Name: A, 28
years-old, Africa, majors in history of asia. She is now preparing to enter
graduate school of International study in SNU.
Where she lived
She has lived in U.S.A since she was 12 years old. At first, she lived in North Carolina and moved to Chicago, Georgia and now she lives in New Jersey. She had been in Africa, Europe and America.
Time
spent in Korea
She
lived in Korea for 4months, 1semester. She wanted to experience life in Asia
because she wanted to learn something new. Also she have had Korean friend,
after she talked to her friend, she got interested in Korea.
Major
and collegues
As a
University student, her major is history of Asia. Majority race of her
department is Korean. However, she barely hang out or listen to same class with
students of her department.
Stereotypes
of Korea
Before
she came to Korea, she heard of many negative things and stereotypes about
Korea. But she thought she never experience what she heard of. She said she
only experienced staring, touching her hair, which she didn't feel those actions
as offensive. She said staring and touching her hair kind a things are always
happening not only in Korea but also on the other three continents. Therefore
she said it is understandable. Actually, she has good impressions rather than
bad impressions about Korea. Her impression of Korea started getting better
right after she arrived at Korea. Some Korean guy helped her get taxi and find
her hotel. Also She said maybe having a good impression of Korea is because of
her friends in SNU. She met many friends who gave her a feeling that she is
well accepted.
The
way Korean thought about her and its reason
She
thinks that she stands out more in Korea than she does in other countries,
Because of her skin color. For there are many black people compare to Korea in
other continents. And she said language barrier is second reason why she stands
out more, but she said it's not only for Korea but for every countries. Because
of this thought, she took two Korean classes in SNU in order to be accepted
well in Korea.
To
compare to where she lived
She
said she experienced much serious discrimination in U.S.A. in there, she is
bullied by other black people. Other black people pick a fight on her and her
brother, they even spit on her. The Reason why they bullied her, she points out
that they don't travel, don't read paper, which makes them very narrow minded.
And the point that they think that they can bully somebody when they cannot
speak their language.
About
group of black people in Korea
There
is a group called Brothas & Sistas in South Korea. Aicha is invited to this
group, but she hasn't hanged out with members of this group. Except this group,
she hasn't involved in any group of black people in South Korea. And she didn't
hang out with only with black people. Only experience that she hang out with
black in Korea was when she hung out with his Cousin once in Itaewon. Even for
this event, a Korean joined after a while they met.
Affected
side by Korea
It
is considered that giving something to others using both hands is one aspect that
she is affected by Korean culture. However, in Africa, She did similar thing,
so for her, it was easy to adjust to doing it. Also one more affected behavior
she said was that she wasn't able to wear tank top in Korea.
What
she wants to say
She
wants to say to everybody, not only for Korean, for all over the world, that
everyone has to be open minded. Don't judge a person by skin color not knowing
he or she, see pass the skin color. Get to know him or her and then you can
judge a person. That was her opinion.
I was surprised that not only she but also another interviewee on interview #2 said that there are much more severe discriminations in United States compared to South Korea, and even among the black. I guess this might be related to her background, moving from Africa, Europe to United States. After reading summary, I feel curious about her background or major. It's quite interesting that she chose a unique major just because she wants to undergo new culture. As she stated, she heard some stereotypes about Korea and she had no relavance to Asia or South Korea, she just chose here. It is so fortunate that she has had quite good impression now and she has not undergone descriminations. I hope social recognition toward the minorities such as the black get better in Korea so that they can keep sastisfied with their expereinces in South Korea. It is important to keep what she said, "To be open minded and don't judge a person by skin color now knowing he or she."
답글삭제[LeeGyeongGeon]
답글삭제It seems to me that black people in South Korea are not experiencing severe discrimination, according to three interviews. It's very encouraging that South Korean people have much more softer reaction toward black people. I think, why some of the black people in South Korea do not hang out with black people can be explained by this.
However, as we predict, we cannot say all the stereotypes and discrimination toward foreign people have gone away. There's still such kind of things toward Chinese, or East South Asian people. And as we learned from interviews from black people, we can suggest that what both of majority and minority can be interested in must be introduced, to find things in common and share same thoughts and feelings each other, i.e. hip-hop music in black people's case. Finding common things over differences, that's the dialectics I think.
While I was reading all of interviews, the interviewee of group 3 was little bit different from the whole black people of Korean. Mostly, they've never experienced discrimination, and they have a good impression about Korea. Definitely, It is really good, but I think these give us a little bit biased image about their group.
답글삭제But I was a good opportunity that i could listen to the black's voice, and their stories. I think, especially Korea should care more about the black people.