Hmong Celebration & Excerpts

        CVCC celebrated Hmong Heritage on Dec 4th. I volunteered in order to experience a culture I knew nothing of before. The women wore beautiful, traditional dresses and the men were dressed in colorful vest sequined in coins. While I served nearly one ton of rice and chili-powdered sauce, I noticed how much the food was influenced by the various regions occupied by the Hmongs throughout time. Also, I realized how beautiful the embroidery was: Hmong art consists much of weving and embrioday. I also served Nab Vam, a mulit-colored dessert filled with tapioca and coconut. The variety of people were filled with smiles due to the cultural appreciation recognized in this celebration. To Americans, the Hmong facial features are usually difficult to distinguish compared to Chinese, Japanese, Korean, etc, yet the feature became slightly more obvious as I recalled the faces of my diverse foreign friends on Asian origin:

“It is only through thriving diversity of cultures that the depth and breadth of human potential can fully articulate”

             -Ashwani Peetush

             Nada, 無, Rien, Nichts, Nothing: this is what our nation is doing in attempts to abolish the Ignorant American stereotype found across the globe. In the United States, we are less exposed to other cultures than, for example, European regions. We see, but we do not embrace. The benefits of cultural enrichment and bilingual knowledge are vital in today's society, but do we really understand their importance? I realized the lack of foreign activism and education within my nation after migrating to Navarre, Spain, for a chance to submerge myself in the many astounding cultures of the world. Once settled, I became part of an equally-diverse community of which I had never given much thought- “the foreigners.” We ranged from the four corners of the world: Finland, Canada, Poland, USA, Czech Republic, Singapore, Australia, Greece, Hong Kong, Italy, Holland, etc. We were all so different, yet very much alike. Like cells that compose the human body, all unique and vital for certain purposes, we separately collaborated to keep our communal body alive and pumping through our varieties of knowledge and experience. This personal unity of working together is the basis of life: we as humans are very much akin, yet we cannot attempt to coincide if communication, understanding, and appreciation are deemed irrelevant and ungrounded. With the disinteresting factors of distance, lack of influence, apathetic expectations, and overall empty acceptance, the American heart-land is not contributing to the world’s living body. Through my travels, I have searched and pin-pointed the opinions and contributors that are fueling the ignorant stereotype that defines this nation.

Beginning the week before Semana Santa, a large religious festival held in Spain during the week of Easter, a group of friends and I set out for our European adventure. During our next three weeks, we were to embark on a journey through Morocco and Andalucía. We set out on our way in search of knowledge, new cultures, and fun. We began with a 12-hour bus ride to Sevilla in southern Spain where we caught a flight to Morocco for the weekend. I was extremely surprised at the ease and affordability of traveling around different countries. The price of a flight from Texas to North Carolina would easily equal the same rate as traveling from Northern Spain to Morocco, then to Portugal and back. I see this factor as a barricade for Americans to spread their experiences.
Once we crossed the Gibraltar Stright , I noticed the heavy French and Arabic influences. From street signs to market menus, worldly influence was obviously dominant. As we marched through the dusty streets hoping to locate our hostel before dark, I heard at least one word in nearly every language: “nǐ hǎo” “Konnichiwa” “Hallo” “Hola” “Bonjour”. This experience really opened my eyes to how positive influence and constant interaction could largely affect a nation’s acceptance and knowledge. Even in our hostel, the Moroccans’ genuine interest and acceptance made each visitor feel at home. The owner of the hostel, Rashid, kept us up nearly all night, every night, asking questions about our stories and sharing his journeys with us. He knew nearly infinite facts and aspects about the world; my jaw dropped once he stated that he had never been outside of Morocco. Through his experience with tourism and positive, multicultural interactions, Rashid had gained insight and geographical wisdom of the world beyond his African home.

From Seville we began “Andalucía hopping” around Granada, Malaga, Ronda, Valencia, and Cadiz. Because I have traveled very little in my own country (going no farther west than Manchester, TN), I was astounded at the extreme cultural difference found only inside Spain itself.  From Catalan, Basque, and Moorish influences, Spain continues to grow as a separate yet unified nation. These influences are strongly embraced through acts of nationalism around the Iberian Peninsula. Each area is greatly defined through separate styles, languages, and ideas such as: the Basque country’s dred-mullets and farming-by-the-sea techniques, Ronda’s southern accents, flamenco, and hanging-cliff landscapes, and Valencia’s Catalan-influenced language and coastal, fire-loving heritage. Each section of Spain publicizes its differences which individualize the provinces. The embracement of heritage and acceptance of those around them creates a strongly unified country.

