Being Open-Minded

In our neighborhood, Clement Street is the main business district, and it caters to a wide variety of ethnicities. A few blocks are French-influenced, with bistros and antique shops and French bakeries. Scattered throughout are the occasional Russian coffee shops and bookstores. But the dominant area is highly Asian, with scads of dim sum joints, Asian markets, restaurants, and businesses owned and run by people of Japanese, Chinese, Thai and Korean descent (to name a few).

We've always struggled a bit with embracing the businesses that clearly cater to other cultures. Our forays into dim sum have been spotty, at best. We steer clear of the Asian hair places because we think they won't "understand" our hair. (I know, it's embarrassing to admit this.) And it wouldn't even occur to us -- well, me in particular -- to seek out a medical practitioner on Clement. I don't think I'm racist ... just wary of the cultural differences that may arise in a situation like that. I imagine this is how immigrants feel when they arrive in the U.S. -- and why they may seek out areas (like Clement Street or Chinatown) where they can feel more comfortable.

But maybe I'm missing something. Because although I love my dentist, she's clearly not a samurai dentist, wielding a toothbrush in the never-ending battle against plaque, tooth decay and gingivitis. And the samurai dentist is only on Clement Street.