Insidious issues

Being the Asian amongst the people in the dorm, I can't help but feel that ethnicity is still an issue that insidiously creeps up on American society. Don't get me wrong, my neighbours are decent people who treat me with the respect of a fellow human being. However, through their conversations, I realised that people somehow tend to stick with their own thereby "othering" groups of people. So far, through observation which might be not astute, vast majority of groups that hang out together on campus largely conprise of a single ethnic group. Although the issue of race has died down over the decades, comments like "light side and dark side" are still common and experiences of public schools are retold as a horror tale. Then again, I'm guilty of it as well. Just that now I'm in the minority spot. I guess all of this just serves to remind us that we are all equal under God.

I picked up a very good piece of advice from a Puerto Rican who was staying in the same bunk as I was in New York. He said the best way to bridge that mental divide with your counterparts is to joke about yourself and your people. I can't agree with him more. Raul, I know you won't read this, but thanks!