Crossing Cultures Confidently
Bananas are yellow on the outside and white on the inside. Chinese Americans use the term “a Banana” to distinguish among themselves the spectrum of Chinese vs American cultural intelligence they belong. A Banana, like a Twinkie (see June blog), suggests a person only appears to be Asian but is truly American underneath their outward appearance. You won’t find this definition in an urban dictionary. This term is considered negative, so use this term with discretion.
Yvonne Wolf was born in Taiwan and educated in the U.S. and Europe. She has extensive experience living and working internationally (Denmark and Japan). She is fluent in English, Mandarin, and Danish, and has studied Japanese, Spanish, and Greek. Between work and personal travel, she has visited more than 20 countries and well-traveled within the U.S. and Canada. She has worked with organizations and business executives focusing on communication strategies working with Chinese and East Asian partners. Among her many skills is mediating across cultural misunderstandings.