#USA

"Land of the free and the home of the brave."

Earlier this semester in my comparative literature class the question of America's culture came up. To my surprise, I found out that a lot of students in my class weren't very fond of America's culture. They went on to describe it as overwhelming and too dominant. Later, I found out that these students weren't originally from America and they felt that their native culture was getting covered up. So, is America really a mixing pot? I would say so. America’s culture is influenced by almost every region in the world. Everyone adds their own flavor. Because of things like this, things such as America not having an official language emerge. 

Soon a whole class discussion started. The class immediately split into two sections: America's culture being too overpower v. America is the best. "I think you guys forget why you or your family came to America in the first place. It was to find new opportunities and to excel in life," said my classmate. And of course this brought up the "American Dream".

When I think of the American Dream, the vision I get is: a nice house with a large yard surrounded by a white fence and beautiful flower beds. Careless happy kids running around the yard with two dogs following close behind. And this whole time their parents watch from the porch drinking lemonade.

The biggest shift that has come about in American culture is dominance. America at one point in time was influenced by every other country and now, America influences almost every country.

Freedom is an important part of American culture. Freedom has allowed American culture to work in ways that other culture cannot. For example, almost every religion is practiced here because of religious freedom. Visitors are often amazed that they can visit major cities such as New York and see so many people of different religions living together so peacefully because religion causes so many problems throughout the rest of the world.

Also, the freedom of expression. The way American’s dress may be the second biggest way of how we choose to express ourselves, behind our voices. Clothing varies depending on occupation, climate, social status, and region. Additionally, it is widely influenced by the media.

The ability have Americans have to come together can be easily seen in the sports world. Sports is a big thing in American culture, because this is a diverse country, sports give us the opportunity to come together. Although, we may have different favorite teams, many Americans bond over football, baseball, basketball, hockey, and many other sports.

The most important part of American culture is our ability to show love. Although 9/11 was an awful time for the country, the support and love that was passed along by Americans quickly filled the country with an honest connection. It showed how that no matter our big our differences, we can come together to be one. American spirit and love is definitely hard to shake.

                                                                 #USA

Thanks for reading. 

PS (I love) U

"WE ARE..."

It was getting close to May 1st, #nationaldecisionday, and I knew I needed to pick a college. A major influence on my decision was the location of the school and what surrounded it. So, my options were: a college town or city life. I visited both colleges but the first step onto Penn State, I fell in love. So, now I'm here and I still love it.

Everything in this community revolves around Penn State. (When I was driving here for NSO, every gas station I stopped at had PSU gear.) Even around Halloween, Professor Kramer explained that she took her kids treat-or-treating on the Thursday before Halloween because there was a football game that Saturday, so everyone would be there! With everything revolving around the school, Penn State has to have its own culture, right? What is Penn State culture? I would describe it as prideful and strong.

One of greatest things about this school is the academics. The abundance amount of research performed by students is wonderful. Also, with having the largest alumni network in the world, not only do we receive a great education, we have ample opportunities to enter a wonderful career once we graduate.

Last year, the Ethics Resource Center here at Penn State conducted a survey to see the values of the community that make up PSU. “By conducting this survey, we believe that Penn State has set a new standard for higher education,” said Pat Harned, president of ERC. The survey showed that we value: Integrity, respect, responsibility, discovery, excellence, and community. We strive to better ourselves and our relationships, while being respectful and responsible. 

Me and my friend, Brandon. 

One of my favorite things about Penn State is that although we are a good academic school, we also excel in sports. The feel of community is strongest at sporting events.

Staying up all night (accidentally) to make sure I got student section tickets was easily one of my best decisions this year. Looking around and seeing that you are surrounded by 21,000 of your classmates, the largest student section in the world, is a wonderful feeling. But on big games, seeing 107k is even better. I always look forward to singing "Sweet Caroline" and all the cheers. The only thing that could make the football games better would be being in the S-Zone. I have had the opportunity to be in the S-Zone twice, once against Rutgers and during Homecoming. I lost my voice both times but it was worth it.  

