What is diversity? It is a question I have played through my mind countless times. While my family upbringing and Gustavus have fostered a positive environment for diversity, the notion of what diversity means to me was turned on its head Feb. 14.
Upon stepping foot in Penang, Malaysia, I noticed immediately that my skin set me aside from the Malaysians. What is this feeling? As I proceeded to walk from the caravan onto the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) campus, it hit me. With every turned head, whisper, and pointing gesture from Malaysians, it hit me like a brick wall. For the first time in my life, I was the minority. Only now did I begin to see how ignorant my notion of diversity was.
The reason I chose to study in Malaysia was simple. I wanted to be uncomfortable. I wanted to be placed in a culture I knew little or nothing about, so that I could make the most of it. While arriving with the base knowledge to get by in Malaysia, I could never have prepared myself for the level of diversity that enveloped me.
At Gustavus, I can walk anywhere on campus in less than twenty minutes. Here, there are a multitude of transit systems that I had to learn to assure that I did not arrive late to lecture. While I knew that USM had a much larger student population, the thing that struck me was who made up the population. On a typical day at Gustavus, I would walk to class and perhaps see a few African American students or students from other countries pass by. Students from all over the world come to USM. They study, laugh, and learn side by side without the faintest thought of just how diverse they are. Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians, and Muslims side by side in the classroom, buses, sidewalks, and canteens. This, alongside many other factors, is what I believe to be true diversity. It is embedded in the bricks laid in the streets, in the people I talk to, and in the food I eat.
When I chose this program, I never imagined I could be so welcomed by the culture and people. I have been so overwhelmed by the warm hearts, opens hands, and the flat-out kindness all Malaysians have presented to me. Not only does this humble me, but it has made me reevaluate what I know about diversity and culture.
Before beginning this Malaysian experience, I had only learned from textbooks and organiztions on campus what I thought was diversity. This program and the people I am experiencing it with have shown me what I believe to be a richer meaning of diversity. This trip has opened my eyes. I do not think I have solved the world’s problems or have found the solution to world peace, but rather have begun to enrich my own understanding of the diversity in a larger scope and in multiple facets.
What I am experiencing in the first two weeks has made me fall in love with diversity as defined by Malaysians. I have never felt more uncomfortable, welcomed, out of place, and loved than I do in Penang, Malaysia.
To the Gusties back home, there are a few things I’d like to stress. Take opportunities. Acknowledge that while you may feel uncomfortable, the rewards can be life changing and life-long.
Through the Gustavus Semester in Malaysia: Living Diversity program, I have been able to start and find myself in the craziness that is life. There have been many laughs over things like struggling to figure out which way to face on the toilets. Along with laughs, I have experienced more mature emotional and personal connections with Gusties than I ever have before. Coming to Malaysia has enriched my life in ways that words cannot do justice. It has, and continues to be, an experience of a lifetime. This is more than just a semester abroad, it is beginning to be a monumental moment in my life. I now have a more complete picture of diversity, culture around the world, and more importantly myself.