ABCDs / BBCDs / CBCDs

Daily Life, Swiss News and General Topics
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Now I know this question will only apply to a very small, perhaps only slightly more than a handful of people in Switzerland, but I will ask anyways - knowing that I probably won't get a response.

But are there any ABCDs / BBCDs / CBCDs out there? (American, British, Canadian).

If you don't know what those acronyms stand for, then don't worry about it, most likely it doesn't apply to you.

Thanks a lot.

If you are one... I would love to hear from you!

2
Are they different standards for bolt circle diameters (BCDs) on a bicycle crankset? I know of 130mm BCDs, 110mm BCDs, etc. You have to mount the crankset onto a bottom bracket, which might have British threading or Italian threading, but I don't know about the American or Canadian standards.

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is it a dyslexic tribute band?

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ABCD=American Born Confused Desi (hindi word for an Indian)

BBCD=British Born Confused Desi

CBCD=Canadian Born Confused Desi

5
From here :

I'm not sure from that if it is a generally politically correct or generally derogatory term...

6
What a waste of your time. The gentleman is actually looking for people of indian origin from America/Britain/Canada

ABCD -> America Born Confused Desi

BBCD -> Britain Born Confused Desi

CBCD -> Canada Born Confused Desi

(I am just guessing the last two)

"Desi" in colloquial Hindi means an Indian.

Never saw one identifying his flock by these names.....

7
I didn't mean it as a derogatory term at all, only people that this doesn't apply to would find is derogatory... but even then, why would you.

I was just wondering if there are others like me here in Switzerland because it would be nice to talk to people that I could relate to on another level. I was born and raised in Canada, and my parents were as well. However, I do have an Indian background.

And I am not a gentleman.

8
I first heard these terms used in not a very nice way in some cross over movie. Hence the surprise. Good to learn otherwise from your post.

9
I'm Indian- Indian born, Australian raised. No doubt I'm going to get boo'd and hissed for this, but why is it that people (and in my experience, Indians in particular) look for the same nationality first, when making friends, or looking for friends? It seems so weirdly insular to me.

I saw this post earlier- and I don't find it derogatory so much as just strange. I want friends from all kinds of nationalities and experiences. They can teach me to swear in their language! They can cook me their national food! I can do the same for them!

What is the appeal in 'sticking to our own', I wonder.

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I wasn't suggesting it was derogatory, just that the article I quoted from mentioned it was sometimes seen that way and sometimes not. It seems from all of you in the know that it is not! Good to know

By the way, what is the "C" part about - ie why are you "Confused"?

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I think its supposed to be confused about the ethnicity- are you the nationality of the place you were born or the culture you were brought up in?

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Ah I see, makes sense. I guess that is going to apply to more and more people as they settle abroad and have children. My other half is Italian by nationality, but born and brought up in Luxembourg, and although she identifies herself as Italian I think she really feels a "foreigner" in both places.

13
Its probably because in a country of 1.1 Billion & growing (Not counting Indian Origin non-citizens), Indians are such a varied crowd with multiple languages, cultures, cuisines & nature that the probablity of meeting a fellow Indian 'of the same kind' outside India is highly remote. India is a 1 country of multiple & distinct regions related or bound both by history & geography.

I ask you this.. how many Indian languages can you swear in? And how many regional cuisines from India are you aware of or have tasted? (FYI, Chicken Tikka Masala is not Indian but British national dish ). To understand the 'appeal' of commonality you need to first understand the 'community' & its ethos. I believe the lady who started this thread endeavours to do just that. Only this way can the 'C' go out of ABCD/BBCD etc.. This is not Indian but human nature. And whats wrong in that? Exploration begins at home. I mean take English Forum for e.g. we have all joined it so that we can have a relateable language platform to share our views. Would we be better off joining MandarinForum instead?

14
So very true. All will be excited to make new friends and come to an expat party but just check out how soon they(actually including me) form these groups with people from their own country. But ease of communication/language/accent/cultural context etc probably could offer some explanation for this behavior. But then if you dont mix with other people from other countries for example Swiss then you don't get to eat fondue and requellet(spelling?) party. You can't even spell it right

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I wasn't aware I needed to prove I was Indian enough to be able to hold my opinion. I speak three Indian languages- two fluently (written and spoken) and the other, well enough to get by- I'd be fluent with a year or so of living where it was spoken.

Additionally, being South Indian, Hindu, Brahmin, Iyer- I can't really comment on the authenticity of Chicken Tikka Masala. I've never tasted the real thing or the British counterpart, since I'm vegetarian, in accordance with the ethos of my Indian heritage. But I can make one hell of an aviyal or dosa, or vethakozhambu, or sambar or rasam. I've lived in Calcutta, New Delhi, Bombay, Bangalore and Madras. I identify myself as both Australian and Indian- I'm lucky enough to be a citizen of this world.

So now I've provided enough evidence to show I have *some* idea- I can confidently say I still think its strange. Creating a community based around a language- i.e. everyone in this group will be able to communicate with each other, makes sense to me.

Doing it because of a national border does not, particularly when the people within those borders come from such different cultural and lingual backgrounds.

16
i'd like to just point out that the OP is looking for folks of similar ethnicity, not nationality.

also, i dun think indians seeking out other indians is weird, insular or strange, considering how indians (and chinese for that matter) can be found in any far-flung corner of the world, along with their own far-flung experiences and opinions. one just needs to apply one's (social) imagination in order to understand.

that said, while not entirely off-topic imo, perhaps it would be nice if the "A/B/CD's" could pm our introverted OP.

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Fair point, Hsiang.

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Hi all,

You know, when I posted this, I really did not think at all that I was going to get any replies. But the discussions that you guys are having are really worthwhile.

Its not that I am ONLY looking for people of x, y, and z countries to make friends with. As a previous poster had mentioned, I have gone to some of these international meet-and-greet nights in Zurich. But here is my honest take of these types of events. Generally, the conversations do not get much further than 'Where are you from', 'What are you doing in Switzerland', maybe some comments on the weather and other generalities about the respective countries that you are from, and thats about it.

I was just looking to relate to people on a different level. And I am not saying that this is not possible with people from different places, I love meeting people from different places, its what makes the world interesting. All I am saying is, if you come from the same place, and your of the same culture, and background, then most likely you've grown up in some similar sense, and therefore its easier to talk about certain things cause you just have a lot more in common. Like the poster Hi2All mentioned, Im just looking for some commonality is all (Im not ONLY looking for people of particular ethnicity or that come from a particular country).

Well anyways, now that thats hopefully somewhat clear, maybe it would be nice if some of us could meet up (its entirely up to you all).

Take care!

19
the 1st para has been my experience too, unfortunately. granted, it may be because i am ugly hurhur

if i look around and consider my european friends, most of them have had some interaction with asia (i did not befriend them because of that) either through travel (studies/work) or relationships. i've even had the fortune to meet some locals who are fans of asian film. as for the rest, we have similar tastes in music. i also know a bunch of asians who grew up in europe. so much less needs explaining, because there is already a common context. for me, the operative word here is common.

u might wanna check out this group from EF that meets at Mr Pickwicks in Baden, it'll be worth your time

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I thought I'd bump this thread, who knows who I might find