Reasearch Paper

Land of the Free, Home of the…

                Can oppression exist in “The Land of the Free?” It can be found in different forms throughout this nation, yet it is sometimes done subconsciously due to one’s environment and lack of critical thinking. J. Andrzejewski asserts his definition of oppression: “Oppression exists when any entity (society, organization, group, or individual) intentionally or unintentionally distributes resources inequitably, refuses to share power, imposes ethnocentric culture, and/or maintains unresponsive and inflexible institutions toward another entity for its supposed benefit and rationalizes its actions by blaming or ignoring the victim” (56). Has America’s past formulated this air of oppression?  In pursuit of the American dream, immigrants encounter discomfort, rejection, even persecution because they arrived as foreigners with different customs, traditions, attitudes, and beliefs. This “free land” is surviving inside the lines of Andrzejewski’s definition as it expresses foreign anxiety and phobias, edicts linguistic disregard and right-depriving obstacles, and forces ideas of assimilation and hierarchies. These rejections of diversity have created a mindset of unimportance regarding various cultures within the American bubble.

Despite the beauty of cultural contributions, many Americans express negative attitudes toward foreign immigrants, especially those who are of Spanish-speaking origin. Does the American heartland reside in the concept of xenophobia? Americans seem to dislike or fear people from other countries or of that which is foreign or strange. Ever since colonization, this land has been the battle grounds of racial oppression from the Aboriginals to the Spaniards. José Cobas and Joe Feagin provide their abstract of the raise of the Latin American population within American society and why the oppression continues to flourish:

The growth of the Latino population has been a source of concern for many white Anglos, who assert that it will result in the death of the American way of life and the English language…This rhetoric is a subterfuge aimed at increasing the prestige of English vis-à-vis Spanish, a development that will facilitate the growth of capital, both material and symbolic, in the white establishment ("Language And Oppression”1).

What sparks American fear of foreign influence? Cobas and Feagin’s concept, “The browning of America,” is a development that many whites see with alarm ("Language and Oppression” 1). Why does the Anglo-Saxon society shake at the mention of a bilingual country? As a nation without an official language, the United States tremble in the wake of a potential loss of English; however, the benefits largely outweigh what society may deem “the costs.”

            Apathy is filling this nation with its lack of cultural realization and linguistic open-mindedness. In his poem, Martin Espada dictates his corresponding assertions as he expresses the life of a Honduras-native janitor: “The Spanish of my name is lost” (15-16). “George” is recognized before the actual “Jorge” which is increasingly common in the U.S.A. Many Americans do not care to exhaust the attempts in foreign pronunciation. As supported in "Language and Oppression: Latinos/As In The United States," the evidence of racial biases prevent the existence of American strife in foreign languages and “abnormal” pronunciation: “Latinos commonly encounter objections to their accent. From a linguistics point of view, all people who speak a language speak with an accent” (Cobas and Feagin 2). Flashes of anger also arise when the majority population cannot understand a minority group due to heavy accents. However, anyone who speaks a language has an accent. Are fellow citizen supposed to discriminate against distant Americans due to the use of long and short A’s when pronouncing “water”, “beans”, etc? It seems so due to the hypocritical exercise of English-expectations and foreign biases.  Not only is pronunciation an oppressed factor within society, but also its core: bilingualism.

The denial of language persists in availing the obstacles aimed against immigrants, which is supported by Cobas and Feagin: “Language is fundamental to social life and expresses the understandings of its associated culture in overt and subtle ways. This is true for all languages, including those in dominant groups and those in oppressed groups” (“Language and Oppression” 2). The spread of multi-lingual influence and acceptance is a vital part of a growing society: it is what our country was originally built on. Bilingual education, which can help children whose native language is Spanish, is strongly opposed by many whites, and a number of states have abandoned or restricted such programs (Cobas and Feagin 1). The importance of language and other multicultural aspects is elaborated on by Ashwani Peetush in his article “Living in the Global Village”: “Culture shapes a sense of self which allows one to navigate through worlds by learning and responding to his specific background...This is the cultural background for which we preform our civil and physical actions” (18). When a group of people is forced to abandon its “sense of self” then the turmoil of lost cultural identity reacts against its people. Present in past history within the actions of Gandhi’s people, the Jewish nation, Aboriginals, women and homosexuals, the effects of lost cultural identity can shake a nation to its core: “It becomes an issue of justice and fairness that people are not discriminated against, but also, that their identities are recognized as being important to their sense of self” (Peetush 18). 

