Confused Nationality?

[1/2decaf.mode]

Does anyone has this problem? I was born in Singapore - holding Malaysian passport - never lived in Malaysia my whole life before - is a Singapore PR but received education in Australia and UK since high school, was away from Singapore for about 9 years - worked in London for a year after graduation, then to China for 1 year, and now in Hong Kong.

When I am in Singapore, the expats don't see me as an expat, but the locals don't see me as a local either. I am thinking of moving back to Singapore but am worried that I might not be able to make friends as easily as I am in Hong Kong. From your experiences in Singapore so far, will I have problems fitting in?

Either that or I can go on hopping around the globe in pursuit of a "home country".

[durain]

so what are you? white or yellow?

finding friends is down to your social/hunting skills, not where you are from or if you are expat or local. i got no problems finding friends wherever i work worldwide. and i dont want people to see me as an expat so that they can be my friend. i am just me wherever i am.

[1/2decaf.mode]

Mostly yellow with brown eyes? Lol. My father is Malaysian Chinese, and my mum is half Portuguese, half Chinese.

I'd thought most expats would be receptive towards people from all ethnics, culture, background but when I went through the forums, many brought up the issue of expats vs locals, and loads of rants about how this is an expat site... what are locals doing here, and vice versa.. locals get annoyed/intimidated by expats. It's actually the same everywhere, even when I was at a few meet-ups in Hong Kong, some locals turned up, and a few would say.. "... not really an expat? So what are you doing here?" - I feel sorry for the locals, maybe all they wanted was to know more people outside their own network. I don't really understand the big deal or the importance to categorise expats and locals.. at the end of the day, I welcome all friendship, but do they really? Even the locals will behave very strangely I must say, Singapore or Hong Kong and especially China, sometimes they make you feel like an alien.

[durain]

since you are mostly "yellow", just blend in with the local as they will see you as a local than an expat.

here's a story. an american chinese working in taiwan. under him, there's a few english staff. so when they were all in taiwan, the local will always think it is the white that is the boss. they will go all out for the white and ignore the chinaman! that is until they know who is the boss!!!

so at the end of the day, it doesnt matter who or what you are. local will behave differently initially but once they know you, you are just another person. just be yourself.

[QRM]

If you have the personality of a cabbage then no matter where you are from, educated, born, or lived you will be always Billy no friends

[1/2decaf.mode]

Good point. Time to plan for departure in HK...