Monica Tang : Norway's Top 100 Blogger !

There are many negatives and positives of the internet. It depends how you use it. One of the wonderful things about the internet I enjoy is the Translation software and websites such as Google Translate, or such Apps like iPhones "Tweetie 2". I came across Monica Tang accidentally, but she quickly caught my attention. All her twitter messages were in Noregian, as well as her Blog Site. I thought to myself, What? there are Chinese people in Norway? LoL. With the translations tools, I was able to follow her and learn a little bit about a mix-culture that I was unfamiliar with. The very charming and beautiful Monica Tang, was kind enough to give urbanasia their very FIRST interview. We knew it had to be her, not only because of our agreement, but coinsidently she was our 100th follower on Twitter, and our 1st follower on BlogSpot! We'll label this interview under "Destiny" LoL

Thank you so much for your time Monica, Let me start of by asking what your background is ?

I am a 20 years old girl living in Europe, Norway. My mother is a chinese but raised up in Vietnam. My dad is a Vietnamese. Because of the Vietnam war, they had to refugee from their homeland and they ended up here in Norway, where I am born. :) I am studying at university college, and I am half done with my Bachelor's degree. I have a huge passion for fashion and makeup, as you may notice on my blog!

Why do you blog? Is their something you want to achieve? 

At first I wanted to blog because I wanted to have a diary that my mother couldn't get (LOL SHE USED TO READ IT ALL THE TIME), but later I gained some readers and then I blogged to update my online friends. I've blogged for over five years now (first on LJ, then Blogger and now on self hosted Wordpress), and today I am blogging because I want to share my everyday life because people thinks my everyday lifestyle is cool, and I also use the blog to write down my thoughts. Its like therapy, maybe. Some people also think that I blog because of the money, but that is not true. The money I get from blogging isn't much. :P

Have you ever visited your homeland? Any thoughts about it compared to Norway? 

I have never been in China before, but I will do it someday! I've visited Vietnam once (2005), and it felt like home! All the people, the language, the culture... It was an amazing trip! Many of my family members lives there, and it was so great to finally meet them. So inspiring to see how big families lived together (it isn't common to live with uncles, aunts, grandparents and so on). Even many of the people I met was poor, they still were happy. That was maybe the main difference about Vietnam and Norway. When family members get elder here in Norway, it is common for them to move to a nursing home, but in Vietnam they took care of each other no matter what. More respect for the elders.

Do you see yourself as more Norwegian or more Chinese/Vietnamese?

I have to say that I feel more Norwegian than Asian, but since I've been raised up with a Asian culture at home - I know my heart belongs to Asia. I talk Cantonese and Vietnamese, honor means a lot for me like it does for many other Asians. Unlikely my Norwegian friends, I am thinking VERY much about my future. My parents is very obsessed with being successful including making their kids successful too, and to not disappoint them I often think about how I can make them proud of me LOL

Wow thats amazing, that means you speak FOUR languages!! 
So with your make up and fashion, where does the influence come from ? and why do you like the style that you do?

My makeup is very inspired by the Japanese style gyaru. I think this kind of makeup style very pretty on Asians! Many people think that I am trying to look more western, but that isn't true. I LOVE extreme looks, including cyber, goth... you name it. Asians like me are supposed to have dark hair, so blonde is a totally extreme way to "modify" the original look.

Do you feel Norway is ethnically diverse? Have you encountered and struggles or racism growing up ?

This is a really hard question. I was raised up in a little town called Larvik. There are not many foreigners here I could be with, so I kind of grew up as a normal Norwegian girl. I didn't really feel that people were being racist or anything. The biggest problem I had was to be Western and still be Asian. My parents didn't allow me to do many things that all my Norwegian friends could do (sleepover at friends, party and such), and I have to admit that it was hard.

I noticed you have a caucasian boyfriend? can you tell me some of the differences of Norwegian guy to Asian Norwegian guys? what do you like and don't like about them ? 

I HAD a boyfriend. :P I haven't had a Asian boyfriend before, so I cannot go anywhere with this question...

Ummmmm Akwarddddd.... Sorry about that, so Last Question; Whats with the love for panties/underwear? haha 

Well, nice underwear makes me feel a lot more prettier. I'm not showing them for anyone, but wearing nice underwear does something about how I feel. :P

Thank you so much Monica Tang!!!!

To read more about Monica, her website is Http://www.MonicaTang.com (to be used with Google Translate)