            As expressed by Cobas and Feagin, the United States is proposing different strategies to cease the “browning” or the increase of the Latino population: to enforce the existing immigration law with tenacity and to make the immigrants’ life in the United States more difficult (1). Laws effective in some states create obstacles for immigrants to obtain rightful benefits: Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer now denies driver's licenses or any other benefits to immigrants granted "deferred status" under a new federal program. The new program allows accepted applicants to remain in the United States and work without fear of deportation for at least two years. Governors in Nebraska and Texas have followed Brewer's lead (Castillo and Shoichet). This depriving act is intended to weaken the desire of American immigration. It is also aimed at lowering foreign status. “This Land is your Land, this Land is my Land” seems to have changed within American society: “This Land is my Land. If you’re here, it’s still mine.”

            Forced assimilation, defined in “The Procrustean Bed of Assimilation,” is one of the most contributing points of cultural oppression. It clouds the immigrants of this country with a cold air: “The traditional social science concept of “assimilation” refers to immigrant and subordinate racial-ethnic group adaptation to the dominant culture and institutions of the host society” (Cobas and Feagin 39). Cultural assimilation is prominent in this country, not only in languages, but also other traditions. Oppression of these customs stands side-by-side with the concept of assimilation. This is noted in Espada’s poem:

            I host the fiesta

            Of the bathroom

            Stirring the toilet

            Like a Punchbowl (11-14).

White society’s expectation of foreign conversion into the typical “immigrant worker” strips a person of his or her cultural identity. Jorge the Janitor is Espada’s spokesman of the constant assimilation within the United States and the voice of one fed up with oppressive recognition.

The central point of assimilation, as explained by Cobas and Feagin in “The Procrustean Bed of Assimilation,” began with the formation of the theoretical hierarchy of color which is grounded in American physic: “The white-invented racial hierarchy, and its racial framing of society, began in the seventeenth century and persists, indeed fundamentally, to the present day” (54). Multicultural education can be traced historically to the Civil Rights Movement. Acceptance and defiance against this white-hierarchy concept became a necessity during this time period: “Often, the lighter-skinned a group is, the more Anglicized they seem, and therefore the more likely they are to be better treated by whites” (Cobas and Feagin 40). The “Dirty Mexican” idea has grown from this false, white-supremacy hierarchy and pushed assimilation. It needs to be abolished as the greater good of cultural diversity takes place. In his arguments pertaining to assimilation, Ashwani Peetush states:

…even though it may be possible to move from one culture to another, does not mean that a society can justly require such assimilation of all its members, especially given that most individuals resist this and given that it can have long ranging damaging effects on their lives (20).

His statement detects the flaws of assimilation, especially when forced upon a group of people.

The greater good of cultural diversity is held back by many aspects within the United States: obstacles aimed at foreigners, linguistic and cultural apathy, racial expectations and forced assimilation. If this truly is The Land of the Free, then who is actually regarded to as The Free? With oppressive factors downgrading foreign influence, America is continuing the false sense of a white or American hierarchy. Each and every one of the ancestors of an American citizen were welcomed (more or less) into this nation and finally accepted. It is now the time to return this acceptance to humanity and grow as a diversified nation.

Critical Analysis

Dissecting Diversity

An American of Irish Ancestry eats Chinese food, celebrates Hanukah with his neighbors, lives in Little Italy, NY, and preforms yoga on a daily basis: the ultimate practice of cultural diversity, right? Sadly, many fellow citizens would agree with this statement; however, according to Ashwani Peetush’s adaptation of Will Kymlicka’s idea, this American is simply “availing himself of the opportunities provided by the diverse Anglophone society within the United States of America” (Qtd in Kymlicka). Diversity is not a dabbing of certain cultural practices, and the term culture itself has a larger, more definite importance than tasty foods and physical development. Ashwani Peetush's article "Living in the Global Village: Cultural Membership and the Value of Diversity" begins with an abstract of how the concept of diversity has absorbed enormous attention around the world in multiple fields of study. From philosophy to psychology, diversity’s impact has become wide-spread; therefore, Ashwani introduces the idea of culture and community as one by "exploring two basic questions that are critical to any discussion of culture and diversity: what exactly does the concept of culture mean and why is cultural diversity so important in the first place?" (Peetush 11).