Before the Indiana game.

Another major event that plays apart in the community is THON. This 46 hour dance marathon that raises money throughout the year for pediatric cancer. Although THON has been bumpy process this year, the bottom line and meaning serves a great purpose. Through raising money for pediatric cancer and providing support for the families, the students become closer by supporting a wonderful cause.

Game against Illinois which was the "THON" game.  

AND I can't forget the ice cream!!! Actually, I think I'll go get some later today. It has been a PSU tradition since 1865. According the the website, "The mission of the Berkey Creamery is to support the teaching, research and outreach programs of the Department of Food Science, to provide quality dairy products to students on-campus housing, and to maintain an economically viable retail outlet for diary products to the University community." Recently, with the 150th birthday being passed, my favorite flavor has become "Birthday Bash," what's yours?

Overall, being a Penn State student and living in this upbeat community is a wonderful experience and something that I will be grateful for forever.

"PENN STATE"

Thanks for reading. :)

Preview of the Arab World

“Mom, I want to learn a new language, maybe Arabic or Mandarin.”

“Okay Ryann, whatever,” said my mom.

She was all too familiar with my desire to try new things and it ending in the wrong ways.

She wasn’t a stranger to my attempts to learn a new language, as I took Spanish in the 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th,8^th, and 9^th grades, but I never really started to learn it until my friend, Lydia from an earlier post, started speaking it to me on a daily basis. SO, I waited and waited until new student orientation so I could make my schedule and pursue my desire to learn a new language.

Of course making a schedule was last thing on the list. So, at new student orientation, I patiently waited for the second day and the last activity so I could make my schedule. Finally, after what seemed like forever, my group was walking to the bottom level of Willard to make our schedule. We were assigned two to an advisor. (Fun fact: This is where I met Sarah and probably the reason as to why we have so many class together!)

Once I came back upstairs my mom was anxious to see my schedule and was surprised to see that I had actually included Arabic. Every day I have Arabic and learning is a struggle but I have had many opportunities outside of class to explore the language and culture.

A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend an “Arabic social”.

The first man I spoke to was from the United Arab Emirates. He explained to me that they own the tallest building in the world. They are more westernized than many Arab countries, to include having the availability to night clubs. Family life is kept extremely private. Dubai is one of the most well-known cities in the Middle East and it is in the UAE. Also, he explained that the Emirati society is divided into two social groups, the nationals and the foreign immigrants. Men who are of Emirati decent wear a white robe and white head cloth with a black rope. Women wear long dresses with a hijab and a black cloak.

The last person I got to speak to was from Saudi Arabia. Speaking to her was the most exciting because she understood that I was a new speaker and went slow with me, therefore, I was able to understand most of what she was saying! As she offered us coffee and dattes, she explained that her country was big and beautiful. This is a very popular place for Muslims to travel to, as Mecca is there and they must visit at least once in their lifetimes. The citizens wear their different clothing which is traditional and special to their country. Also, she spoke of the gender roles which included women not being able to drive and that men and women are not allowed in dark areas together, therefore, there are few to none movie theatres or things of entertainment close to that.

Although these countries have their differences they are similar in the fact that they are all under monarchy, they all speak Arabic (but in their own different dialects), and are both Muslim countries.

Thank you for reading. 

Dance, Dance.

It can easily be said that dance is NOT a culture of its own but that it IS a part of culture. I agree with this argument but I also believe that dance exists as a culture creator and to bring people together. Though many dances may have a specific meaning behind them, I believe that it allows people from all different backgrounds and nationalities to come together and have a joyful moment. This week, instead of talking about culture behind nationalities, I want to focus on the culture behind dance. This idea first came to my head while I was watching the dance competition for homecoming 2 weeks ago. In just that one competition, so many different types of dancing styles were showcased. From hip pop to ballet, this competition proved that, no matter your style, there’s a type of dance for you. Dance is one of many things that people around the world use to express themselves. It is way to express yourself without using words. You let the expression flow through your body and create beautiful art. There are many types of dance from bellying dancing to tap dance and everyone has a perfect fit for them.

