From: keis@psy.uwa.oz.au (Keis Ohtsuka)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Re: Actually!
Date: 12 Oct 1992 12:10:36 GMT
Organization: The University of Westrn Australia
NNTP-Posting-Host: wapsy.psy.uwa.oz.au


u926009@postoffice.utas.edu.au (HAJIME YOJI) writes:

>Before i say somethings, I must tell that I never been to US and Australia
>and New Zealand is the only western nations I ever been. [omitted]
     ^^^^^^^^^^^
>My problem is that I can't really get on with Australian(or more precisely
>white Austrlaian). I tend to feel awkward when I'm talking to Australian 
>and I found hard to just make conversation with them. 

Maybe, that's the problem. You've been to NZ but New Zealanders
and Australians are not the same. I don't go through all sorts of
Kiwi jokes by Australians (read aus.jokes) and Kiwi's Ocker jokes
here. :)
 
>When I was new in here, I thought the reason is my poor English. At that 
>time, I was struggling to communicate, but now I study Law/Economics and I
>don't regard this as excuse. So, I thought that the reason must be the 
>different cultures cos I had no problems making friends other Asians. But 
>this year, I found myself hanging around with blacks from Pacific Island 
>most times and many of them are my best friends. Many Asians wonder how I 
>can mix around with them cos I'm the only asians mix with outside ethnic 
>groups(ie. outside Asians) So the difference culture is no prob for me.

Europeans and whites with European heritage in Australia/NZ/USA etc. do
have their own culture. It seems to me that you should be sensitive to
cultural differences when you interact with "whites" just as you are
in socialising with people with colour. If you're open-minded to feel
comfortable mingling with different cultural groups, I don't see any
reason for you to avoid Australians just because some of them have
different skin/hair/eye colours than yours!
 
>The way I see is that there is some barrier built up in my mind and I'm
>pretty eager to fix this problem.

I think you're already aware of your problem and start dealing with it.
No one is, in my opinion, completely immune from "prejudices" but we
all can keep an eye on the way we perceive others to make sure we
see people as individuals not as a representative of a certain ethnic
group. You said many of your best freinds are Pacific Islanders. You
probably look at them as your friends, not as a sample of "Blacks"
from Pacific Islands. You need the same mindset to get along (or 
at least comfortable with talking to) with "White" Australians.
Do not see them as representatives of an ethnic group. See them
as people (and I must emphasise that you were able to do it for
Asian-Australians so easily.)

Finally, there are a couple of pointers for you to understand
Australians, which by the way apply to Asian-Australins too,
since they are all Aussies regardless of ethnic origin.
Now, Australians are less talkative, say, than Americans. They
are not good at keep up with a small talk just for the sake of
being perceived as "nice" or "sociable."  They talk when they
have somthing to talk but they remain silent when they don't
have to. Their culture values substance more than its appearance.
Another thing you may misunderstand easily is Australians' facial
expression or lack thereof. It appears that it is entirely 
optional for Australians to smile or not during a conversation:
again they do not "wear" a smile all the time for the sake of
appearing "sociable", they do when they're happy or find something
amusing, etc. Often times, their facial expression seems to you
blank, which is not the manifestation of hostility toward you.
Don't be shy next time. Smile at them before you start talking
to Australians, I'm sure they will smile back. In general, it
takes longer to get to know/make friends with Australians than
Americans from my experience. Treat them fair and honest, you
will earn friends of life-time. One more thing: Australians
are sensitive about how people from other countries perceive
them. They like to joke about their own country with a good-
humoured self-deprecation but you, as a foreigner, especially
as a Japanese, are not supposed to join in and say something
derogatory about the country. Only natives can bad-mouth about
their own country - not outsiders. By the way, speaking of humour,
Australians has a terrific sense of humour but unlike Americans
they keep a straight face when they tell you a joke. Be alert
and don't miss it.

Keis Ohtsuka
Dept. of Psychology
The University of Western Australia



Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan