as some of you already know, i'm having really bad roommate problems. i'm hoping my next roommate, when i move out, will be asian. i never used to think this way but it's become very apparent to me that asian values are very important. i never even used to be aware of what asian values were but now i am. we never realize it because we've all simply been brought up that way but when you come to America and room with someone that immoral, inconsiderate and brazen, you realize it's probably because she's russian, atheist and american.

i've noticed something about the asian americans who have traditionally asian parents - no matter how americanized they are in dressing, speech and behaviour they always maintain a sort of asian courtesy. i was talking to a texan friend about this. she's vietnamese, loud, parties a lot and generally not very conservative on first glance. but we get along on a much deeper level because of asian values. the saying goes, when you give an asian person a present, they're already thinking of how to give you something back. when you give a white person a present, they don't even think twice. it's not that reciprocation is important - it's the courtesy. i used to think the concept of face and courtesy and never owing a person in asian cultures was obsolete and stupid. now i realize it really is a lot more important than i think and it also makes us very good roommates and pleasant people to be around, most of the time. and being pleasant, is a very important thing i think (and i never used to think it was that important). i'm guessing the british are probably different - a lot more refined and cultured than the obnoxious american roommate i have. why didn't i study in the UK instead? it's not like i'm getting THAT much out of the education system here so far (which was why i chose the US instead of UK). i don't think my classes are AMAZING yet or that much worth the exorbitant tuition.

i've never felt so close to my roots and culture before leaving home.

+ posted by M @ 3:01 AM