Culture Shock 4: Black in China

First things first, I am not the only black person in China. Infact, there are hundred thousands of us from all walks of life. Some of us are students, teachers, professors, ambassadors or a foreign delegate of some sort, business men and women, tourists, entertainers, professional workers and the like. You already know which group I belong to :)

It's difficult for many locals to accept this fact, since nothing comes to their mind when they hear those two words - black people. Who can blame them? I mean media reports on Black people is mostly negative. From AIDS and Corruption in Africa to criminal activities by Black men in North America. And so since they are limited in the amount of information they receive from the outside world, most just sit back and passively take in what their government present them.

                                                 Advertisement poster on the subway train

I like to take photos of black men and women in the media because it shows that not all locals are close minded and it's possible to make it big in the country despite popular believe.


Some popular stereotypes of black people in China
1. The men are drug dealers while the women are prostitutes. Oh, I forgot to mention that some of us (Nigerians) are also drug dealer and prostitutes. Infact, this has made it nearly impossible for Nigerians to get Visas to the country. As a result, many schools and businesses are forced to reject a Nigerian applicant due to visa laws.

2. Every black person is from Africa. Most times I just tell people i'm from Africa, since they won't believe that I can be from another continent. This is a very stupid misconception since many male Chinese absolutely love basketball and they keep up with various teams and games religiously. So although they are aware that Black people are living outside Africa and the president of a White country is even Black, somehow being a Black American still sounds foreign to them.

                                                    Adidas poster on the subway

Ignorance is a disease. On some personal experiences
1. Having many locals asking me how I styled my hair, if my hair is fake and then wanting to touch it.  Now when they ask me such question, I simply relay the question back to them and ask them if their hair is fake and if I can touch it. I mean they don't ask me if my skin color is fake, so i don't see why they are so curious about the structure of my hair strands

2. Looking for teachers from Canada and the U.S, only  WHITES will be considered. Most jobs will ask for teachers to send a picture with their application.. Sometimes I will send a resume without my photo and will then immediately receive an email saying they liked my resume but i need to send a picture before they ca n schedule an interview. After sending it in, I then get no response. Luckily since there are more demand for teachers than there are supply, I eventually get jobs

3. Blacks are clowns or masquerades: it's common for people, particularly men to point, stare and laugh at every black person they see, i'm yet to figure out what they specifically find funny. Some babies on the other hand will cry when they see a black person or sometimes a while person.

NBA stars. Many Chinese LOVE basketball

P.S: not ALL Chinese are ignorant, I have met many who just see me as a human and don't ask me dumb questions as to why I am not so dark or why I am Black but claim to be from Canada.

A decade away from the motherland

It just dawned on me that I have been out of Nigeria for 10years!  I had a feeling yesterday that April 20th was a special day, but I just didn't know what made it so special. I mean, no one in my family was born in April, so it couldn't have been someone's birthday. But while reading some blog posts by Nigerians in the diaspora, I suddenly realized that around this day 10years ago, my family and I bid our farewell to the country.

Why don't you go back to contribute to the development of your country?
Just about two weeks ago, a Nigerian friend (who was inspired to venture to China after coming across my blog) told me about an older African woman in the diaspora who asked her why she is not back in Nigeria developing her nation? As a respect to the woman, she didn't give her a response. I just thought if it was me, I would have said "the same reasons you're not there yourself ma". Coincidentally, I read a relative's Facebook status update about why so many Nigerians are sweeping the streets of China, India and the U.S when so many Chinese and Indians bribe their way to get into Nigeria. I immediately left a comment saying that I've never seen a foreigner sweeping the streets of Beijing or any other Chinese city I've traveled to. Besides, those foreigners bribing their way into Nigeria are no different from Nigerians who "sweeps" the streets abroad. In that both see all the available resources on the other side of the world which aren't available to them in their home countries.

I mean if Obama senior hadn't gone to the States, the country wouldn't have the Black president it has today. Or if Roger Jean hadn't fled to Canada as a refugee, after being abducted and tortured in his home country, Canada wouldn't have had it's first visible minority, Haitian-born governor general.

