By Kristina Smith
I am prideful of my diversity filled life. My closest friends come from backgrounds that are vastly different from mine. They include other blacks, white people and Asians. We each are from different socio-economic classes, various religious faiths, we have conflicting political views and opposite sexual orientations. I love these people as if we were blood relatives. My circle of friends at Ehwa is similar. I always tend to seek out groups of diverse people and have found myself more comfortable in diverse settings.
Prior to leaving
With all that being said this is the first time that I have actually traveled outside of the
I have been asking myself if the diversity that I experienced in the past been superficial experiences of acceptance? Is living in a different society that I can’t leave at the end of the day and go back to my comfort zone the true test?
My complaints and annoyance range from minor infractions to big picture issues. I complain over and over how people don’t wait their turn in line, and don’t say excuse me. I complain about people who stare and point at foreigners and the people who yell random English phrases at me.
Part of my annoyance is the stories I have heard firsthand about women being forced to marry and the pressure on unwed women. I watch everyday as Ewha women almost kill themselves walking the campus in high-heels or working out in the gym for hours to achieve an “ideal look”.
I think it is important for me to have an opinion on such things but my opinion is beginning to turn into resentment which could lead to hatred and that is not safe. I see myself wishing