I have been in Korea now for more than month and I am still learning more each day about the culture and the people and I am loving it. I think what I like most about Korea are the people. The are seriously warm, kind, curious and fascinating.
About a week or so ago, in one of my documentary classes, we were simply have a pre-production meeting (rather informal, but necessary none the less). What seemed out of no where, the gentleman behind me pulled my hair. I was caught slightly off guard, but I laughed. He apologized saying he was curious and I let him know that it wasn't big deal.
This small gesture did remind me of that big old saying: "Curiosity killed the cat." I thought about it for a bit. Did the cat really die because it was curious? Maybe the cat was stupid. Maybe the cat wanted to check to see if the fire in the fireplace would actually burn it. To be honest, I don't know what situation the cat was in that it was killed, but curiosity is definitely not a death sentence.
I think if people were more curious and asked insightful questions or even looked for answers, maybe several of the situations around the world could be resolved. I say "insightful" because we all have those people that ask silly questions. One person (back in the US when I was in high school) asked me how my hair got so curly. I'm sorry, but that is a dumb question to ask any black person. An insightful question would be one created after simple research. As many have said, the Internet is everywhere, so use it. If you don't know something, start there. Then you find experts to answer questions that are created as you do your research.
Of course, I know, some people are going to say "I don't have time for all of that." Really? Google searches take seconds, and if you are able to read my posts, you are more than able to read a news article online in about ten minutes. You have time, you just need to ask yourself if you want to.
So far, at least with the people I have met here, generally I have received insightful questions from Koreans about blackness, Africa, et cetera. And what is most interesting is all of the ones I have spoken to admit their ignorance. It is seriously fascinating to me. I think it takes certain amount of courage to admit your own ignorance (I can't remember when I have done that, since I tend to act as if I know everything, and I don't). On top of that, I can tell that all the questions come from a good place.
Questions that are honest and have sincere curiosity don't necessarily bother me. Assumptions are what really bother. In fact, I find them vexing. As many of my fans know, this blog is to challenge assumptions about Africa and it's diaspora. So far, not a single person in Korea that I have spoken to came to me with an assumption. That, to me, is highly respectable.
So, why did I just laugh at having my hair pulled? I knew he didn't mean to harm me. I just wasn't sure why he did it. And did his curiosity kill him? Well, now he's in Mongolia with others shooting a documentary. I am sure he's okay.
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