I dont even know...

I'm kind of a stranger...

My name is Erin and I just added this class kind of on a whim. So in that sense, I'm a stranger.

I'm a stranger to this blogging thing...

I'm kind of a stranger to William and Mary, since this is only my second semester here.

But most importantly (and sadly), I'm a stranger to nearly all aspects of Asian culture and history. So in the same way as Takaki points out that Asian-Americans were "strangers from a different shore," I am a stranger too.

I added this class, as I said, on a whim. I'm way behind on my GER's and so if I was at all practical, I would probably be in that linguistics class I dropped or heaven forbid--a math class. But for some reason I was drawn to this one on banner.

I was still hesitant even after I signed up and emailed Francis...my conscience kicking in. "I should be taking a math class," I would think. However, after I read the chapters from last night, I'm amazed that I ever had any doubt at all.

I felt much of what was elaborated in some of the other blog posts. I felt some anger at the lack of Asian American history here in the U.S. At times, I also felt sad and even ashamed that for so long I've blindly accepted people like Thomas Jefferson as brilliant heroes of sorts. It amazed me last night that in only two chapters of Takaki's writings I could become so impassioned and so excited about learning and sharing and rethinking history and art and culture.

And so even though this is kind of a pathetic attempt at a "blog," I am thrilled to be part of this class and I am okay about being a stranger, if only so that I can truly be open to this new experience.

Thanks.