Do I Always Have to Act as "the Asian Representative" in Multicultural Social Events in London?
One of the best things about heading to parties here at the LSE is that there is simply no guarantee what sort of exciting people one would meet. Especially in house parties organized by a few housemates from different countries and backgrounds, when they all bring their friends to the party, the house simply turns into a little United Nations. One hears of stories, whether it be work, travel, living in foreign lands and situations, that one previously perhaps only exist in imaginations, or maybe in ways that one have never even really thought about...
For my part, I do my best to contribute to the unique blend of international story-telling at these parties, but often faces a dilemma. As an Asian, I am often tempted to tell the many unique, interesting, and sometimes truly thought-provoking stories I experienced from being Asian and living in Asia, but I often find myself fighting a lonely battle on that front...that is, I am going out that task with absolutely no back-up whatsoever...well, makes sense, considering that I am usually the only person of Asian descent in these 20-30-people parties.
So, most often, without someone with deep common incentive to spread the "Asian influence," I simply stick with my "second identity," joining forces with the American crowd to promote the lifestyles and values of Americana. Sure, there are enough good conversations stemming from that, but at the end, it still bugs me, and everyone else, that as the only Asian person in the room, I should and must somehow actually play my part in the international melting pot of the party by introducing any kind of nominal Asian characteristics to the conversations.
My continued lack of success in that front is really begging the question in my mind: "where are all the Asians?!" Among the proudly global mix of grad school students at the LSE, people of Asian descent numerically is significant and by some measures in certain programs, even close to an absolute majority. Yet, I am continually disheartened by their lack of presence in the countless small and large social events that I found myself a part of. No doubt, such a contrast is giving many non-Asians here an impression that Asians are just not interested in mingling with others, or maybe even that they are not interested in having fun in parties.
But I do know that Asians, just like Caucasians or blacks or Hispanics, have its own portion of people who love to mingle, meet new people, and share different experiences. And I know because I see pictures of Asian friends drinking and partying here, in the same way as non-Asians, and I see advertisements for massive parties from Asian organizations. The stereotypes are not true: even among the on-average slightly more diligent students of the LSE, the Asian students are not studying all days, but partying and socializing aplenty.
The problem is just that they are approaching social events with a distinctive, shameless isolationist way. Parties organized by Asians are heavily skewed in favor of Asians, to the point that even if English is used, the topics of conversations tend to be so much in detail about Asia that only the most Asia-loving-and-knowing non-Asians could possibly find the situation comfortable. It is as if the Asians would not be comfortable with any situation that is not strictly and completely about themselves, their cultures, and their places of origin.
Living and working in a global society is a matter of balance. One needs to be willing to give knowledge to others just as equally as one is willing to take knowledge from others. Unfortunately for many Asians out here, their unwillingness to expose themselves to the influences of others from completely different cultural and ethnic backgrounds means that they also gave up the opportunities to give others more knowledge about Asia. The Asians, at the end, only passively hope for non-Asians to learn about Asia on their own, without creating the environment for proactively assisting non-Asians to understand the need to learn more about Asia and interact with Asians.
And because non-Asians cannot learn about Asia from Asians, they do not express interest toward anything about Asia. Asians, as a result, become increasingly isolated in multicultural situations, with little to talk about with others unless they discard any attempts to refer to Asia. Asians' natural tendency to be shy and of course, their imperfect command of English only makes them even more timid and unwilling to reach across ethnic lines to interact with people of other cultures.
The Asians of LSE, by their collective action, is expression opposition to cultural globalization within a already global environment. But they can still change. If another Asian initiate a conversation with non-Asians at a party about Asia, I will gladly back him/her up. It is a small action, but accumulations of such is necessary to create the cultural confidence and courage necessary for Asians to proudly be themselves in social atmospheres and international settings in general. It is the necessary path for Asia to escape tendency toward cultural isolationism and truly become part of a globalized world.
For my part, I do my best to contribute to the unique blend of international story-telling at these parties, but often faces a dilemma. As an Asian, I am often tempted to tell the many unique, interesting, and sometimes truly thought-provoking stories I experienced from being Asian and living in Asia, but I often find myself fighting a lonely battle on that front...that is, I am going out that task with absolutely no back-up whatsoever...well, makes sense, considering that I am usually the only person of Asian descent in these 20-30-people parties.
So, most often, without someone with deep common incentive to spread the "Asian influence," I simply stick with my "second identity," joining forces with the American crowd to promote the lifestyles and values of Americana. Sure, there are enough good conversations stemming from that, but at the end, it still bugs me, and everyone else, that as the only Asian person in the room, I should and must somehow actually play my part in the international melting pot of the party by introducing any kind of nominal Asian characteristics to the conversations.
My continued lack of success in that front is really begging the question in my mind: "where are all the Asians?!" Among the proudly global mix of grad school students at the LSE, people of Asian descent numerically is significant and by some measures in certain programs, even close to an absolute majority. Yet, I am continually disheartened by their lack of presence in the countless small and large social events that I found myself a part of. No doubt, such a contrast is giving many non-Asians here an impression that Asians are just not interested in mingling with others, or maybe even that they are not interested in having fun in parties.
But I do know that Asians, just like Caucasians or blacks or Hispanics, have its own portion of people who love to mingle, meet new people, and share different experiences. And I know because I see pictures of Asian friends drinking and partying here, in the same way as non-Asians, and I see advertisements for massive parties from Asian organizations. The stereotypes are not true: even among the on-average slightly more diligent students of the LSE, the Asian students are not studying all days, but partying and socializing aplenty.
The problem is just that they are approaching social events with a distinctive, shameless isolationist way. Parties organized by Asians are heavily skewed in favor of Asians, to the point that even if English is used, the topics of conversations tend to be so much in detail about Asia that only the most Asia-loving-and-knowing non-Asians could possibly find the situation comfortable. It is as if the Asians would not be comfortable with any situation that is not strictly and completely about themselves, their cultures, and their places of origin.
Living and working in a global society is a matter of balance. One needs to be willing to give knowledge to others just as equally as one is willing to take knowledge from others. Unfortunately for many Asians out here, their unwillingness to expose themselves to the influences of others from completely different cultural and ethnic backgrounds means that they also gave up the opportunities to give others more knowledge about Asia. The Asians, at the end, only passively hope for non-Asians to learn about Asia on their own, without creating the environment for proactively assisting non-Asians to understand the need to learn more about Asia and interact with Asians.
And because non-Asians cannot learn about Asia from Asians, they do not express interest toward anything about Asia. Asians, as a result, become increasingly isolated in multicultural situations, with little to talk about with others unless they discard any attempts to refer to Asia. Asians' natural tendency to be shy and of course, their imperfect command of English only makes them even more timid and unwilling to reach across ethnic lines to interact with people of other cultures.
The Asians of LSE, by their collective action, is expression opposition to cultural globalization within a already global environment. But they can still change. If another Asian initiate a conversation with non-Asians at a party about Asia, I will gladly back him/her up. It is a small action, but accumulations of such is necessary to create the cultural confidence and courage necessary for Asians to proudly be themselves in social atmospheres and international settings in general. It is the necessary path for Asia to escape tendency toward cultural isolationism and truly become part of a globalized world.
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