In this article, Peetush explores responses that are grounded in the innate goodness of diversity to the view that diversity provides the only real social conditions under which human freedom is possible (Peetush 11). He argues the flaws imbedded in both the classic and post-modern view of cultural diversity without the support of personal experiences. This accredits his scholarly position within the article. No definition is clearly stated, yet the concept of diversity is broken-down throughout the article. Peetush notes the similarities and differences in global ethics and distinguishes the value cultural respect within society by exemplifying the historical proof of Gandhi, Stalin, and a few minority groups. By using mathematical formulas, Venn-diagrams, and cited resources, the author clarifies his overall assertions by stating that there is no definite definition of cultural diversity: both leave distorted views. Nonetheless, its value and recognition is ever most vital: “It is only through thriving diversity of cultures that the depth and breadth of human potential can fully articulate” (Peetush 23).

            The Classic View is explained by giving borders and boundaries to specific cultures without noting the internal diversity within a society. This is an insufficient definition of culture (Peetush 12). The inter-cultural relationships within a region are important defining aspects which are better understood by the Post-Modern view. This view emphasizes the global processes as interdependent instead of multicultural with porous, overlapping borders. The author warns, however, that this view is in risk of “courting the danger of dissolving the concept of culture” (Peetush 13). Like the pieces of a puzzle, each different part has its own unique value and design, without which one cannot unify a final picture worth viewing. Peetush recognizes the similarities and differences which arise within the human race. The author quotes Aristotle by conveying the message that we are social beings that share the same basic characteristics. General features are responses to similar conditions in which human beings find themselves (Peetush 15). Our similarities are equal; the only difference lies in how we handle these needs. Cultural identity is a large ending point of Peetush’s article. Lost identity, caused but lacking respect, will destroy a society and can be found throughout history in African slaves, women, and homosexuals (Peetush 18). The oppression of these groups is widely known, yet are we escalating the birth of similar problems? When a culture becomes unrecognized, problems increase drastically and begin large-scale suffering through wars and lost efforts. These are the theories which tie the importance of diversity together.

Dr. Ashwani Peetush, a part of the faculty of Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario, Canada, states that he is “particularly interested in multiculturalism, Aboriginal peoples, and international human rights” (25). This explains the frequent usage of Canadian Aboriginal examples in contribution to intercultural relations and the concept of lost identity (Peetush 14). A negative biased, based off the historical oppression of Aboriginal peoples, can be discovered sprouting from the author’s fascination and possible connection with these minority groups. The negative tone within Peetush’s aboriginal examples, such as “the high rate of suicide, alcoholism, and poverty..” places a sense of indirect blame of past oppression on the implied audience (18). By using this “guilty conscience” style, the reader is more likely to realize and value the author’s assertions. Peetush’s guilt-trip is aimed directly at the higher-class civilization that is directly suffocating the unrecognized, sinking cultures of the world: “Outside society has reflected to [the aboriginal people] a picture that their ways of life are unworthy, primitive and inferior” (Peetush 18).

            As a global community, we must positively recognize the differences in society with respect and acceptance. Peetush concludes his article by stating his overall purpose: defining the concept of culture and providing the reasons why diversity is important. He argues the distorted analysis of cultural perspectives and states that “it is only through understanding the thriving diversity of cultures that the depth of the human potential can fully articulate” (Peetush 23). We all share a common culture defined by previous philosophers, yet we do not appreciate the differential roots that set us apart from one another. Continuing the Anglophone-mix of “diversity” without giving credit to the many relations that formed these aspects will end in a loss of cultural identity. Community and cultural membership is counting on society's recognition for the globalization and reinforcement movement.

            "Living in the Global Village: Cultural Membership and the Value of Diversity" is set up with interwoven, spider-like trails. First, the web begins at the center by defining wide-spread diversity and noting the flaws within the definitions. A second layer is spun by noting the similarities and differences of cultural diversity. It helps bring the idea of diversity together as a whole by stating that our social characteristics (kinship, exogamy) are universal and present in all cultures (Peetush 15). Aristotle’s philosophy of similarities and differences is balanced with a theoretic model of culture consisting of a Venn-diagram and mathematical formula (Peetush 16). Lastly, the value and good of cultural diversity is woven into the end, giving a closing topic aimed to touching hearts of the audience. The need for respect of other cultures is one of the more heavy concepts which bind this web together. Historical facts of past civilizations provide the impact needed for the reader to give this article the thought it deserves.

