Lets Celebrate Individuality ...

I will be on a business trip to another country for a while. The manager called me up and gave me the names of the other M'sians from other depts who's already there & those who will be there as well. So that I can meet my fellow M'sians overseas and cling on to them in the terrified unknown territory. Hmmm, sometimes I wonder ... Is it wrong if I don't want to meet them when I'm there? I don't know them and I don't work with them anyway. Is it wrong if I would like to mingle with the locals and learn about their culture instead of sticking to my own kind? Will my manager think that I'm arrogant if I don't want to spend all my time with the M'sians over there but rather venture out and explore the new city/culture on my own?

Having individualistic traits in an asian country sucks. If you like to be alone sometimes, do things by yourself, do not like to discuss your daily schedule with people or do not like to 'go to the washroom' in a group, you are perceived as stuck-up, cocky, unfriendly, etc. Whats up with that? Whatever happened to the respect for other people's time and privacy? Asians, the family-oriented bunch do not appreciate individuality in their society. They can't accept the fact that you'd say no to dinner with them for a night at home with a good book. Although you probably have dinner with the same group of people ALL THE TIME. You must conform, you just can't be different! Somehow, doing things by yourself is perceived as ... you don't have friends? you don't belong to a group of friends? you are not being able to fit into a group? there are no group that would accept you as a friend? or just plain unfriendly .... And being seen in a group means that you're a nice person? everyone likes you? you are being accepted? ... Unfortunately, most people here thinks that you should be society-oriented and whatever you do will reflect on your family, yada yada. Yes, it's a good practice to always think of your friends and family - but definitely not to the extend that you need to do EVERYTHING together.

It is okay to do things by yourself. It is okay to go shopping by yourself. It is okay to travel by yourself and spend some quality time alone, burried in your own thoughts and reflection. It is okay to have hobbies or interests that are different from your friends'. It is absolutely okay to be different and to like different things. Not being like the others does not mean you're weird. It'll be so boring if everyone were the same. I've had enough of the same kind of people and would like see some diversity please. Lets embrace individuality with an open mind. It's not wrong to be different ...

Tags: individuality, asian