Becoming a Minority

I spent 22 years of my life as a white, middle-class English-speaker in the United States. I’ve always considered myself to be very sensitive and sympathetic to minorities, but after just a few weeks living in Asia, I know that I am a straight-up fool to have thought that I knew anything about living as a minority. Here in Taiwan, there is no doubt by looking at me that I am a foreigner, and with so few Westerners around (at least, in comparison to the extremely high density of Taiwanese and other Asian foreigners in our city), I stick out like a sore thumb. I don’t speak a lick of Mandarin, which has posed quite a challenge living in a country where we are lucky to find bad English translations on restaurant menus or toiletry labels, let alone cab drivers, store clerks, or food service employees that can speak to us with any level of clarity.

Here in Taiwan, I am a minority. And it is really hard. Lucky for us, Taiwanese people are gracious towards Westerners and are very patient with the language barrier. From what we have heard from other foreigners that have traveled to China and other Asian countries, this isn’t true everywhere. And from what I know about the way that many of my fellow white, English-speaking Americans view minorities in the U.S. (especially the older generation), we are not so gracious to our minorities either.

It may seem strange that being here in Taiwan has given me more motivation than ever before to learn Spanish. It’s definitely not because there are many Spanish-speakers here. It’s because I have realized that I am the Hispanic here in Taiwan. The Hispanic, Spanish-speaking population, in particular, is growing rapidly in the U.S., and while the demand and prominence of bilingual speakers is growing, as well, American society (other than Mexican border states, maybe) is not especially accommodating to Hispanics. And it is sure isn't gracious. English is definitely the second language here, like Spanish is in the U.S., and many people at least know a little, but it is still far from easy to get by without Mandarin.

So, for anyone that has ever made an ignorant remark about how “this is America” and non-English speakers “need to just learn our language” or has avoided or looked down upon people that look or speak differently…come to Asia. Or another place that will make you feel like the most lost and confused fish-out-of-water possible. Become a minority. Really truly walk a mile in some one else’s shoes. Then try to go back to the States and look at a foreigner the same way. I know I never will.