            Ending with a short, notable paragraph, the author restates his purpose: to examine the two inter-related and critical questions found in the introduction. The conclusion is wrapped up in a condescending tone as he gives a broad summary, yet no clear definition, of the topic of diversity. Making clear that neither given definition is sufficient for his work, Peetush ends on that note. He does not finalize the concept of diversity: instead, he dissects and exemplifies diversity’s contributing factors.

Point of View

Ignoring the Globe: Inexistent Cultural Awareness

            Nada, 無, Rien, Nichts, Nothing: this is what our nation is doing in attempts to abolish the Ignorant American stereotype found across the globe. In the United States, we are less exposed to other cultures than, for example, European regions. The benefits of cultural enrichment and bilingual knowledge are vital in today's society, but do we really understand their importance? I became prominently aware of the lack of foreign activism and education within my nation when I migrated to Navarre, Spain, for a chance to submerge myself in one of the many astounding cultures of the world. Once settled, I became a part of an equally-diverse community of which I had never given much thought- “the foreigners.” We ranged from the four corners of the world: Finland, Canada, Poland, USA, Czech Republic, Singapore, Australia, Greece, Hong Kong, Italy, Holland, etc. We were all so different, yet very much akin. Like cells that compose the human body, all unique and vital for certain purposes, we separately worked together to keep our communal body alive and pumping through our varieties of knowledge and experience. This singular unity of working together is the basis of life because we as humans are very much akin, yet we cannot collaborate if communication, understanding, and appreciation are deemed irrelevant and ungrounded. With the disinteresting factors of distance, lack of influence, apathetic expectations, and overall empty acceptance, the American heart-land cannot contribute to the world’s living body. Through my travels, I have searched and pin-pointed the opinions and contributors that are fueling the ignorant stereotype that defines this nation.

      Scampering along the coastal alleyways of Barcelona with the smell of abandoned beer filling the late-night streets, I stumbled upon an uncanny man who, after an perplexing conversation, changed my course of thinking and ultimately lead me to my ideals of what I wanted out of myself, my life, and my country. Through the cigarette-filled atmosphere and loud, high-pitched Catalan conversations, this unhinged, beard-less Dutch man brought forth his explanation of why Americans do not recognize the need to learn multiple languages: our enclosing inner-distance. Consider this fact: the time it takes us to move from North Carolina to Maryland, with no change in language a very little in culture, is close to the equivalent of traveling through three or more European countries. This reduces the American fervor to learn multiple languages and truly recognize extreme cultural differences. We rambled on until dawn about why Americans are unaware of basic cultural wisdom. Some would reply: “Why learn another language when all I need is English around these parts? What’s the point of exploring world cultures when I’ve yet to make my way to the west coast?” After picking the San Miguel-filled brain of my new companion, I can now vouch that these typical ideas are taking away the opportunities and credentials of my fellow citizens. Though seemingly a great advantage, our nation’s state-wide, gapping distance has eliminated the need for bilingual enlightenment and has trapped generations in an English-speaking, all-American cage. 

           As the brisk German wind howled through the tattered window panes, I sat curled up in my loft flipping through television channels and attempting to regain the feeling of my toes. Shock overcame me as the English voices boomed out of the speakers during session two House re-runs. I thought to myself: “Are the after-effects of my previous Portuguese trip causing me to hear these heavy English accents during my seclusion in Hamburg?” With my North Carolinian background, this bilingual, subtitled show would seem very unpopular or even nonexistent among the citizens of Germany because the need to understand or even hear other languages seems a bit far-fetched in American standards: nearly everyone, regardless of nationality, is expected to speak at least fragments of English in our country. However, many shows were like these House re-runs, and my native-German travel partner confirmed that the most popular shows and movies were broadcasted in English with German subtitles lingering at the bottom. This powerful influence explained the numerous oddities that set Americans aside from other Europeans, including one at large, the prominent outcome of influence: acceptance. Anything and most everything that may need translating in the United States is readily available with no hint of translation barriers, or worse; it is re-created and Americanized such as the originally-Swedish book and movie The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Why is re-creation necessary for Americans? I believe it has to do with lacking acceptance and expectation. We expect to linguistically understand everything thrown our way. If not, some blood tends to boil. How many times has one felt the heating annoyance that fills the gas station of the local Seven-Eleven as the clerk and costumer attempt to both decipher and painfully exchange unrecognizable phrases? Tension rises, giving a definite example of our cultural impatience. I laugh at the confusion and gratify the effort: language barriers at their finest.  We embrace and define our stereotype without recognition, and if we should eventually see past the foreign barricades of our minds this undermining blight would be demolished.

