Thursday, December 13, 2007

People who dont integrate

I hate people who move to another country and then never even try to integrate into the culture. They act like they are allergic to it. They don't like or want to try the food. They don't like or want to listen to the music or movies. They don't like or want to hang out with the natives. They don't like or want to participate in the events that are held. If you don't like or want to do any of these things then why are you here! Why did you decide to move here?!

I remember when I was in college we had a big population of student from Japan and it became a joke that no one wanted to have "Asians" in their groups for projects because they were more quite and the stereotype was that they couldn't speak well. I, on the other hand, loved having them in my group because they worked the hardest. I remember in one group an American girl said to a Japanese girl "Do you speak English? ENGLISH?" and the girl looked so annoyed and I remember smirking to myself... duh! She got into an American University! That Japanese girl I remember didn't speak very good English and I remember wondering how on earth she got into an American School. But now that I have been in Japan and teach people English.. I think back to how good her English really was. It was just that the rest of us were too judgemental and refused to slow it down and give her time. Some people are just not as talkative and outgoing. Its funny how my view on one person, whose name I cant remember nor what class we had together, has changed over the course of 3 years. I wish I was still in contact with her so I could talk to her now. And I give her credit for trying to integrate into our culture. Unlike some Americans I know here in Japan.

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