So today i was talking to this girl on campus about all the Korean foreign exchange students. We have a lot of them, but everyone pretty much just ignores them. Basically they only associate with other Koreans and we all pretend like they don't exist. Normally we just treat them the way i imagine rich people treat the gardener, like an inanimate object that is invisible.
So i was thinking that sucks and i decided i would try to befriend a Korean this semester. In reality, my intention was probably just part of my Pacific Northwest pseudo-diverse background coming back to haunt me. People like to preach about diversity and all that shit, but most of us only want to meet diverse people who think, act, and dress like we do.
Given the opportunity, I'm sure I would have quickly forgotten about making friends with Koreans allowing them to soon blend back in with the furniture and decorations, but that didn't happen.
As i was leaving my last class today a Korean kid just randomly walked up to me, stuck out his hand and said "Hello, I am TK from Korea and this is Jun". I figured this must be a sign and I stuck out my hand and said "Hello, I am Josh from Seattle" as I shook both of their hands. Come to find out that they are in two of my classes and in the class I SI for, but I hadn't noticed them.
I stood there and talked to them for a while, asking them such questions as "of all places in America, why the hell did you come to South Dakota" and "how big is your school in Korea". I found out that they came to South Dakota for pretty much the same reasons that i came to South Dakota. It's ultra cheap and they heard it was a very easy school. They also told me that their school Korea had about as many students as the city where our school is located has people.
Anyways, as i was talking to them, the girl with whom i had the original conversation about Koreans with, came walking by. She looked right at me, but didn't even recognize me. I guess it would be more accurate to say that she looked right through me, until i said her name several times.
So now i have not one, but TWO Korean friends! How's that for diversity?
I probably should have just wished to be rich or something. I'm pretty sure that is what a true American would have wished for.