              Positive international influence is hard to come by now in America, but I can recall an influential television show that spanned the length of my adolescence and contributed to the few small ideals of my childhood. Madeline, a French cartoon series taking place in Paris, aired throughout the 1990's. Without my knowing, I began to call my grandmother “Ma-mear” before I was even able to recall my memories: according to my mother it was the second slightly-comprehensible word I chanted. As the years lagged on, I had always figured that my quirky mind had created this strange word during infancy, which was not uncommon, yet my grandmother enthusiastically surprised me with one of her usual “facts of the year.” Unlike the others, this fact rattled my brain for years and caused me to consult to an expert. The word “Ma-Mear” comes from the 1990’s French-slang word “Mémere” meaning “grandmother.” Unbelievable, I thought. How can you speak part of a language without even knowing? Shocked and shaken, my French-speaking friend from Quebec confirmed this statement. Shocked as I was, I found peace of mind when I realized how strong such small influences can actually be in a child’s life. Across the globe, from Germany to Hong Kong, foreign avails prove to create qualities for which all men aspire: open-mindedness, understanding, critical knowledge, and overall acceptance.  The mentality of unimportance suppresses these qualities and encompasses Americans into the vulnerable, ignorant void.

             “Well, if they decide to come to this country, they should have the decency to know our damn language.” I cannot begin to count the times I’ve heard my conservative, mustache-twirling Grandfather recite these words. Most all American immigrants have a decent sense of English due to the harsh expectations exemplified by my Grandfather. Society’s norm is: “That’s the way it should be.” Where has this norm come from, and why has it grown so strong? As I reentered the United States after my world-wide voyage, I trod my tired, home-sick feet into the threshold of the Dallas-Fortworth International Airport where we were subject to customs, questions, and strange coincidences. Accompanied by a monolingual, elderly Venezuelan women with whom I had bared a ten-hour elbow-to-elbow flight, I heaved up my bags and set my place in custom’s US Citizen Line. The apathetic announcement of the intercom’s “requesting [of] a Spanish translator in line seventeen” rang through my ears consistently for the following hour. At that point, an itch I’d been trying to scratch for months became quite obvious and easy to reach. Taking into account that I had recently been scouring Europe where seventy-five percent of train station, airport, and bus workers were no less than trilingual, this shocking, newly-discovered itch quickly turned into disappointing and irksome nail-to-skin scrapings. I was not so much frustrated by the fact that many of the clerks did not possess these basic communication skills as to how unwilling they were to obtain them. The world is expanding and so is the need to communicate and translate for others not native to this country. If customs officials, even ones working in such a large international airport, are this blind and uncaring to the problem of miscommunication and overall disinterest, then what hope do we have for future generations? The exercise of apathy is weakening our nation at a steady rate. We are in direct interaction to this problem, yet cultural and linguistic drive is still not present and the need unrecognized in American society. We continue to bury ourselves deeper into a hope-less pit: job opportunities in international fields are steadily growing, and unable Americans stagger at and complain of unemployment. To cease falling slaves to our apathy, we must adapt to the time period of expansion and contribute to the global requirements of language and cultural acceptance.

                       Without constructive knowledge, our united land will internally crumble: America cannot thrive in our world-wide community if we continue to ignore society's pleas for cooperation. The multilingual influence, foreign knowledge, and unquestioned global acceptance of our fellow countries bring forth numerous ideals which provide a potential domino-effect formula for the solution Americans face: positive influence embraces interaction which in turn creates acceptance, interest, knowledge, and even linguistics. We can dispose of the “that’s the way it should be” theory and begin pumping power into our nation by providing support to those with whom we share the oceans. When the importance of global interaction is left on the back-burner, we will never find liberation from the destructive American standard that will potentially turn the heart of our multi-continental organism mute and life-less.

Personal Narrative

The American Lack

New opportunities, new ideals that never mattered nor existed before- a new world; these thoughts whirl around my skull as I exit the doors of the Madrid International Airport. I carry my bags onto the sweat-filled bus heading north-east to the city of Pamplona, home of San Fermin (aka The Running of the Bulls) and for the next six months, home to me. I embraced the town’s mountain-fresh air and the crisp cleanliness of wealthy city-life. Beginning classes and nestling into a new international community, I was exposed to endless cultures; some which I had never known existed.  I found myself surrounded by German, Singaporean, Chinese, Australian, Finnish, Czech, Greek, and Canadian influences daily. My ideals, ideas, and overall knowledge expanded every time I held a conversation with each and every one of my peers. During one of these intriguing conversations, I was introduced to a sadness that overcame me and my ultimate way of thinking. This has led me to my writings, actions, and beliefs even here in Asheville, NC. I was made aware of how much of the American culture and history my international friends were aware of and how little I knew of theirs.

