I wonder

Once you are in a in different country and you become the minority it really opens your eyes to the behaviors and rudeness that people do to them do to missunderstandings and xenophobia.
When I was living and working in Waterloo, during university, I worked for a little convenience store. This store had been present in the community for more than 40 years and the owners and managers had worked there for like ever. The ladies that ran the store constantly reminded us (the other employees) of the store's "good old days" when the customers were regulars and more importantly everyone spoke English. I remember turning my nose up to these comments and passing them off as xenophobic and racist... but when it came down to it... I would find myself getting frustrated with the international community in the 'loo... asking "why can't they learn English?"... "Why come to a country when you can't even speak the language?".
I never actually realized how many xenophobic views I held myself.
This "hmmm" moment didn't actually hit me until yesterday. My phone rang and when I answered it, a Korean person started talking to me in Korean. I quickly said in Korean, "I speak only a little Korean, I am sorry!"... to which the person then began talking louder (almost yelling). He must have figured that by speaking louder and more slowly I would be able to understand all that he was saying. Not only was I annoyed by this... but was upset... I felt like the man was belittling me and though I understood some of what he was saying, I was annoyed that the man did not speak English. It was then that it hit me... though I was in his country and the language of majority is Korean, I expected him to speak and understand English. I expected him to conform for me.
I guess it isn't until a mirror is held back to you and you experience the situation for yourself, that you truly understand the error of your ways. To qickly end a cheesy self-actualization moment... I hope that I can remember this moment and have it lead to a little more compassion and understanding when I am faced with similar situations.
Cheers!