[This post might offend some or many... Not sure how many people read this blog! lol]I am annoyed. Really really annoyed. At Mauritians. Yes. I know, I'm one of them. But I'm still annoyed.
For those who are not aware, I am currently in Perth, Western Australia. And similarly to Mauritius, there are a lot of different cultures here; Australians, Chinese, Indonesians, Thais, Indians, Kenyans... And of course, Mauritians. People get along well together and politely respect the other cultures in which people live. Except for Mauritians! I think they believe they are on the top of the chain and can do and say whatever they please because no one understands what they are saying...well, at least that's what THEY think!
Living in Australia for 3 and half years now, people really get amazed when I tell them I'm from a country close to Africa and can speak French, and also is from a Chinese background. Yes, apparantly, French is such a great and romantic language, hihihi! People are also shocked to sometimes see that a Chinese-looking person and an Indian-looking person can speak and understand each other, without having to speak either chinese or hindi or english. Amazing!!
Mauritians do not have any particularity and we can easily be mistaken as Australians, Chinese or Indian. As Mauritians, and growing up in a multi-cultural island where people are of all types and all colours, You'd think that we'd be the best at knowing that even though people have a particular skin colour, it does not automatically place them in any particular part of the world... If you know what I mean.
But that doesn't seem to be the case and that's what annoys me. Yesterday, as I was doing my shopping, I noticed a bunch of loud people... Mauritians. Yes, they usually hang out in crowds, swearing and talking loudly, because no one can really understand them. By "they" and "them", I should probably say "Us", because I am Mauritian too. I work with a lot of different people; nice ones and sometimes very difficult ones, and I somehow got used to the random creole words which roam the aisle. I do not mind it, but I get very angry if you talk behind my back and think I can't understand sh*t!
As I was walking and grocery shopping, I could hear them talking in the background. And at a point, I got really close to them without realising it. "Guet tipti, guet tipti", is the response that was shouted in my direction! I might be "tipti" but I understand creole!!! Damnit!!!! What the hell do they think they are, judging and pointing like that? "When in Rome, do as the Romans do", right?! When in Australia, act like you belong here, be polite and speak freaking English!!!!!!
I did not do anything or say anything to them. I was really tired after a long day at work and I thought the best way was to walk away and continue my shopping. But I think I probably should have replied back and maybe then, they'd understand that they are not the only ones here. They are not from another planet, and some people around can still get what they are saying. Bleh...
As an International student here, I did not hang out with a lot of Mauritians. It's not that I'm a snob or whatever, and that's exactly what they believe I am, and I don't really care. Don't get me wrong, I have some Mauritians friends here with whom I love to hang out and chill. I believe my parents have been paying a lot of money and sacrificed a lot to be able to send me to study here, and learn about the different people who share the same soil. And that's what I did.
I understand how when you're in a different country, you might feel lost and prefer sticking to the crowd you are used to and feel most comfortable with. I totally understand and respect that. But that's not how I wanted to experience my university life.
Because I have to work with all kinds of people, I have to speak english on a daily basis and I love when I can converse in creole or french at times. The suburb I work in has 2 main customers; old ones and students. Old people are amazingly cute and nice and I love to work with them and help them as much as I can. There are a lot of Mauritians who have migrated here, and I often see them and have a little chit chat. They are really lovely people who give me news from home. But students are the nasty ones, but of course, not all of them. That group of people I stumbled upon was students. Without a doubt. They did not know what they were going to buy, "Nou fer ene salad asoir", "Ki pou meter ladan?", "Mo envie aster fromaz"... and they were unsure of what products were in store. And were loud. Very loud.
The funniest part of all was when they called the dairy manager to ask him where the cheese were kept. "Sorry mate" is how they got his attention. Yes, just like any normal person would ask for help. Except that the "Sorry" and the "mate" part was in 2 very different accents. Australians really have a particular accent and loveee to use the word "mate", in case you had not noticed. The "sorry" part was in a big creole influenced accent, and when it came to the second part, the voice got to a higher pitch and the "mate" part came out as "mite". Yes, because that's how the Aussies say it with their accents. It is clear that when you go in a different country, you want to catch the accent. That's true. But just let time do it, don't force your way into it, it just sounds fake!
You probably think I'm such a bitch for talking that way about my fellow citizens; and so I guess I am. When I first started working, I was always pleased to say that I was Mauritian. I felt proud. Whenever I heard people speaking french or creole, I'd ask them whether they were French or Mauritians and if they were the latter, I'd say I was one too. But I do not do that anymore because I've had so many bad responses to that. Mauritians looking at me, saying "You do not look Mauritian"... I mean, what the hell do Mauritians even look like?!, or people just getting a shock after the news and walking away (WTF?).
I love being a Mauritian, that's just a fact. I love when I'm around people from other cultures and countries and talk about how great back home is. What I do not like is Mauritians acting like they are from another freaking universe, and thinking that they can say and do what they please because no one else will understand them. I do not like how Mauritians keep the habit of pin-pointing and judging loudly the things they see around them. I do not like how Mauritians think they are the only Mauritians in the country, when they obviously are just one in the very many. I do not like hearing Mauritians go "Sa tifi la n mauricienne sa, mo fek tane li coz creole". Do you ever hear Indians, Chinese or Thais doing the same when they hear a compatriote speaking the home language? No they don't. So why can't we do the same? Are we that exceptional, that everytime we hear creole being spoken, we have to be amazed and shocked about it and think "Oh, Mauritians"...!?!
Ugrh...
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NaNoWriMo Day 13..
Haven't written anything since last time :S
DOUBLE URGH!!!!!!!!!! :(