Was this lack of knowledge my fault? Or did it only uncover something buried deep into my background- all of the American backgrounds? Lack. Apathy. Cages. Bubbles. Influence; my brain flooded with these words as the epiphany spread throughout my being. Questions arose which had never bothered me before: “Why was I only required to take one semester of world-history classes, and two years of U.S history?” “Why are we required to take foreign language classes, yet no one cares that nearly none of us can actually speak the language that we spend at least one year studying?” “How can we be one of the leading world powers when we are so barricaded from the rest of the world?” Our country is caught in this bubble of white-picket fences and “The American Dream”.  Does our dream not consist of expanding our horizons in order to further understand the ways of the world? I believe it is of uttermost importance that our country prospers in this area of knowledge in order to contribute and understand the actions of the world around us.

Beginning the week before Semana Santa, a large religious festival held in Spain during the week of Easter, a group of friends and I set out for our European adventure. During our next three weeks, we were to embark on a journey through Morocco and Andalucía. We set out on our way in search of knowledge, new cultures, and fun. We began with a 12-hour bus ride to Sevilla in southern Spain where we caught a flight to Morocco for the weekend. I was extremely surprised at the ease and affordability of traveling around different countries. The price of a flight from Texas to North Carolina would easily equal the same rate as traveling from Northern Spain to Morocco, then to Portugal and back. I see this factor as a barricade for Americans to spread their experiences. Once we crossed the African boarder and flew into Marrakesh, I noticed the heavy French and Arabic Influences, though not too much from Spanish culture. From street signs to market menus, worldly influence was obviously dominant. As we marched through the dusty streets hoping to locate our hostel before dark, I heard at least one word in nearly every language: “nǐ hǎo” “Konnichiwa” “Hallo” “Hola” “Bonjour”. This experience really opened my eyes to how positive influence and constant interaction could largely affect a nation’s acceptance and knowledge. Even in our hostel, the Moroccans’ genuine interest and acceptance made each visitor feel at home. The owner of the hostel, Rashid, kept us up nearly all night, every night, asking questions about our stories and sharing his journeys with us. He knew nearly infinite facts and aspects about the world; my jaw dropped once he stated that he had never been outside of Morocco. Through his experience with tourism and positive, multicultural interactions, Rashid had gained insight and geographical wisdom of the world beyond his African home.

With an unmistakable “homey” feeling, my companions and I safely returned back to Spain. From Seville we began “Andalucía hopping” around Granada, Malaga, Ronda, Valencia, and Cadiz. Because I have traveled very little in my own country (going no farther west than Manchester, TN), I was astounded at the extreme cultural difference found only inside Spain itself.  From Catalan, Basque, and Moorish influences, Spain continues to grow as a separate yet unified nation. These influences are strongly embraced through acts of nationalism around the Iberian Peninsula. Each area is greatly defined through separate styles, languages, and ideas such as: the Basque country’s dred-mullets and farming-by-the-sea techniques, Ronda’s southern accents, flamenco, and hanging-cliff landscapes, and Valencia’s Catalan-influenced language and coastal, fire-loving heritage. Each section of Spain publicizes its differences which individualize the provinces. The embracement of heritage and acceptance of those around them creates a strongly unified country. This unification does indeed remind me of the United States, yet I feel as though we do not bring forth our strong differences in the same manner as the Spaniards. Regardless of our area, South-eastern, Northern, Western, etc, I believe that we should show pride in our region and make our differences widely known and more understood throughout our country and the world. Very little Europeans understand why the southern accent is so strong below Virginia, but not so prominent in Florida and completely different in Texas. These are facts that we should share and embrace as another “separate yet unified” country in order to expand the global understanding of Americans and for us to understand that of other cultures.

Without a doubt we are quite a sheltered nation. Are we to blame ourselves or our past generations for our American lack? Is there even anyone to blame? Regardless of where the fault lies, we must fight for our solutions in order to break free of our bubble. The spread of knowledge in schools and communities is only the first step to spreading acceptance among other citizens. Multicultural activities and festivals could also help engage Americans to refinement and understanding. Long paths lie ahead in order to obtain this goal, but the benefits are necessary for our nation, without which we cannot intend to globally prosper.

