"I don't know why I ever entertained this photo is the first place."
Forget being African in Shanghai. Nobody sees me and sees African.
Honestly, it seems like a lot of people in Shanghai don't know a thing about Africa. When I say people, I'm talking about people on the street, people in restaurants, people that I've had some sort of interaction with. Many of these same people don't even know how to say the word "Africa" in Chinese (非洲 Fēizhōu).
However, what I like about being African here is that I can say I'm African. I can say I'm Liberian, and nobody will deny me that right (except for one diner who asks me where I'm from every time I see him, and the fact that I say I'm African is too difficult for him to comprehend). Simply because they just don't know, and can't tell me otherwise. Many times when I say I'm Liberian, someone never fails to ask, "Nigerian? Libyan?" I politely say to them, "Liberian. West Africa." On many occasions, the end result is me drawing a map of Africa (which I'm terrible at), and then putting a star where Liberia is.
I used to think it was a language thing - you know, you don't speak someone's language, so you think they're talking about you - but that was just a thought. Here, I don't speak their language and many times people don't speak mine. I should get it, right? That should automatically mean that I'm subject to some form of ridicule.
I try, but it's hard to try when your efforts are taken in vein.
I spent about a week in Tokyo, and a day in Seoul, and it was a HUGE refresher. Not to be stared at. Not to be the joke of the day. Not to be talked about. Not to be laughed at.
I swear I walk into the phone store once a week to the same girl cackling every time she sees me strolling on in. Trust me, I don't want to be in there just as much as she wants the amusement of me paying each time, more and more money, to get my phone turned back on.
I don't want to say everyone or every day, but many people and many days have left me feeling more out of place than ever before. Simple tasks take twice as long. Walking down the street almost feels like walking through downtown New York, as men undress me with their eyes.
I'm used to being independent, and not having to ask for much. I'm used to being able to state what I want, and usually finding some way of getting it. I'm used to a lot of things, but this is not something I'm used to. I would have thought that after some time I would become a normal part of my neighborhood.
I was told that Chinese people need some time to get warmed up to a new person or a new situation. After many "ni hao's" and smiles, how much more warming up do they need? I guess my "ni hao" isn't good enough.
Yes I'm Black. Yes I'm African...AND I'm in Shanghai because I want to be, not because I have to be. I'm giving this city a try, so why can't it give me just that little?
http://www.theatlantic.com/china/archive/2013/08/on-being-african-in-china/279136/
http://sites.davidson.edu/shanghai/2012/09/niggas-in-shanghai-no-one-knows-what-it-means/
http://blackinshanghai.blogspot.hk/
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