Do anyone read that blog? It's eerily accurate. It's a satirical blog written by a white guy from Toronto who now lives in the states. It describes things that white, liberal, educated people from North America do or like, pretending to be an advice guide for non-white people who want to befriend white people.
Not to say that I act exactly like that site says people like me do....but its reasonably close. The weird part is, I thought I had learned to like some of those things independently, without influence from the larger culture as a whole.
Take this article, about taking a year off.
I'm doing that. Heck, I did both the things described. I worked with a development agency in a foreign country last year. Now I'm teaching English in another one. I might even backpack at the end. I write about it, including right now. And I feel a vague disdain for tourists of which I of course am one when I travel as well. If it were possible to make a living by writing a book about my experiences, I would do that instead of working. I did haggle while in Cuba, though I really didn't need to. And I am applying to law schools, and mentioned these things in the application essay. In fact, there's barely any of that post that doesn't describe me in some way.
Creepy.
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1 comment:
hahaha... that post is strangely you. I like this part best:
"these people are often using the experience as an excellent resume pad for their application to law school"
Even though I'm just an interested friend in this whole affair, apparently I can't escape falling into the white person stereotype either:
"Sadly, the people who find these stories interesting are other white people who are politely listening until they can tell their own, more interesting story about taking a year off"
Speaking of which, did I ever tell you about the time in Vancouver that... ;)
Tim
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