenthusiasm for foreign peoples and cultures has gotten a little shallow- sure I am a sucker for foreign accents etc but that is no valid basis to like people more!!

LOL It kind of struck me when a friend tried a "Come out- you can meet a Canadian!!" ploy on me...then I realised...sheesh am I that shallow?! (Yes, obviously!)

So anyway although I looooove all Foreigners here is my shortlist of my favourite culture people in the world based on the small selection I have met in my lifetime to date (and do take into account that these are all generalisations):

1. Japanese (I think this love was innate in me from birth-an understanding perhaps? who knows...maybe I was Japanese in a past life??!) I just have always gotten along with Japanese people...so many things but somehow I just can't put my finger on "why?" exactly...if I had to choose attributes the first endearing characteristics that come to mind is the fact they are quirky, zany and cute :) And pretty inventive...with all their ingenious creations!

2. Germans The attributes I love about these people are so easy to pinpoint - hands down I would have to say I love their blunt honesty, their genuine sincerity, their DEPTH and their intellectualism. I guess I also kind of like their intensity and seriousness to an extent too :) I also love their commitment to high standards evident from their high quality manufacturing and engineering.

3. Mexicans LOL I guess what I love about Mexicans is that they are the complete antithesis of the Germans...I guess the fact I love both cultures resonates with my own polar complexity! I love how Mexicans are so unrestrained and live their life with abandon-they are passionate, WARM, spirited, cultured and just like their heroine (and my heroine) Frida Kahlo, have that defiant, subversive, rebellious nature. They are also incredibly open-minded and the men I have met seem very articulate and in touch with their feelings(which seems to be rare amongst most cultures! LOL)

4. The Irish - Okay this I have to admit is pretty superficial...I totally LOOOOVE the Southern accent, and I am a big fan of the ones that remind me of real life leprachauns: so cute!! I also love how they are so easy going and so much fun...always good to share a laugh and great entertainment especially because music is such an important part of their culture. I also love the dark hair and blue/green eyes...and how they appreciate the simple things in life and have a great hard-working work ethic.

8 comments:

James said...

I know what you mean about people from Mexico. I met a few travelling last year and they were universally kind and open. I asked someone why and she replied they mostly come from large families where they're encouraged from a young age to be kind and open. A generalisation I know, but still interesting...

Unknown said...

ugh...I didn't even make the top 4???? Unacceptable. You know you love Canadians the best. Just admit it to yourself and we can all move on

Zz... said...

James, yeah I probably could have summarised the Mexicans in a word: WARM!

Sorry Shan, I forgot about the maple leaf tattoo...I think Canada fell out of my shortlist after you threatened me with that disgusting POO-TEEN stuff! LOL

I didn't mention it but yeah I guess Canadians would come in 5th spot. I think you're too easily confused with the Americans to come any higher...sorry! LOL, don't take it personally ;)

Zz... said...

p.s To be honest Shan, I mentally accounted for you and HS under "Irish" due to your heritage when I was compiling the list :)

Unknown said...

We are not like Americans...No offense to Americans, but they put our flag on their backpacks when they travel to Europe

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6666338/

Zz... said...

Shan, that's exactly it though- how can we then tell who is an American and who is a Canadian when they all have Maple Leaves and have a similar accent?? I told you none of the Canadians I met actually said "eh" until I asked them about it!!! You obviously have to educate me in the finer points of how to distinguish a Canadian from an American- great subject for a blog post I think! ;)

Anonymous said...

me parece que para hacer un perfil psico-sociologico de personas de "X" nacionalidad,no solo se trata de conocer a algunas cuantas personas... pero tambien es verdad que hay paises que se destacan culturalmente por algo..

por ejemplo de este lado del charco, los cubanos y en general los latinos son gente muy calida y hospitalaria...
lo cierto de mi pais y no se como sea en europa u oceania a las personas extranjeras se les trata bien y casi pasan desapercibidas, porque no somos racistas con la gente que viene de fuera.
aunque como dijera Freud:
"El narcisismo de las pequeñas diferencias, es la obsesión por diferenciarse de aquello que resulta más familiar y parecido".

El individuo ha luchado siempre para no ser absorbido por la tribu. Si lo intentas, a menudo estarás solo, y a veces asustado. Pero ningún precio es demasiado alto por el privilegio de ser uno mismo.
Friedrich Nietzsche
alexis from mexico

Unknown said...

I will give you a crash course. There are always ways to tell. And Americans can never truly pull it off ;)