an essential paradox

So we travel across the world, to learn about different cultures, and what do we do as soon as we get here? Find students from our home country. But if you are from Canada, or the US, there is really no easy way to identify 'your people'. Tonight, as the conclusion of International Students Orientation, there was a Cultural Event, which was basically pub night. Everyone was dancing in a circle, like junior high. But then, and Indian song came on, and the dance floor turned into a Bollywood movie. I swear, it was unreal. A little later, an African beat came on, and the black students took the stage.

Now, it is just me, or would that NEVER happen in Canada? Seriously, can you imagine? "Okay, now all the brown kids!" It's like that scene from Hairspray. All the black kids now! But then Kanye came on, to remind us that we are all the same, after all. Hip hop is our culture.

The Italians were pretty classy, using their flag as a table cloth for their wine glasses. Then a Canadian student sang a drinking song ('oh I wish I were in Sherbrook now...'), but few other Canadians recognized it. I did, because all I learned about Canadian culture, I learned from Cold Lake. Later in the evening, another Canadian student decided to start singing the national anthem, and wow, there are a LOT of Canadians here that I didn't even realize. I taught 3 American students to sing it (bilingually) afterwards. I had a drink called 'cider & black'. It was very yummy. May have precipitated the singing. Anyway, fun night. Oh, we were asked to go dressed in our 'traditional cultural dress' if we wished. The best any Canadian came up with was toques, sweaters with the word "Canada" on it, or a hockey jersey. It's kinda sad.

Which leads to my more meditative point. Seeing the Indian and African students dances tonight, I think maybe we lose something in Canada by being too 'colour-blind'. There is something to be said for giving cultures the space to be different, and acknowledging that difference by respectfully not trying to join in unless invited to do so. I'm not saying we don't do that in Canada. It's just, we do it differently, and then differently again at designated 'cultural events'. I'm not articulating my thoughts very clearly here.

Another thing. I have never been ashamed that I am Chinese (though I try very hard to hide the fact that I am). But in an 'international' situation, I say I'm Canadian, and I get asked, "Yes, but where are you from originally" Umm, my mother's womb. And I don't think the Chinese students can understand that I have less in common with them than that white or brown kid from North America. Ah, learning about the world!