<p>Yah, I just think your nerves are raw from the coach situation.</p>
<p>Breaking down the things said: To me, her comment about wishing she had your skin tone was more race-aware than racist. If you think about it, had you been not on-edge due to coach, it’s just a conversation. She’s not applying any negative value to your skin tone, but I can see how bringing it up in class is a bit obtuse. “I wish I was taller, like Sven over there…” doesn’t exactly put Sven at ease on a bad day, even though what I said (and she did) was actually in admiration of your physical feature. It made you feel self-conscious, on a bad day. No fun.</p>
<p>When she asked you what you felt about racial generalizations, you were in a way being asked as a presumed expert, to share your thoughts. You made an interesting choice: to speak in a clear and singular voice your truth. You could have also chosen to say, “I’d rather not say…” but instead you were brave. So that’s pretty good news, just classroom exchange and dialogue (6 kids in a class, ooh I’m jealous!).</p>
<p>The last detail, where she asked you about Japanese gangster tattoos is kind of irritating since I think you said you had one Chinese parent. There, I think she was just fishing for any info. Of all the 6 kids, there was perhaps the greatest probability you might be learned about Asian cultures. But hey, you didn’t know. That’s perfectly okay. Now she’ll have to go home and look it up on Wiki.</p>
<p>None of these were wicked insults, as you realize in your posting, just you’re on edge “because it brought me back to yesterday.” So you are growing in your ability to instantly recognize, process, and not get royally upset over small thoughtless idle comments, which these were, unlike the coach scene which was big and bad.</p>
<p>It is not easy to be in a minority culture with nobody around to share notes.
When you look for a college, perhaps find one with a healthy number of Asian students, an Asian studies department, or other cultural groups so you can explore this. I had to tell my kids regarding social friendships, “just hold on a few years until college” and it was much better there. That’s a long-range vision, but I think you should consider it in your college search criteria to have some Asian student organizations, programming, and at least l0% Asian population (more, even better) at the college you attend. Look towards a big city uni, or a rural LAC with great diversity statistics.</p>