Embracing Cultural Diversity: A Celebration of Global Connections

[Ivan Seeking]

Originally posted by Monique
I would like to know if there are people here who enjoy other cultures as much as me.. I have personally known people directly from the following countries:

Bulgaria, Croatia, Canada, Zimbabwe, South-Africa, Finland, Japan, China, South-Korea, India, Romania, Australia, Taiwan, Germany, Bangladesh, Brazil, Russia, Armenia, Iran, France, Pakistan, Italy, Poland, United States, Lithuania, Belgium, Great Britain, Ireland, Spain.

I am lucky enough to say that most of them I have gotten to know well enough to call them my friends. Every week, for about two years, I used to go to the Institute of Arts Film Theater, and have seen films from about the same number of countries as listed above. Besides that, I have also enjoyed the cultural cuisines of a dozen countries, going exotic such as internal organs and chicken paws.

Anyone a word on this?

*edit* let's not talk about racism, cultural diversity should be cherished, right?

A related story:

Tales from Japan

IF you've never visited the Land of the Rising Sun, you probably believe what the guide books say, that the Japanese are a stoic and outrageously straight-laced bunch. And they can be.

But beneath the kimonos and ubiquitous three-piece suits, lies a wild and wacky sense of humour that could only belong to the race that invented the self-warming toilet seat and a walking machine for overweight pets.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,7527113%255E11869,00.html

 

[Zantra]

I've had solpis- it's a coconut-like drink- tasty.

 

[sage]

Originally posted by Monique
Btw, I have also taken an interest in music sung in foreign languages, this one being my favorite, known by heart. The one knowing the language in which it is sung, may speak up and sing aloud

YOu KNOW HINDI MONIQUE? your zeal to interact with other cultures and thoughts is praiseworthy indeed. alas if everyone were as sensitive and tolerant towards people of other cultures this world would have been a much better place. and yes, indians in general are very pious; that is their greatest strength as well as their greatest weakness. most indian movies today are extremely silly. but see mr. and mrs. Iyyer for a really good one. there are a few others, but mostly non-english.you can read poems too, those of rabindranath are heavenly-but i am not to sure if their beuty survives after an english translation, you'll be the judge of that.

 

[Monique]

Hi Sage, I too think sensitivity and tolerance would make the world a better place. Recognizing difference should lead to a deeper understanding, rather than division. In the Netherlands we have got so many people from arabic countries, the division is great with the western world and conficts arise due to misunderstanding and miscommunication. If people were more interested in cultural backgrounds and would start a conversation with the local arabic grocery store owner, rather than shy away from what is not their own, integration would be greatly facilitated.

Languages are not my best asset, unfortunately, it's a shame since learning dutch, english, german and french is mandatory in high school. I am fluent in Dutch and English, rusty in the others. But yes, I have seen many Hindi movies (Hum dil de chuke sanam, Devdas, Main prem ki diwani hoon, Mujhse dosti karoge, Khabhi khushi kabhie gham, Company, American Desi, to name a few) so I know the basic lingo :) Namaste, aap kaise hai? Is a good starter for instance :P

I'll try and look up that poeter you mentioned.

 

[Zero]

I am only excellent with different languages...I relate better on a musical standpoint, simply because I think mostly in symbols and music.

 

[Zantra]

I'm jack of all languages, master of none. I wish I had the time and commitment to learn more, but it tends to be very time consuming, and you forget so much if you don't practice regularly. I always confuse dutch and swedish, because they look so similar.

One of these days, I'd love to visit amsterdamn and see the pissing boy

 

[Monique]

Well, you will find a lot of pissing boys in Amsterdam, but I guess most people go to Brussels for that..

It is funny that you say Dutch and Swedish are very similar, I once met a group of Swedish people and they were telling me that there are a lot of Dutch students in Sweden (something I was and am totally unaware of). They also said that Dutch people taking Swedish classes is no fair, they get it after two lessons.. I guess it is time for me to go to Sweden and check it out myself

 

[Zantra]

Originally posted by Monique
Well, you will find a lot of pissing boys in Amsterdam, but I guess most people go to Brussels for that..

It is funny that you say Dutch and Swedish are very similar, I once met a group of Swedish people and they were telling me that there are a lot of Dutch students in Sweden (something I was and am totally unaware of). They also said that Dutch people taking Swedish classes is no fair, they get it after two lessons.. I guess it is time for me to go to Sweden and check it out myself

oops. my bad. I guess the pissing boy of amsterdam isn't quite as famous

 

[Monique]

haha.

I've got a story btw, people might be suprised.. its kinda sad though :( It was last summer when I was flying from Amsterdam back to Detroit, I was sitting next to a young, 18 year old, American girl and she was totally bummed out. I asked her her story. She told me she is a language freak (she did look kinda freaky) and that she absolutely loved English language and that Hindi was her passion too. Not anymore though, she said. It turned out she had arranged to volunteer teaching young schoolchildren English in Bombay. I mean, Bombay is halfway around the world! It must take like 20 hours flying there, probably longer with the layovers. So I was impressed, such a young girl from the States going to a place I imagine can be very chaotic for a Westerner. Well, she continued. She probably spent 30 minutes on Indian grounds before she was deported from the country.. apparently no one had told her that a visa would be needed. Can you imaging? Spending like $2000 on a ticket, flying 20 hours, full ambition, being sent back another 20 hours, loosing your ambition and coming home. All of a sudden my story didn't seem that important anymore :P

 

[Milo Hobgoblin]

"*edit* let's not talk about racism, cultural diversity should be cherished, right?"

No. Generally speaking homogenous cultures have much lower crime rates, much lower rates of competition for resources and are generally much more pleasant.

Its great to enjoy them.. visit them.. whatever. But for the most part.. they just don't mix well and never will. Humans will always defend their own.. self, family, tribe.

Denying that .. denies one of the basic premises of a board founded on science.

Of course the politically correct will deny this.. go on about how diversity enriches life, the hard working immigrants. These are the same people who don't live in diverse neighborhoods.. they visit them when they want "diversity".. but they segregate themselves form the unsavory side effects.

The reality is.. without government intereference.. cultural diversity has never worked when left to its own devices.

 

[scorpa]

Hmmm seems I have totally missed the boat on this thread but I will chime in now. I haven't had time to read all of it yet but anyway I also love culture. I love reading and learning about it. I had a teacher in high school that has been all over the world, and when he goes he doesn't stay in fancy resorts he is more likely to sleep at the side of a road somewhere haha, but anyway he used to show us the coolest pictures and tell the best stories of everything he has experienced. One day when I have more time I would love to learn Russian and go there, I just hope one day I have a job where I can afford to travel the world.