[dean-dzai]

FOB: Fresh off the boat is a term that is commonly used when immigrants from a foreign nation have not yet assimilated the host nation's culture, language, and behavior. For example, Richard Lim Note that assimilation to the host nation's culture is not a certainty; there are historical examples of a foreign nation assimilating a host nation (ex. Sinicization or Romanization). The five pillars that are commonly associated with being a "FOB" are fashion, social preferences (i.e. cultural activities, cuisine, and religious practices), behavior toward others, knowledge of multiple dialects, and accents.

In the sociology of ethnicity, this term can be seen as an indicator of a nature of diasporic communities, or communities that have left their country of origin and have migrated, usually permanently, to another country. A split can occur in such communities between those who have assimilated or acclimated in their host countries and those who still cling to their native culture. The usage of "FOBs" is often used by the former group to differentiate themselves from the latter. Often this difference is a result of a generation gap, where the sons and daughters of immigrants born and immersed in the culture of their host country develop an identity distinct from their parents or recent immigrants.

The term also has been adapted by immigrants themselves or others in their community who instead see the differentiation as a source of pride, where they have retained their culture and have not lost it to assimilation. In some instances, people who have assimilated or acclimated into their host country still identify themselves as a "FOB" to show they have not assimilated completely.

No harm intended, just thought we could explore the idea. This is strait from wikipedia, what do you think?

[jgl]

I think that FOB is an Americanism, at least as far as it's applied to Chinese people. I've only come across this term used either in the US, or used by Americans. My take on it is that other English-speaking nations don't indulge in so much cultural angst to bother with the term

[Skyhook]

JGL is right, only Americans and possibly Canadians use the term WOP, which i think originated in New York aimed at the Irish and Italian immigrants during the height of their immigration drive.
FOB was mainly aimed at Vietnamese and Korean immigrants who fled both US involved war torn locations from the 60's and the 70's. In Australia, during the 70's and the early 80's boat person or Boat people were what these immigrants were called. because they arrived on boats.

How its being applied to Hong Kong, is a little bit of a mystery, as majority of expats living in Hong kong are short term work contract staff, who do their duty abroad and return back home, with no intention of ever living in Hong kong permanently.

Even a fair percentage of long termers ,7 plus years etc, wouldnt see HK as a final destination, with view of finding much greener and visually appealing pastures, to spend their retirement in later on.

I include a large percentage of well off Hong Kong people in that scenario too, because most who have made it here, do migrate to Canada or Australia or where ever is a nice place to retire, and spend their remaining golden years, in complete comfort.

Granted there there is a small percentage of non Chinese foreigners who have chosen to live in Hong kong as their permanent residence, who have also contributed to Hong Kongs way of life, blended in, in their own way, but not at the expense of forgetting their cultural roots.

Keeping ones cultural identity intact, is something I greatly admire about people, nothing is more sorry than a person who has lost their identity, and who is bitter about their home land, a person of great character will replace the i with an e, and makes things better.

[sylvesterjay]

WOP originated at Ellis Island immigration, meaning WithOut Papers. Or so the urban legend says.

In Canada we call em Gino's!

[Skyhook]

Was Nick from the Beechcombers TV Series a Gino ?



I loved the Beechcombers, which was aired on ABC TV in the afternoons, as a kid growing up in the 70's, and as a teenager in the early 80's.

YouTube - CBC The Beachcombers promo Sept 29 1985

[Claire ex-ax]

I use the term FOB for those newly arrived expats who immediately head to the Mid-Levels for flat hunting (they been told it's 'the place' expats live). I have expanded it to other terms such as FOB estate agents (those who have chosen to work with FOBs with their Mid-Levels flat hunts).

These HK FOBs can be identified by their announcements about what they have found in HK which they assume no one else has ever seen before, e.g. Look at these funny things, they're called mooncakes.

[Skyhook]

If my memory serves me correctly, Vietnamese boat people of 1976, my primary school ( Footscray west ) was the first school in Australia to have Vietnamese students. As the Maribyrnong immigration detention centre was close by, and once the refugee's were processed and given permission to reside in Australia, they were released into mainstream society. Most of them lived in Maidstone, Sunshine and Maribyrnong and pretty much converted a previously Yugoslav and Italian Footscray into their own vibrant enclave.

All Vietnamese refugee families that were processed at the Maribyrnong refugee centre were also given a once off $10,000 eqv payment to help start a new life and were also given a housing commission home to live, probably not indifferent to the UK and what some Pakistani immigrants were given in the past.

It was a great display of helping people who really had nothing more than the shirts on their back. And i witnessed it as it happened growing up amongst it all.

[sylvesterjay]

My bestfriend back in Canada in highschool, was a Canadian born Pakistani and he stated he wanted a girl FOB to marry one day...presumably because she would be more controllable.

I'm reminded of Eddie Murphy and his bush girl...I want half Eddie, HALF!

[Skyhook]

Originally Posted by Claire ex-ax

I use the term FOB for those newly arrived expats who immediately head to the Mid-Levels for flat hunting (they been told it's 'the place' expats live). I have expanded it to other terms such as FOB estate agents (those who have chosen to work with FOBs with their Mid-Levels flat hunts).

These HK FOBs can be identified by their announcements about what they have found in HK which they assume no one else has ever seen before, e.g. Look at these funny things, they're called mooncakes.

I can relate to that Claire, I so agree with you Although we call them FOPS, Fresh Off the Plane. ha ha

[jgl]

Originally Posted by Skyhook

JGL is right, only Americans and possibly Canadians use the term WOP, which i think originated in New York aimed at the Irish and Italian immigrants during the height of their immigration drive.

Any idea how the Aussie term "wog" started? I assume that it started up around Melbourne.