11-10
“Sorry, but you’re not Chinese.”
As the only Korean in local Chinese school, I always had restricted chances to participate in different events.
On the one day, the teacher told me that I’m not eligible to go to the Marching Band competition because the school has never sent any foreigner to the competition. On the other day, the teacher told me that I cannot take part in the class election since it represented being a part of Chinese communist party.
Used to be the only Korean in the place, I quickly realized that I could either conform to the limited opportunity or conform to the culture that surrounds me. So that was when I began to speak only Chinese at home. I stopped bringing Korean food to school and even hid it if my mom prepared lunch for me. Indeed, I was rejecting …show more content…
My passion for equality and the society without prejudice grew and I wanted to empower others as well. I was determined to use my skills and viewpoint to unite different communities and help foster understanding and appreciation for differences. Therefore, I reached out to help friends who were in minority. I told them to step out of comfort zone while learning to be themselves. Although things took time, everyone I helped changed along with time. I was happy to see their chance, but the more exciting thing was the letters I received from them. One of the friends that I helped wrote me that she thanks me for changing her perspectives and that she is proud of who she is and she will try her best in her life to change people’s view toward South Africans.
College will also be an adventure for me. I will become the minority and struggle to fit in. However, I value difference so much that I want to face the challenges that are waiting for me. Therefore, I will do my best to be myself and learn more about the ways to deal with differences in the society to pave the way for my