What should we do when we are confronted with other cultures?
When it comes to foreign cultures, my curiosity leads me to quite of an adventure to seek unless it’s perilous, although it’s really rare. I’m pretty tolerant of what approaches me. Maybe it’s because my beliefs are fragile and not that sturdy on a solid foundation. But I don’t blame my liberalism on anything, but rather take it as a result of my over-protected and limited experience, which inspires me to crave for something more than norm. Also, growing up in a multicultural environment maybe is one of the factors that made me reluctant to accept the fact that I’m stuck in one category and to feel that I’m obliged not to allow “the extraneousness” to permeate in me just because it’s unfamiliar.
However, the country that I’m living in presently and the culture that I claim to be in are still hesitant to accept the foreign, although it has its foot into the international realm for several decades. There are about 1,100,000 foreigners living in this country, but Koreans, who have not yet encountered or lived in a same lifestyle as ours (third cultured or international), are still astonished to see people with blue eyes and clear bone structures walking down the street. However, it is quite comprehensible if we look into its history where it has been so isolated to other countries, including close neighbors, due to the continuous foreign invasions. Korea hadn’t been independent for a long period until 1945 when Japan surrendered after the Second World War. Not only that, western countries weren’t even aware of the existence of Korea other than China or Japan. Maybe even till now. Foreigners were viewed cautiously and considered outsiders because Koreans didn’t have many opportunities to see a tall, robust physique, white soldiers interacting with them.
Although different countries’ participation during the Korean War alleviated the tension, the people were still unable to approach to the “international” because they were afraid if the statement “history repeats itself” were to come back at them. Koreans consider themselves as ONE. “We are ONE nation sharing the blood of the Chosun Dynasty”. That’s why it’s very common to see overseas Korean students bonding with another, but with few foreigners. I remember my German friend telling me, “Yah… what is up with you guys? It really bothers me when they are really awkward with other students and only get along among themselves.”
In a perspective of a person who has lived in the states for seven years and nine years in Korea, it is quite perplexing to see the reactions of people around me whenever they see foreigners: criticizing the third culture for not being patriotic, attempting to constantly remind themselves that they are better than the west to relieve the pressure of the competition, and brain washing the upcoming generation that they should acquire more academic reputation so they wouldn’t be underestimated. I personally don’t believe that this is the best demonstration of defense mechanism to intentionally exhibit their values.
Why can’t we just be a one big happy family? What am I talking about….
1 comments:
Stina--
I really liked your blog because it made me think about what you said in context to my own life. A lot of times I think about how sad it is that my cousin and I are technically "international," but a lot more American, and that when we get older, we probably won't live in Korea, keep Korean traditions, cook Korean food, or really observe Korean culture. That means that our entire family's Korean-ness will eventually die out. I guess it's because, like you said, Korea tends to be difficult when it comes to trying to adapt itself to other cultures. It seems a lot of Korean students, especially when they go to college in America, are inevitably "sucked up" into a solely Korean group, even if this wasn't the case for them in high school. I think that sometimes this idea of being so trapped in a homogeneous culture repels some people so that they do the exact opposite and purposely avoid making "too many" Korean friends. People whose cultures are shared between their Korean heritage and other nations' tend to be put off by this over-zealous "foreigners out" policy, and so a generation of Koreans born overseas are "lost" to Korea.
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