Black Overseas: My Okemubority Experience in Shenzhen
Okay, settle in everyone! Prepare for takeoff – or perhaps just a deep tissue massage because we're talking about that experience of being Black overseas. You've probably heard stories from folks who went through the whole culture shock thing and came out changed on the other side. Well, this is one such story: mine.
Remember that viral clip you saw online? The one where someone's doing laundry with chopsticks or trying to figure out Chinese tea etiquette for the first time? No, not quite. Think more like a sitcom pilot crossed with a documentary about racial identity in a place utterly foreign yet strikingly familiar in its curiosity.
Let me paint this picture: Shenzhen isn't exactly known for subtlety, right down to how they power everything these days. Upon my arrival as a Black person in China (specifically, let's say Guangzhou), I wasn't quite prepared for what felt like the entire city's population developed an intense interest in my skin tone or hair texture. It hit me like a Tsunami of questions and camera-phone angles – something that definitely requires immediate waterproofing.
The honeymoon phase was weirdly short. At first, people wanted photos. "Takeie!" became a surprisingly common exclamation when I boarded the metro near People's Square (or wherever). Kids pointed, adults stopped their conversation mid-word to stare at my colour or curl unusual hair. It felt surreal, like walking through a museum exhibit titled 'Exotic Human'. But honestly? There was an undeniable level of awkwardness that quickly soured this strange admiration into something less pleasant.
Kids on the subway – often just kids waving politely from behind their parents' backs – would ask "Daxiai xihai nimei?" ('Why is she black?' or 'What colour hair does she have?') as if they were trying to solve a cosmic mystery. Some refused to even sit next to me, creating tiny little dramas of my own on the crowded train rides. My wallet started taking pictures too; every time I saw potential trouble brewing with other passengers.
Then there was food and drink. Trying to explain that I like soy milk for breakfast? Forget it – "Shenme hao?" ('Why is she so good?!') became a running gag, followed by bewildered silence from anyone who actually got what I meant until the very end of my stay in Guangzhou. Ordering pizza? They'd look at me blankly or assume it was some kind of performance art involving meat and bread shapes.
My attempts to explain Black hair products were met with varying degrees of confusion. "For your hair?" they’d say, holding up a bottle labelled 'Conditioner' as if expecting an answer from my lips. I learned the hard way that sometimes you can't just walk into any store needing certain specific items (like good sunscreen) – it's like trying to buy jeans in a hardware store unless you're prepared for total bewilderment and maybe pointing at pictures online.
But amidst this sea of curiosity, there was also connection. Meeting other Black people felt special; we had an unspoken bond over the 'colour' thing. Sometimes even that wasn't enough though! Once I tried to explain why my skin browned easily outside Shenzhen's climate-controlled buildings? No one got it – not until later anyway. We learned a whole new appreciation for indoor air quality.
It’s funny, isn’t it? These profound little character-building lessons often come from the most unexpected places and situations. You learn patience talking to people who don't know what you mean; you learn that sometimes your unique features can be amusing rather than offensive (especially when kids are involved); you definitely learn where things might get tricky or confusing in new environments.
This whole experience taught me more about navigating difference than I ever thought possible, proving once again that the world is a fascinating place from every perspective. So yeah, maybe being Black here wasn't *just* 'fun' – it was certainly eye-opening! The power is definitely in our hands to make something out of these little encounters and cultural collisions.
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(That's eight paragraphs there!)
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