Hello I am tuyatsetseg

tuyatsetseg wrote:

I have written that what I want to do after my graduation. My research is related to expatriate effectiveness not to off-shore sourcing or something like that.

I have stayed in Taiwan for 4 years. I don't like to say that Taiwan is not nice country. But Taiwan has a race discrimination. This is really true. Specially, Asian students are discriminated more at here. Taiwanese prefer more western people. Because they need them to learn English or do business with them. I was in European countries and America. Taiwan has more race discrimination than others. I am feeling that.I don't say you are racist. I am sorry, if my answer was not so nice for you.

No problem and no damage done Tuyatsetseg. This is why we discuss, debate, and exchange on poster board.

Interesting field of study! I suspected that your area of study is largely related to Expat. The reason I mentioned “offshore sourcing” was because in recent years, there is a growing trend of sending American jobs overseas which generated a significant population of American expat stationed in several major offshore sourcing countries.  In different ways, they are related to your study which is the reason why I raised this question with you.

As for your observation of Taiwan, I regret to agree with you that you're probably right with your feelings. As a matter of fact, the general attitude is pretty similar with Japan, S. Korea, and maybe China. Such cultural behavior is pretty evident with countries that are very homogenous (one single ethnic group). I often used the term “Motherland” to reference this attitude. This is more evident in Asia where blood linage plays a major role with discrimination originating from the Northern Orient and working its way down with various class segregations all the way to the Equator. I know. I get that. I hear you.

You had mentioned U.S. to be less discriminatory. You probably have not being in the U.S. for too long. If you live through grade school and high school you will see a great deal of racism with the parents and kids at these levels. You won't often see too much racism at the College level (thank god!) and that truly reflects institution of higher learning. However, you will see a lot of hidden-discrimination in the general work place and at the corporate level. The only difference is that at the corporate workplace, it is well contained and masked for fear of law suites. On the side, I had also observed something interesting in my past many years when I traveled (work or pleasure). I've noticed how Americans tend to bond together on foreign soil regardless of color – which is a great thing (Perhaps someone here can share a different experience). I sometime wished we unite the same way back home. The U.S. is a true melting pot but we don't crouch like what most people think we do. If you grew up here, you would've seen the ignorance, the hate, the subtle racism, and the invisible multi-level class differences of our society. Like I often said on the poster… good, bad, or indifferent, this is humanity, behavior of the animal kingdom, nature at work, and also… it is also our home. We'll just have to deal with it like everything else. I love my country but we're far from perfection.

I'm glad you shared your personal experience openly. That's what makes learning of a different culture exciting and challenging. It doesn't have to be a good experience. It is more important that you recognize the fact and where/how you manage it. No one says you have to be in Taiwan when you're done with school. You have choices. Someone from a different part of the world of a different nationality and ethnic background may experience a totally opposite experience that you did. That my friend…. is what “learning” is all about.

Good luck with your quest! I hope you enjoy this exchange.