澳大利亞 is the official Chinese term for Australia. However, the colloquial term that the locals use to refer to Australia is 澳洲.
StevezeAuthor wrote:
[quote]Big deal. All I have to remember is these kids probably don’t know any better. And they are only kids, anyway.
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Ahh…but you see, it’s when the adults do it that really gets me!! 
[quote=“Tetsuo”]You know, I’ve never had anyone yet point and call me a meiguoren (mind you, it’s only been 5 months). I’ve had a few kids ask me “ni shi meiguoren ma?”, to which I reply telling them I’m not, I’m a New Zealander. Occasionally they’ve been like “niu xilan?” and I’ve had to explain that it’s near Australia, then they get it 
[/quote]
I have. I hear it all the time from children, and not the question either. They say straight out 美國人. It doesn’t really bother me so much, especially since I am American. I usually playfully retort…你怎麼知道我是美國人? This usually shocks them into silence. Others simply giggle. I suppose it doesn’t bother me because I really like children. I am a high school teacher, so I suppose it shouldn’t come as a big surprise.
Understandable. If adults did that to me I’d flip out. 
I think it comes to down to stamina. If you flipped out every time someone called you a meiguoren you’d be a nervous wreck within a few weeks.
Instead of getting all irritated and confrontational, try a charm offensive instead. It’s just as effective and you don’t have to live in a permanently stressed out state.
…and besides, what is so upsetting about people calling out meiguoren? What a bunch of cry babies! There’s no maliciousness or hatred involved - just a provincial ‘oh, look, there’s a foreigner.’ Try a little magnanimity once in a while.
So they incorrectly use ‘meiguoren’ as a synonym of ‘foreigner’? Big deal. It’s not as if they are spitting on you, and cursing you, is it?
If you’re planning to stay here for any length of time, I strongly suggest, as meiguorens are fond of saying, that you GET OVER IT.
I think the dislike of the meiguoren thing isn’t from any perceived insult on the whole, more from a combination of the rudeness of people pointing on the street and going “ooh a foreigner!” and something similar to the “English teacher” thing: “You are white, therefore you must be (x)”. Personally, it gets a little frustrating, but meh.
People who do this sort of thing are idiots. Who cares what idiots think? Not me.
Ignore 'em.
When some little shit-ass child calls me a weiguoren or meiguoren I sternly tell the mother or father that it is impolite. Never been chased with a baseball bat, yet.
I only do this because I am Wolf, not because it offends me. Just trying to do my little bit for Taiwan (like barking at people who drop litter brazenly).
Ironlady:
I hope you also pointed out what a dumbass name he has.
Welcome to the 47th new thread on how I hate to be called meiguoren.
If I’m already in a bad mood I tell the child, in the kindest voice, that they are embarrassing their parents in front of the world by announcing that they’re either illiterate peasants visiting the big city for the first time, or they are too poor to attend a bushiban. 
Of course the kids don’t get it, but the parents sure do.
I’m annoyed, especially since I don’t look like an American at all, more like a Mediterranean European type.
If I’m in a good mood, or if it’s just a funny kid who means no harm, I will tell them, “Wo shi Ouzhouren.”
It’s interesting though when - say on the MRT - there are some ABCs or Overseas Chinese sitting a couple of seats further speaking English. If somebody then calls me a Meiguoren, then I just say, in Chinese, “I’m not the American here.”
Annoyed, yes, but not really angry. I guess that in Europe, most Taiwanese would be considered Japanese tourists, though as some posters say, not a lot of people would point at them and say this out loud.
And how many Americans do you are of Italian and Greek descent who look like the “Mediterranean European” type. Gee, and Europeans complain that Americans are ignorant about Europe. :loco:
I agree.
More than half the people in Taipei are quite literally peasants. Where I am sitting writing this in my home was farmland 40 years ago. I am about two miles from the dead centre of Taipei City.
So what do you expect ? Sure they’ve all made a few bob in our lifetimes, but their parents hadn’t got two pence to rub together when our grandfathers were driving around in the latest cars and oppressing the locals in various overseas possessions. No matter how worldly and educated, and “well-travelled” the Taiwanese pretend to be they are still peasants at heart. You can take the man out of the bog, etc… If you need any verification of this, observe how they stare with genuine incomprehension at black people here, or foreigners who can speak Chinese well.
So we’re expecting them to know that not all white people are American ? They’ve just got over the holding-the-hands-to-the-head-screaming-and-running-away stage. Give them another 50 years or so.
I’m American, and I’ve noticed in the past year or two that people in Taipei will often carefully ask if I’m Canadian. Annoyed? No. Amused? Yes.
They can call me whatever they like as long as they don’t call me too early in the morning.
I’m American and people rarely call me anything but ‘waiguoren’. It seems to me that people are a little too sensitive. I haven’t heard ‘meiguoren’ in years. However, a person once said that I looked like a Canadian. I was as confused as I would’ve been if they’d said that I didnt’ look like an ‘American’. And I’ve heard that, too.
The idea that anyone could be offended by being wrongly identified as an American seems petty. We’re in Taiwan–not the Middle East!
[quote=“Spack”]So they incorrectly use ‘meiguoren’ as a synonym of ‘foreigner’? Big deal. It’s not as if they are spitting on you, and cursing you, is it?
If you’re planning to stay here for any length of time, I strongly suggest, as meiguorens are fond of saying, that you GET OVER IT.[/quote]
Ahh, but you see, they have got two things wrong about me.
1). I am not a Meigouren.
2). I am a mouse.
And while I think about it, I am a WHITE CARTOON MOUSE of the highest calibre.
With a patch over one eye. I have the international prowess of being a superhero to boot.
Now you know why I am so angry. Grrr
For the benighted non-UK folk who are wondering what the heck Dangermouse is going on about, here is a pic of the wascally wodent in question.
How does one “look” Canadian?
You must be of a more gentle nature than I thought you were. When I was in the states, I was co-teaching a class of Korean students with a Puerto Rican teacher. He was the nicest guy but he was very large and the students completely pissed me off when I heard some of them make jokes about his weight. After that, I really had a difficult time being around them.
Ignorance is rampant in the world but it is sad when people, young or old, feel no need to refrain from making awful comments about the way other people look.
My mother once told me a story, may not be true, about a very tall guy who was constantly being teased due to his height. One day some kids were laughing at him and asking “How’s the weather up there?” The guy then spit on them and replied “It’s raining.” 