It's really important that we respect each others' cultures and needs in a multi-racial country. I don't say this to be politically correct, or just because I am a teacher, but because I know how it feels when people say, "Oh darn, we have to provide vegetarian food for you? So troublesome." It's not a pleasant feeling.
Also, after living in the US for 4 years, I have some sense of what it feels like to be the "minority" in a country. Often, people in the "majority" are blind to what the lives of people in the "minority" are like. "Majority" people sometimes say things out of ignorance, which they think are true or funny, but really, they are not. In the US, people often commented on how good my English was, because they assumed I was from China and couldn't speak English well. I found that quite annoying, but you can't blame people for not knowing where Singapore is, because we are just a small dot on the map.
Racism is not about "hating" another culture. It starts with ignorance and insensitivity. At some point, jokes and comments about race stop being funny and become hurtful. Anyway, enough preaching from me.
Check out the song "Everyone's A Little Bit Racist" from the Broadway musical Avenue Q if you are interested in this topic. The song offers an interesting point of view about how everyone's racist to some extent - it's just how we manage our own racism. Interesting, eh? How many of you are willing to admit to your own racism and try to do something about it?
Youtube video:
Lyrics:
Finally, I hope everyone can make it to the party! :) Do keep posting about your goals, sharing your pictures etc.
Miss Ruby
