忘根、忘本

Globalisation. The paradigm of our era. People leave their countries of birth, settling where their jobs, their passions bring them. Or on a sad note, leaving in seek of asylum. However, there is something that I cannot understand. When you leave, do you have to leave all that define you behind?

I know of a nurse from China. For reasons I do not understand, she would never speak to me in Chinese. She'll always speak to me in her Chinese accented English even if I were to speak to her in Chinese, and this really bugs me. I never have this problem with other China nurses in the wards. Most would speak to me in Chinese or more commonly they'll learn to speak Singlish. Is the English-speaking nurse so ashamed of being a Chinese from China, that she has to speak in English all the time? I mean, wouldn't you get a warm feeling when people speak to you in a language you can understand in a foreign country?

Then, there was this Philipino who married to a Singaporean guy. When my tech, also a Philipino, spoke to her in Tagalog, she feigned ignorance and claimed that she does not understand Tagalog. She affirmed she was from Philippines, but is now a Singaporean and not a Philipino. I have nothing against people wanting to be Singaporeans, and adapting to our culture. However, to the extend of denying your roots is something I cannot understand. No matter how you hide, your language betrays you. Accents can be trained, but not many can actually master the accent and pronunciation perfectly unless it is their job to do so. Most people will still slip back to their original accents occasionally.

忘根、忘本，难道就一定要这样才能在它处落脚吗？