(no subject)
At dinner last Sun, we had 7 people at the dinner table, all of different nationalities - American, Lebanese, Bulgarian, Italian, English, German/French and of course, Singaporean! An entirely unintended consequence! But this is why I love living in London so much. It is an amazingly cosmopolitan city. The number and mix of nationalities to be found in London probably rivals New York. But people retain their cultural and national heritage much more so than in New York where everyone comes from everywhere and become homogenously New Yorkers. (apologies if i offend you tinymich and basiecrazy).
I constantly tease my friends about their national/cultural stereotypes. Ralph is the "dodgy Lebanese", and lives up to the stereotype that Lebanese are very sharp, very entrepreneurial and very discreet. Cyril the "sleazy Frenchman" once sent me a text msg after a bottle of champagne -"So when are we making love?" And then there's Susie, so perfect English twinset-and-pearls rose, is ever so polite and sends thank-you emails promptly after every dinner party.
And me? I'm typically Singaporean too. As Ralph put it, if you asked an American to do something, he'd have to consult everyone around him to make sure that there was a consensus. If you asked a Frenchman to do the same thing, he'd philosophise about it left-right-centre and then eventually take the contrarian action. And because I'm Singapore, I'd just get it done straightaway, no questions asked.
I'm glad for all these cultural/national differences because they make us all unique. And they make dinner conversation ever so enriching and interesting.
Did I mention I love London?
I constantly tease my friends about their national/cultural stereotypes. Ralph is the "dodgy Lebanese", and lives up to the stereotype that Lebanese are very sharp, very entrepreneurial and very discreet. Cyril the "sleazy Frenchman" once sent me a text msg after a bottle of champagne -"So when are we making love?" And then there's Susie, so perfect English twinset-and-pearls rose, is ever so polite and sends thank-you emails promptly after every dinner party.
And me? I'm typically Singaporean too. As Ralph put it, if you asked an American to do something, he'd have to consult everyone around him to make sure that there was a consensus. If you asked a Frenchman to do the same thing, he'd philosophise about it left-right-centre and then eventually take the contrarian action. And because I'm Singapore, I'd just get it done straightaway, no questions asked.
I'm glad for all these cultural/national differences because they make us all unique. And they make dinner conversation ever so enriching and interesting.
Did I mention I love London?