Ignoring the Globe: Inexistent Cultural Awareness

                                     
“It is only through thriving diversity of cultures that the depth and breadth of human potential can fully articulate”
             -Ashwani Peetush

             Nada, 無, Rien, Nichts, Nothing: this is what our nation is doing in attempts to abolish the Ignorant American stereotype found across the globe. In the United States, we are less exposed to other cultures than, for example, European regions. The benefits of cultural enrichment and bilingual knowledge are vital in today's society, but do we really understand their importance? I realized the lack of foreign activism and education within my nation after migrating to Navarre, Spain, for a chance to submerge myself in the many astounding cultures of the world. Once settled, I became part of an equally-diverse community of which I had never given much thought- “the foreigners.” We ranged from the four corners of the world: Finland, Canada, Poland, USA, Czech Republic, Singapore, Australia, Greece, Hong Kong, Italy, Holland, etc. We were all so different, yet very much alike. Like cells that compose the human body, all unique and vital for certain purposes, we separately collaborated to keep our communal body alive and pumping through our varieties of knowledge and experience. This personal unity of working together is the basis of life: we as humans are very much akin, yet we cannot attempt to coincide if communication, understanding, and appreciation are deemed irrelevant and ungrounded. With the disinteresting factors of distance, lack of influence, apathetic expectations, and overall empty acceptance, the American heart-land is not contributing to the world’s living body. Through my travels, I have searched and pin-pointed the opinions and contributors that are fueling the ignorant stereotype that defines this nation.

Beginning the week before Semana Santa, a large religious festival held in Spain during the week of Easter, a group of friends and I set out for our European adventure. During our next three weeks, we were to embark on a journey through Morocco and Andalucía. We set out on our way in search of knowledge, new cultures, and fun. We began with a 12-hour bus ride to Sevilla in southern Spain where we caught a flight to Morocco for the weekend. I was extremely surprised at the ease and affordability of traveling around different countries. The price of a flight from Texas to North Carolina would easily equal the same rate as traveling from Northern Spain to Morocco, then to Portugal and back. I see this factor as a barricade for Americans to spread their experiences.*
Once we crossed the Gibraltar Stright , I noticed the heavy French and Arabic influences. From street signs to market menus, worldly influence was obviously dominant. As we marched through the dusty streets hoping to locate our hostel before dark, I heard at least one word in nearly every language: “nǐ hǎo” “Konnichiwa” “Hallo” “Hola” “Bonjour”. This experience really opened my eyes to how positive influence and constant interaction could largely affect a nation’s acceptance and knowledge. Even in our hostel, the Moroccans’ genuine interest and acceptance made each visitor feel at home. The owner of the hostel, Rashid, kept us up nearly all night, every night, asking questions about our stories and sharing his journeys with us. He knew nearly infinite facts and aspects about the world; my jaw dropped once he stated that he had never been outside of Morocco. Through his experience with tourism and positive, multicultural interactions, Rashid had gained insight and geographical wisdom of the world beyond his African home.

From Seville we began “Andalucía hopping” around Granada, Malaga, Ronda, Valencia, and Cadiz. Because I have traveled very little in my own country (going no farther west than Manchester, TN), I was astounded at the extreme cultural difference found only inside Spain itself.  From Catalan, Basque, and Moorish influences, Spain continues to grow as a separate yet unified nation. These influences are strongly embraced through acts of nationalism around the Iberian Peninsula. Each area is greatly defined through separate styles, languages, and ideas such as: the Basque country’s dred-mullets and farming-by-the-sea techniques, Ronda’s southern accents, flamenco, and hanging-cliff landscapes, and Valencia’s Catalan-influenced language and coastal, fire-loving heritage. Each section of Spain publicizes its differences which individualize the provinces. The embracement of heritage and acceptance of those around them creates a strongly unified country.

Upcoming Service Learning

My final volunteer option is to take place December 5th at CVCC, the local community college in my home town. It is the Hmong celebration and appreciation event. I anticipate this experience as being much more different compared to the previous Hispanic celebration because I know very little of Hmong culture. Therefore, I am researching a bit of typical Hmong heritage and its valued customs and traditions:

During the New Year's celebration, Hmong dress in traditional clothing and enjoy Hmong traditional foods, dance, music, bull fights, and other forms of entertainment. The Hmong ball tossing game pov pob is a common activity. Their typical religion relies in spirituality and shamanism.

This information is only from a Wikipedia source. My goal is to test these facts by talking to those with first hand knowledge-the Hmong population. By December 5th pictures and clarifications on the above assertions shall be posted.