Last semester I attented the “Cultural Exchange Day” where we should make food from our countries and get together in a nice multi cultural meeting. It was very nice, but…

Just talking about the good things from one’s country, what’s the point? It’s not the whole picture, get to know people from a specific country or ethnic group and you will probably find out really interesting and nice things, but also things that may not be very nice. (Such as the culture of honour that is present in many societies) Ask me, a Cultural Exchange Day will not give you much knowledge.

There are many nice and not so nice things in Sweden as well; I can point out some things that from my point of view are not that nice: such as that many teenagers are drinking alcohol, that many Swedish people may seem reserved, etc.

People from different countries who eat a little bit food from other countries and listen to the best things in the countries – I can’t say that it’s the whole picture.
I know it very well, I have had enough multi cultural meetings to tell that a culture is like an ice berg, and what was presented on the Cultural Exchange Day was just the top of it – or even not the top of it. When you go deeper inside a culture, you will know more. Eating food and listening to nice things about a country is not enough.

I was boiling inside the whole evening. I’m still kind of boiling.
For example, some Pakistani students were performing a wedding and telling the others about a Pakistani wedding. It was interesting and nice (but I knew some of it before).

My mind was boiling. I just wanted to stand up and shout: Tell us that many of the weddings are arranged as well!

This was not the only reason why I was angry. I have a personal reason why I wanted to run away and stay there at the same time.