Tonight I started my third semester of grad school. So far, I have 18 hours, 5 A's, and 1 B (sad face) under my belt. Ideally, this time next year I'll be starting my last semester of grad school: something like 600 hours of internship. We'll see if I make that schedule.
If you're easily offended, don't carry on. I don't think it's offensive, truly, but I can see where my sarcasm could be misinterpreted, so there's one of my signature disclaimers.
Tonight's class is called Multicultural Diversity in Counseling. My teacher uses Spanish lingo, has what I would term (maybe insensitively? I'm not sure because I've just started the class) African-American hair, and "white girl" skin (my classmate's description). She hasn't told us what ethnicity she subscribes to, and I suspect she won't. Her special blend puts her in a good place to teach the class, and labeling herself would shut doors... I hate not knowing, though.
This class meets from six to nine. Dr. Hooper informed us implicitly that we will be staying until 9:00 every week; she'd keep us til ten if she could. In that three-hour time span, we have a nine-minute break. As she was telling us tonight when to return to class, I put my chin to my chest in an effort to stretch my burning neck (pinched nerve? should get that looked at...). Dr. Hooper apparently thought I was settling in for a nine-minute nap, so she announced to the class that it might be in my best interest to bring a caffeinated beverage to our next class. Awesome-- we're off to a great start already.
I happen to have won the lottery in the cultural/ethnic department. Blonde-haired, blue-eyed WASP, I'm Hitler's dream girl, basically. In a class about cultural diversity, though, I'm kind of like a target. Anything I say can and will be used against me as I've never been discriminated against. Although my high school English teacher told us that women are the oldest minority in the world, I've hardly dealt with sexism in this day and age. If anything, people now fear the power of a law suit. What I'm saying is this: some people find my honesty refreshing and my frankness endearing... unfortunately, in a multicultural class, I'm more likely to come off as insensitive. Is it cool to say someone's black, or is African-American the only kosher label? What's the difference between Latino and Hispanic? And is 'gay' okay, or should I go with "homosexual"?... but I've been told that "homosexual" is on it's way out. Lots of hot-button topics, and things are sure to get uncomfortable.
In my introductory speech, I told the class that I was from a small-town and immediately uncomfortable in this class. I expected a nod or two from other small-towners (not knocking small towns, people, but fact is fact), but what I got was a practical standing ovation from the teacher. Bravo for my honesty and willingness to admit that I'm uncomfortable because that's what this class is all about, she tells us.
Awesome. There's nothing I love more than that delightful feeling of egg shells straining beneath my feet.
My first assignment for the class is a cultural immersion project. Basically, I have to go- alone- to a cultural event where I am the outsider. As a Christian, I could go to a mosque. As a white person, I could go to a service at the African American Methodist Church. As a straight person, I could go to a gay pride event.
Jealous, aren't you? My internship site this time last year offered a course called Black Marriage Enrichment. The teacher is fabulous, and I can see that it would be a genuine learning experience... so that's my plan of action for this assignment. Think they'll notice I'm an outsider? Check.
Next assignment: spend THREE hours interviewing someone of another culture/ethnicity/race. Have three hours to spare letting me drill you with questions about your culture? Me neither. Have three hours worth of material to share with me about your culture/ethnicity/race? Didn't think so.
Okay, so I'm a little pessimistic about the second assignment. Maybe it's because I don't have a subject in mind just yet; maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised by the things I'll learn from Citizen X. We shall see.
I'm sure there will be many a'blog about my social faux pas in this class. Hope you're anxiously awaiting. I know my mouth is watering for a little foot action.
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