More Migrant Mentality
June 21, 2010 | Filed under Asian-ness, Food
I’ve spoken previously about one part of my personality that comes from being a first generation Asian migrant in a Western country – the inability to sit still and simply do nothing. It’s all about an unstoppable work ethic. Related to this, I’d like to cue you in on another part of my personality and mentality that comes from being a migrant – the inability to say no to freebies. Part of the unofficial job description of being an event organiser and general organisational dogsbody is that you get freebies from potential sponsors/venues – lots and lots of them. I’ve managed to restrain myself in terms of the cheap freebie pens, post it notes, magnets, keyrings, etc. They’re no longer a temptation, as they just increase clutter and useless possessions.
However, when it comes to free meals, I don’t know when to stop. Functions I attend/organise generally have buffet-style meals set up for morning and afternoon tea and lunch. Help yourself. Eat as much as you want. Go back for third and fourth helpings. Let us bribe you with food to encourage you to give us your business.
On a normal day, I don’t even eat morning or afternoon tea. But if it’s there, and it’s free, why yes, I will have two slices of cake for morning tea and three scones for afternoon tea. On a normal day, I’ll generally have fruit and crackers or a muesli bar for lunch. But if it’s there and it’s free, why yes, I will have two serves of three different types of salads, hot dishes, and gourmet wraps. If I’m staying overnight on a business trip and there’s a free hot breakfast, I’ll have bacon, sausages, eggs, tomatoes and hash browns instead of my usual cereal or toast.
The reasoning behind this inability to say no to free meals is simple – when you’re a first generation migrant, you grow up with family stories of how they never had enough to eat, how food was always scarce and how it was always a struggle to get by day by day. So even while I might have spent the majority of my life growing up in the relative prosperity of Australia, there’s always that theme of food scarcity in the back of my mind. You eat what you can now, because you never know where your next meal is coming from.
On this note, I’m heading to Auckland for the next four days for a conference. A conference with free meals. Expect me to gain five kilos and have immense eater’s remorse by the time I return to Melbourne.
9 Responses to More Migrant Mentality
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Oh come on, nooobody says no to free meals! Don’t forget we are going to gorge ourselves on wednes night ;)
Amanda on June 21, 2010 #
Agreed with the other Amanda — who says no to decent free food?! There’s the “poor college student” mentality. There’s the “I’m constantly hungry” mentality. And there’s the “eff it all, I just really like to eat” mentality.
Meg on June 22, 2010 #
Agreeing with Amanda and Meg – I’ve never known anyone to turn down free food, regardless of class or background.
Manda on June 22, 2010 #
I definitely have felt like that before. I always thought, “I’m not going to get this food again for free, so I might as well gorge myself now.” But, I’m trying to restrain it. I’m now trying to change my thinking to, “I will get food like this for free in the future, and even better food. Heck, it doesn’t matter if it’s free or not in the future. I should have enough money to pay for whatever food I want.”
So, that limits my temptations to gorge myself.
Yingna on June 22, 2010 #
Thankfully, free food is not a regular temptation at work! I will seriously devour my entire department’s share. At our regular drinks the other month, instead of chips and dip we has sushi. For some reason, NOBODY was eating it, and as I was working late I slowly picked away at the platter..and I demolished it.
Then again, at home, I totally have problems with portion control.
People have trouble limiting themselves at functions with free booze? Mine is resisting the canapes. And it’s hard to talk with youur mouth full.
eemusings on June 22, 2010 #
I’m the opposite, I eat very little (if any) food when its free. I guess its my mentallity that I’m a bigger girl and if I stuff myself I’ll be judged, though if I’m paying for it I try and eat every bite.
Amy on June 23, 2010 #
I’m no generation of migrant, yet I still love free food. Well OK, so I love a certain category of food, so if it’s free I’m not going to say no.
My dad’s no generation of migrant, either, but he just LOVES taking home any freebie. And most of the time they’re really silly things which you can’t really use for much. Or they’re just too corny (eg heart shaped key chain). That, however, has not yet stopped him from triumphantly coming home from a conference and holding out a bunch of freebies. :D
Vera on June 23, 2010 #
I can say no to the freebies, but not to the food. I’ll even eat a shitty continental breakfast at a hotel and not go out for breakfast because it was free.
I call this poor college student mentality :P
Stephanie on June 28, 2010 #
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