Personal Narrative-Appreciated Stereotypes

I laugh in silence as this hysterically hot weather contradicts the accustomed stereotypes of the cold brutal Minnesota weather. The soundless laugh lasted for only three and a half weeks. Trees start shedding, snow starts falling (in the beginning of October), and breeze starts kicking in. The pure white flakes become eye aweing as if this is my first encountering with the snow. The pureness, the white color charges me up with both serenity and tranquility. I listen to the empty walkway, intrigued by this foreign land where I’d stepped on not for the first but the sixteenth time. The sound of the unspoken nature along with the continuous tune of chatter convinces me to start speaking with my ears. By that time, I start looking people through their expression of thoughts, opinions, and voices.
Then, I find myself eating at Long Cheng in the midst of my Chinese friends; their nationalism persuades me to employ my limited Mandarin knowledge. In times, I find myself digging through my friend’s food shelf for some instant Korean noodles. The next minute, I find myself in the dorms meditating over my American friends’ excitement with watching Charlie Brown for Thanksgiving. At that moment I realize that it wasn’t necessary for me to entirely adapt to the American culture, but learn to retain my identity and meet them halfway. Spending time with people of disparate ethnicity and background allows me to live through much more than the vague American stereotypes. After all, It is beyond Black Friday, Chipotle, Christmas, Chicken Patty Wednesday, Easter, or Thanksgiving. Sometimes, it is as simple as walking along the trails or feeling the air of this foreign