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A South American Perspective on Asian Men : Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina
Hello everyone,
As I cycle my way down the brazilian coastline, here in sourthern Brazil towards Uruguay, and then onto Argentina, I´d like to put in some notes (before writing up the full essay!) about what I´ve observed. As most of you know by now, I like to show evidence of what I´ve seen. So, you´ve probably witnessed your fair share of photos of my trip, of asian men and latina women couples, kids, etc. So, here are the results so far of what I´ve seen, heard, talked to, and talked about. Photos are forthcoming. And, in case your wondering, YES, a significant chunk of my documentary is about this!!!
Peru: No barriers whatsoever for asian men, regarding outmarriage. Happens 95% of the time. Many leading figures held office, notable the second longest latin american dictator, Fujimori.
Ecuador: Same as Peru
Bolivia: Same as Peru, although asian men have done more to contribute to arts and sciences than political life.
Brazil: Ditto for that. Here in Curitiba, it already elected a mayor of japanese descent, and with a brazilian ratio of 7 women to every man, there´s lots, and lots, and lots, and lots, and lots of mixed marriages of every sort. Considering that I was more interested in asian man non asian woman, there was a ton of married couples down here. I´d like to add that socially, Brazil is what the USA should have become, if it weren´t for the barrier of anglo culture. Socio economically and economically is another story altogether. Japanese influence is striking through all of Sao Paulo State, Parana State, Matto Gross do Sul. Asian descendents in general, particularly japanese and korean (Brazil has the second largest korean population outside of korea!), have and continue to contribute major contributions to economic, social, and cultural life. Interestingly, the asian female non asian male unions I´ve observed come from recent chinese immigres. Who, by the way, seem to buy up all the lanchonetes! Another interesting point is that japanese descendents are very proud of their heritage, leading to many children of mixed marriages to retain their japanese surname when it´s a result from a asian female non asian male union.
Argentina: I haven´t arrived there yet, but I have an ex girlfriend (argentinian) I have to visit. I met two asian male - argentinian female couples who´ve reported that they have no problems in Argentina. Haven´t met any asian female - argentinian male couples yet. According to the couples, asian men are looked at as good mates by argentinian women. Consequently asian outmarriage rate is in the order of 90%. I´ll confirm more once I get there. Course, there´s the factor of seeing my ex, which will probably take up more of my time.
Uruguay: I have no idea. Will find out when I get there, but it´s such a small country that I think the presence is negligble.
Paraguay: This country is very good friends with Taiwan, with significant populations of Taiwanese, chinese, and koreans. Same as the above, asian male outmarriage rate is about 95%.
I´d like to add the following as factors influencing the enormous asian male outmarriage rate in these countries. First and foremost, most asian immigres are about 95% of the time single men without families. If they aren´t, then they didn´t tell me.
The second factor is that South American culture, and again, to lump the whole continent into a single entity is disrespectful to the myriad cultures, but South American culture has embraced miscigenation from it´s very inception. The USA and Canada was settled by families who went in to claim land, territory, and start new lives. This tribalish cultural outlook, combined with anglo divisive cultural characteristics is what created the states of the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Considering that Brazil started as a portugese penal colony, Argentina, Peru, Paraguay, Colombia, Ecuador, and Chile also were started as places where single men went to work, to prison, to save, and then return to their original countries, this resulted in a vastly different culture. Because there were no women of european descent in the beginning, the men married, raped, and took, the indigenous women. Children from these unions married either into european, african, or indigenous stock. And, by the way, indigenous look just like asians, and in several countries they are still the majority. 500 years of this mixing later, you have a culture that is not only accepting of "mixed" marriages, but it is so ingrained into the culture that it is the norm.
Modern day immigration of europeans from europe, with a segregationalist outlook has done little to change this. Modern day immigration of asian men from asia, has only reinforced this.
The third factor is that the macho culture of South america only reinforces the macho cultures of the asians from asia. So, other than language, adapting to the local culture is generally easy. In fact, I´ve already run into one bolivian woman who wanted to know more about vietnamese culture, since she was so sick of her ex boyfriend´s super macho korean culture.
The fourth factor is economic. Almost every asian emigre who arrives in South America starts a business, and in a short amount of time is able to generate a reasonable amount of wealth. Due to the USA´s exit of South America, and entry into the Middle East and Central Asia, and Europe´s preoccupation with said areas and with Africa, the chinese have stepped in and invested billions of dollars in South America. In addition, unlike the USA who has supported an active interventionalist policy, which included the the bloody policies of students from the infamous School of the Americas, an american military institute implicated in supporting Pinochet, Banzer, Argentina´s dirty war, Brazil´s military dictatorship, et al, China has approached South America, much like Africa, with a "hands off" policy. South America greatly appreciates this, resulting in all of South America orienting itself to trade with China, and the tigers of the Pacific. This has resulted in many asian emigres from companies looking to setup shop in South America, many emigres looking for breathing space from Asia setting up shop, and many who just want something exotic and different setting up shop. As an example, at the port of Paranagua, Parana, Brazil, all the containers are shipped to China.
The fifth factor, and final factor, is sex appeal. From Peru, to Bolivia, to Paraguay, I never encountered the penis myth. In Brazil, on the other hand, I encountered it as a joke, but, unlike the anglo cultures, it doesn´t interfere with dating life or sex. Brazilians are famous for the teasing, joking characteristics, and there are teases for every race, color, culture, and region. On top of that, in general, many south american women find asian men sexually appealing, thanks to the influx of korean novelas, and in the past, those crazy japanese power ranger live action series. I got a nickname of Jaspion in my Capoeira group, as an example!
Of course, it still depends on the man. If the man has a good body, symmetrical face, funny, and can turn a woman on, than he´s appealing. So, interestingly, I found contradictions. In Peru, Paraguay, and Bolivia, chinese or taiwanese descendents, culturally, are very extroverted. In these countries, asian men are sexually appealing. In Brazil, the japanese descendents were much more introverted. Course, that didn´t stop them from marrying out, but more than anything, the primary factor in sex appeal is whether the person is introverted or extroverted, and of course it depends on the woman. In Argentina, the asian men are the same as the argentinian men. Extroverted.
Economic, family, social, and education, and cultural stereotypes, primarily about japanese culture helps enormously to support the appeal. I think the Last Samurai just keeps boosting it.
So, as my trip comes to a close, and I am now fluent in the principle languages of the western hemisphere, I am completely confident in this theory, which I am now considering as more of a law, that the States of the Anglo derived cultures, USA, Canada, Austrialia, and New Zealand, which altogether encompass only 400 million people (subtract 14 million latinos from that number!!), are a vast minority to Latin America´s half billion, and rapidly increasing, cultural outlook on asian men, and intermarriage of asian men and non asian women.
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