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When Is It Okay To Wear Cultural Costumes?
A few months ago, I was wandering through Bourke Street Mall on a summer’s Saturday afternoon and spied some buskers wearing traditional cultural attire (photo). I wondered if anyone saw this scene as racist. I stopped to watch. It stuck me as odd that they were wearing sunglasses with their outfits. There are two scenarios…
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Why Asians Don’t Say “I Love You” To Their Parents
“I love you, mom, dad.” That’s something we hear children and adults alike say to their parents in movies and TV shows. And in everyday life, of course. But funnily enough, be it in reality or the fictional worlds, the phrase of affection “I love you” is rarely uttered by Asians to their parents, whether…
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Why Asians Use Lots Of Plastic Bags
“Here’s your change and receipt,” said the Woolies cashier. I pocketed the slips of paper and stood still. She pushed the two boxes of Shapes biscuits and one packet of Freddo Frogs on the counter towards me. I waited. Where’s a plastic bag to carry my things in? That was what happened on one of…
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Food, Family And The Lunar New Year
Just like how roast is often a staple eaten at Christmas, it is customary for the Chinese to feast on Yusheng, a raw fish salad, during the Lunar New Year. Yee sang, yuu sahng, lo hei or ‘Prosperity Toss’ are alternate names for this salad that is typically served at the beginning of multi-course meals…
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The Lunar “Chinese” New Year: A New Beginning
When I was a kid, I celebrated the “Chinese New Year” in Malaysia with my family. When we moved back to Australia seven years after living in Asia, to my confusion I learnt that the “Lunar New Year” is often used to refer to the “Chinese New Year” in Melbourne. Both phrases are used interchangeably…
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Favourite Asian Childhood Drinks
Non-alcoholic drinks are under-rated drinks. In Australia, when someone suggests we all go out for drinks, it’s always in reference to beers or fine wines. I don’t drink and when I politely decline alcoholic beverages and order a soft drink, sometimes I get funny looks from those who do. And a lot of us like…
Mabel Kwong 