Thursday, July 24, 2008

What's up, Whitey?

On my way to COEX on Tuesday, I crossed paths with another white person.  We were in a crowded subway station, and I saw him before he saw me.  He looked up just before he passed me, and his double-take and astonished expression almost made me laugh out loud.

It's been quite interesting to be a minority for the first time in my life.  I mean, I lived in Germany and all, but I spoke the language and looked more or less like everyone else, so I didn't really draw any attention.  Here, though, I always feel highly--what's the word--noticed?  It's not that people stare; I'm just less anonymous.  It hasn't really made me uncomfortable or anything.  It's just.....interesting.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

welcome to my life in the states. and especially at Wake.

Lori said...

Really? Hmm. I guess it seemed different to me, since the US is more diverse; in fact, I've read that the largest minority group in Korea is about 300,000 Chinese people--which, in a country of 47 million, is a pretty dang small "largest minority group." But you've started me thinking: do I really stick out as much as I feel like I do? Or is it just that I'm in the minority position (at least in such a noticeable way) for the first time in my life? Interesting....

Kate Croft said...

In my (predominantly African-American) neighborhood, this happens all the time, and there's the added pressure of reallyreallyreally not wanting to express (or experience) any kind of special identification with that person. The result is a zombie trance enacted by all white people as they pass each other. Awkward.