When you travel you notice yourself giving up little parts of yourself and adapting to other's ways of living. I believe it's important to do this, as it means you're actually learning something about the world in which you live. I hate people who can't see out of the box in which they live. I'm an American, I do believe a lot of things that we do are great, but I will never say they are 'right...' it's just another way of doing things well.
For instance, measurements, weight, temperature... etc... Americans do everything differently than the rest of the world. I'm learning, slowly, what 28 degrees means here (believe me, it's a lot nicer than our 28 degrees back home.)... also, figuring out that you bake a pizza at 220 degrees. I weigh 70 kilos. I'm 167 centimetres tall. Work is 9.5 kilometres from where I live. I live on the harbour, not the harbor. I eat chips with tomato (TOE-ma-TOE) sauce and crisps out of the bag. Biscuits are sweet and crumpets are eaten at breakfast. If you are asked "how are you going?" you answer "I am good, thank you."
What I love about traveling is that you see there are always two sides to everything, maybe even three, four, or five sides... every country has figured out a way that works for them. Sure, some ways work better than others, but no country has everything figured out, and that's the beautiful thing. I realize it is okay to drive on the "wrong" side of the road. It doesn't seem so weird anymore to have to look right THEN left. I realize I love free health care, but also find myself being more and more conservative as the days pass. Americans have bad stereotypes, but when you travel, you realize that every country has THAT person in it. The loud, rude, racial person that ruins the whole country for everyone. Everyone is a little bit judgemental and biased. Whether you speak English, French, Arabic, or Chinese... we are all so similar, just we have very different ways of doing things.
Hanging out on my new balcony last night with people from France, Belgium, Italy, England, and America, I had another one of those "whoa, holy shit, I'm not in America" moments. When you greet someone you kiss their cheeks... two kisses for Europeans, one for Australians. Canadians and Americans shake hands, or do the "bro" hug. Different parts of Asia do different things. I've seen everything from bowing to hand shakes to hugs. I guess it depends on what part of Asia they are from?? (If someone wants to fill me in on that, that'd be great).
I've learned that people here are just as fascinated by my accent as I am of theirs.
Sure, the American school system did great things for me, but it was also wrong a lot too. Nothing about America is perfect. Nothing about Australia is perfect (hello, shitty transportation system). Nothing about anyone is perfect, but the more we learn about each other, and the right and wrong things that we do, the closer we are to being a much better (less ignorant) world.
"Ignorant is when you don't know, but stupid is when you know and still do it. So, don't be stupid."
p.s. If anyone has things they want me to write about, ask me. I feel like I tend to write the same things. :)
I totally agree with you here. Or should I say you're spot on =). It annoys me whenever I hear people say that something someone else does is the right way or the way they do things here is the wrong way...just two sides to the same coin :)
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post about your insights. I totally agree with you. I am so proud of you for being so open to the new and different and accepting it as a challenge or learning experience. Many people would avoid the different or unknown and would consider it a burden to work through an experience like you have.
ReplyDeleteSo I have a question about the cheek kissing thing: Does it matter which cheek in Australia? I can’t remember if there was a specific rule to which cheek you start with in Europe, right then left or vice versa? I mean if you both leaned in the wrong way you could have a lip collision!
Mike wants to know if they do the "fist-bump" handshake there? I hope you know what he is talking about because I was a little unsure.
Of course your next post should be about your birthday celebrations and jumping out of the airplane? Gives us details of what you felt before during and after you jumped out of the plane. Take us step by step and let us experience it with you (even down to the puking and the wet pants!).
So let's see what can you talk about: I have enough suggestions to last you a few months! I may have to do more than one comment for this since it is pretty long.
So here are some ideas I have for your posts:
What things will you do differently when you return than you did before you left that was influenced by your experience there and why? What changes did you make from your last experience abroad and why? Are the changes now as dramatic as those were? What made the difference?
If you had to speak to a group of impressionable youngsters what advice would you give them for them to use in their journey to seek cultural awareness and global respect?
Think of your genealogy history: How would you pass this legacy on to encourage future generations to seek the experiences and independence and to historically celebrate what you have experienced?
What specific things have you been told by people from there or other countries that they expected (were proved wrong or right about) from an American?
See next post for more suggestions...
Now on to the lighter stuff to post about:
ReplyDeleteExplore the culinary traditions further. We know that vegemite is popular but why? Is there one region or subset of people there that prefers it over another? There are a lot of Asian culinary influences there? What is the history behind that? Is the Asian fare there more like traditional Asian fair than it is here or is it "Australianzed"? Are there other "foreign" food influences?
How about decorating, interior design and fashion? How are they similar to here? How are they different to here or to Europe or Austria specific? What design colors are popular there in fashion and interior? Are the designs more intrinsic or do they have sleek simple designs?
Are there any specific arts or crafts specific to Australia or regions there that they are known for? Example: Belgians are known for their lace making and chocolate making?
How did they decorate for the holidays? Any specific legends or traditions: example a German tradition is to hide a pickle ornament on the Christmas tree for all of the children in the house take turns looking for the pickle ornament and the child who finds the Christmas pickle receives an extra present for his or her good work.
What about other cultural etiquette? Expand from the greeting examples you used. Do they have specific customs in etiquette that are different?
So what trends do they have in housing? Are they stone? Do they favor European design or Asian design or other cultural influences? This would be especially interesting when you move from region to region and go to the outback.
You did a post on Boxing Day and Australian day a while back. What other holidays and traditions do they celebrate? When do they celebrate it? What dishes are traditionally served or eaten on that holiday? What music or garments are specifically linked to these celebrations? What games or other entertainment are specific to that celebration?
What about names? Do you see a trend there in names?
What about literature that is specific to Australia? What is similar? what is different? Do they have stories that are similar to ones we have but are specific to their culture? For example we have Cinderella but other countries have stories with a similar message but with characters etc specific to them. Example: Turkey has “A Zuni Cinderella”.
How do the habits, dress, behavior of children, teenagers and college students differ from here?
Are there any different family values and practices there? How do families spend their time together?
What about work life? Do they customarily work 8 hours a day, less or more? How long are lunch breaks and vacations? In Europe a lot of the stores and companies closed from 12 to 2 for an afternoon break. Do they do anything like that there? What other work habits are different? Do they vacation differently there than they do in Europe or here?
Tells us more about a typical work day for you? What is a typical commute to work like for you? Really describe it.
Ummm, I'm apparently not a good Asian because I have no idea. I think we shook hands?
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