Chinese in Turkey

There are not many Chinese living in Turkey, however I managed to meet some at school.  I guess it is the connection in ethnicity, you know, how we like to be with those who are similar to us.  Well, it all started couple months ago when I was at walking to class, I saw an Asian girl passing out 'Moon Cakes'.  I was so excited since I love Moon Cakes and it reminds me of home.  That is another thing, being in Turkey makes realize how much I miss and need Chinese culture.  Being in California, and specifically Hacienda Heights, a very Asian community, allows me to have that and sometimes I don't even realize it.  I talked to the girl, Sarah, and she invited me over to where her club was tabling.  There I met Annie and other Chinese (from mainland China) students.

It turns out that many of the students came to Turkey purely for school.  I am guessing it was easier and cheaper than going to Europe.  After all, getting into college is not easy in China; you must get really good grades and have a stunning test score on the one time college entry exam.  Most of them were able to come because they have family members here. However, to my surprise, they don't really like it here.  They told me that they feel unaccepted and too much of a minority.

I got to know Annie over the pass 3 month.  After our history class we would usually eat lunch together.  I love eating at her house; she would always make amazing Xin Jiang food.  I may have eaten a lot of Chinese food at home, but most of it is Cantonese food, which is know for its light and pure characteristic in taste.  Xin Jiang food is so different and so delicious.  It is usually seasoned with fennel, anise, and five spice. 

THE PARTY

Annie invited me over to her friend's house party.  It was her best friend's uncle, Brother Dragon, who is now a close friend of hers.  Brother Dragon left his family and wife in China to come to Turkey to work at a Chinese restaurant.  He works early in the morning till 10pm at night.  Although his housing and utilities included, he only makes about 1,000 TL/month.  This makes me think about the Chinese who went to America in the early half of the 20th century for the same reason.  They left behind their family and friends to go to another country where they don't speak the language and not familiar with the culture in hope to make enough money in a couple of years to go back to live a decent life.  Although Brother Dragon is in a much better situation than early Chinese migrant workers, but I can't help thinking what he might be going through.

Brother Dragon and his co-worker/flat mate made us some Chinese dishes like Marinated Duck, Spiced Chicken Wings, sliced cucumber with sugar, turnip kimchi, and Spicy lamp stir fry to go with the beers.  It was delicious. 

Hanging out with them was quite different from what I have experienced.  I think it is the fact that they are Chinese from mainland China and not the usual  Chinese that  I know back home, who are mostly from Taiwan or from Hong Kong.
After food, we took turn singing.  I was expecting karaoke with music and lyrics, but nope, we just went down the row and we each had to sing a song. We sung everything from modern Chinese-pop, English songs, lullabies, Chinese folk songs (Mountain songs), to Chinese national songs.  I was so embarrassed, because not only don't sing well, ok I sing horrible, but I can't remember any lyrics, English or Chinese.  So I would sing two verse or I would sing "Twinkle, Twinkle" or "It's a Small World".  But despite this, I had a lot of fun and by the end of the night I was really into it and chiming in whenever I know the song. 

The song choices were different.  When my friends back home and I go to karaoke we would only sing songs from Hong Kong and Taiwan artists.  Thus, my Chinese music knowledge is limited to that, the only songs/music from mainland China I know are the old ones my dad listens and sings to.  Luckily they only sang a couple that I never heard, most I know or at least have heard of.  To my surprise I recognized and could somewhat follow the older songs that were way before my time, like "lu bian de hua bu yao cai" and Theresa Teng's songs.   It was so fun singing along and singing half the lyrics and humming the rest. That is another thing about me,  I might be born and raised in America, but I still keep in touch with my Chinese culture like in music.  Sometimes I frighten myself and others that I even know songs from my father's time.
But really, there was just something there and singing "Zhong Guo Xin" (Chinese Heart) that made me feel something original yet new.  I guess it was the hospitable and friendly people, the house with the Chinese calendar and a picture of some Buddhist statue, the crummy wooden table that sits on a stand, or the unglamorous and clutter kitchen.  I am not poking fun of the way of living in China, because from what I know this is reality.  This is much like the home and life that the majority of the people in China live in, not the rich and well-off folks that gets represented. I think I have viewed Chinese culture and the people through a distorted glass.  The Chinese culture and the Chinese I know are what my parents, what the Chinese American community, or media taught me.  Never did I question how authentic is it.  That culture has been altered by and adapted American influences (Americanized). Of course, Chinese living in China would also be influenced by western cultures, like we see in most of the big cities, but I think it is to a less extent and that there are still some who can and have refrained from it.  I wouldn't think most families in China would celebrate Thanksgiving or July 4th or have all the home goods we often take for granted.

What made this moment so interesting is that I felt like I was in China, not in Turkey.  It felt really like the moment was really authentic although I'm not sure if it is since I haven't really seen the real thing either.  But  I feel in touch with my root, and I like it.   I think I will start listening to some of the older traditional Chinese folk music.