President Obama with Canada's 27th Governor General  Michaëlle Jean 

*source*

If the grass is greener on the other side, why remain in an environment where your talents are not being maximized? Or remain in a country where basic human necessities are made to seem like luxuries? Or in an environment where you might not be able to fully enjoy your wealth due to political or social instabilities in the country. It is very common here in China for rich Chinese families to immigrate to Canada or whatever country they choose to call their new home. Because being a millionaire doesn't exempt you from the one child policy, pollution, daily traffic jams and other unnecessary stress a rich person doesn't need to go through.

I think what people need to do is to first research the LONG history of immigration before they start talking nonsense about immigrants or people leaving their home countries to go build other people's nations. What annoys me the most is when I read hate comments from people who are descendants of immigrants themselves!

 I think whatever reason a person decides to leave their home country to go pick up another citizenship or get a new one after renouncing their natural citizenship is their business. I believe America wouldn't be the nation it is today if those early immigrants had just stayed in their countries. And Canada probably wouldn't be the second biggest nation it is today if it wasn't for those thousands of immigrants helping to fill up empty lands.

As an immigrant and currently an expat enjoying life in a country where so many citizens are looking for a  way out, I am most thankful to have the opportunity to be mobile. Because after all, the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof. Therefore, If at any time I feel the grass is greener in another part of my heavenly Father's creation, then I will most definitely go explore it!

**So, have I visited Nigeria in the last 10years? No. Will I ever go for a visit? Of course, as soon as I can gather some funds. Will I ever move back? No one knows the future, but luckily, my dual citizenship gives me an option :).**

And to you Dear reader, where is your home country and where do you now currently call your home? And if you have moved back to your home country, under what circumstance(s) did you had to relocate and do yo feel you are helping to build your nation?

HOTW 1: Hair of the Week 1

This will be one of the many weekly posts I will be posting on how I wear my hair for the week.

I recently started styling my own hair back in January when I put myself on a 6 months DIY (do it yourself)  challenge. This means from January to June, I will be the only hairstylist for my hair. This will allow me to get to know my own hair on a personal level, put to practice, different black hair practices I read about and to give my hair a break from extensions. This will break a record I set for myself last summer when I wore my hair out for 4months straight, without visiting a salon!  See, I never knew what to do with my hair when it was relaxed, so I would always go "get my hair done" days after taking one style out.

Accidental asymmetric up-do.

I  hope to improve my hair styling skills and creativity by the end of the 6months challenge. Last Spring, I bought an Asian mannequin on my visit to Hong Kong for me to practice hair braiding. However, this mannequin ended up being useless as the hair is very slippery and silky, nothing like black hair at all, natural or relaxed! So I guess I will have to use my own head for practicing instead.

When are you going to do your hair? 

At the women's fellowship this week, a sister from Uganda asked me when I was going to do my hair. I got confused a bit because I thought my hair was already DONE. She then asked me when I was going to put extensions in or get Locs like another sister from Mozambique. I was completely thrown off by this question because I never thought getting a hair done meant putting extensions in the hair.

But then I thought, "Oh yea, only kids, village girls or religious extremist style their hair without using additional hair pieces"
Anyway, my response to this woman's question was that my hair was already done and I don't want to put extensions in my hair because they make my hair dry. 

We're not from Brazil, but from Mozambique

or Spanish, Italian, French and any other colonial language.

While at a women's small group ministry on Tuesday evening, I overheard two women conversing in an unfamiliar language. So I asked them what the language was, which they replied, Portuguese. I ignorantly assumed they were from Brazil or Portugal, but was surprised when they told me they were not from neither country, but from Mozambique. They later gave me a quick history and geographic lesson about Africa.

Who gets which part and how much of each part?

I've always thought the main languages in Africa are Arabic, English and French, with the most prevalent language being English. But I just never thought some African countries speaks other European languages, especially languages like Italian or Portuguese.

Official languages as a result of colonialism

So, what is the importance of this post? 
Africa is a diverse continent indeed! One does not need to trek the globe to study Spanish in South America, Portuguese in Portugal, Arabic in The Middle East, or France to study french. Rather, money can be saved by simply spending time in select African countries!