Lots of times Asians are asked:
“What are you guys going to do this weekend?”
“We're just chilling in our rooms.”
Or:
“Are you going to that frat party this Friday night?”
“Nah, I’m just gonna stay in and watch Netflix with my gang.”
Then we normally get back “Aw you guys are boring,” “You need to go out sometime,” or “Why don’t you go out and meet new people?”
However, we Asians sometimes wonder, “Why do we have to go out and meet a bunch of strangers who we know we have nothing in common with. Why do we have to pretend to talk like we are having fun when it’s extremely awkward?" We don’t get the point of going to parties just to drink and and do crazy stuff.
The stereotypical characteristic for most Asians is true, that we are “shy, and introverted.” However, it’s not like we are antisocial or anything. Don’t think that we only know how to study and solve math equations. We do study a lot because we have to fly half the earth to come here for the educational opportunities. We have fewer chances to get into a American schools and to receive scholarships than domestic students.
But we do enjoy our life, it’s just in a different way.
Of course, we like going to parties and going out, but only with people we know and feel comfortable being around with. It’s a part of our culture. We tend to stick together and develop our existing relationships, rather than having a long list of acquaintances. We don’t like yelling and wandering on the streets. We prefer spending time and doing things together like cooking or eating and sharing about the ups and downs in life rather than just gathering, drinking and laughing about jokes today and not being sure when we would meet the same person again.
This doesn’t mean we don’t like to try new things or hate meeting new people. We are more than excited to make new friends, but in a more comfortable environment when each individual can openly express ourselves and understand each other more thoroughly .
The stereotype is true that we are “quiet.” We are quiet because we are observing!
Our culture embraces the introversion: Acting modestly and more self-consciously with our behaviors. We might not be the speakers, but we are the thinkers. We aren’t funny, but we are understanding. We act quietly, but think loudly. We don’t get attention through noise, but through our silent achievements.
Don’t get us wrong. Sometimes we wish we had good communication skills so that we can easily make friends and simply go and talk to new people. We know we are living in the society where an extroverted personality is promoted, but that a major part of our culture has been engraved in us for years. We grew up in a different environment with different social standards. At the end, we might not be completely melted in the American culture, but we are learning it by creepily watching you *winkie face.*