Dance plays such an important role in entertainment, exercise, and happiness, that everywhere you go you’ll encounter it. Just walking through the hub today, I’ve seen a few people dancing to their own beats. Because dance is so popular it appears often in our media. There are many games, movies, and TV that highlight the importance of dance. Main characters in these series let dance have a major influence on their character. Apart from popular culture, dance also plays a role in religious and worship groups. Many churches have dance groups, called “praise groups” to help with the overall feel of the church.

There are many different types of dances and everyday more types are added over time. There have always been types of dance like hip hop, ballet, or breakdancing but now more specific dances are coming out. Now-a-days when a new dance is released it has a song to go with it such as the “nae-nae”, verses old times when you learned a type of dance that goes with many different songs, as long as you can find the beat. But just as with everything else, time changes everything including dance.

In the 1920’s that rise of jazz became popular in dance culture. Dances such as “the Charleston” and “the Lindy Hop” became popular during this time period. A few decades later, in the 1970’s and 80’s, is when the idea of hip pop got big. This type of dance not only brought on a new way of dancing but cause a change in fashion and media as well. To this day hip hop still has an influence on our style and music. Pop music always begun to be a big hit as pop-star, Michael Jackson, is of course known for his “moonwalk”. I’m not sure to you, but I wasn’t aware that crowd surfing was a time of dance, it’s called “moshing” and is when people dance closely and aggressively. This kind of dance appeared when punk rock also took off in the 1980’s and 90’s. Of course, Line Dancing is very popular especially in country music. And with more current dances of today such as the Harlem Shake and Gangnam Style, it’s all clear that the bottom line of dancing is just to have fun. So whether you only feel comfortable dancing at home in front of a mirror or you’re the animal of the party, have fun dancing because it brings happiness.

Thanks for reading, J

The Land Down Under

The Land Down Under

The wild outback, kangaroos, the Great Barrier Reef…? How often do we forget about Australia, the land down under? The Aussie’s with the Australian English with a touch British regional dialect (I love their accents!).  Personally, it used to be my dream place to live. I wanted to be a marine biologist and just spend my days enjoying the abundance of natural beauty that the country has to offer. Sadly, now the only time Australia ever crosses my mind is when I go to Outback Steakhouse.

Australia is the 6th largest country in the world and 91% of the country is covered in vegetation. This country is known for its wonderful and natural beauty. The Great Barrier Reef, arguably the most beautiful aspect of the country, is the largest living structure. It’s the size of 70 million football fields or half the size of Texas! The second most beautiful aspect of Australia that comes to my mind is the Outback. Well, I guess beautifully dangerous. Due to this fact, more than 80% if the population live within 100 kilometers of the coast. With so many people near the coast, the outback is one of the many beautiful aspects of Australia. This also causes the country to be one of the world’s most flourishing and populated coastal areas. Both the outback and the Great Barrier Reef have so many unique animals such as koalas, kangaroos, emus, kookaburras, and platypus. These are some of the components that help this country maintain it’s incredibly rich and diverse feel. And let’s not forget the Sydney Opera House.

Also, the many different types of people and languages contribute to the diverse culture of Australia. Today Australia is very multicultural. Over 200 different languages are spoken. And with so many different languages, of course there’s going to be a multitude of different dialects. Besides English, the most popular languages are Italian, Greek, Arabic, and Mandarin. The typical “Aussie” seems so “happy-go-lucky”. Maybe it’s because of the amount of acceptance of different viewpoints that makes them this way. Although, Australia started as an imprisonment colony, now the crime rates aren’t too terrible.  They just seem so peaceful and never have much to do with the major problems and communications in the world. Australia day is a celebration of reflections on Australian history, landscape, official community awards, and citizenship ceremonies welcoming new immigrants into the Australian community. This holiday also is used to celebrate the many different nationalities of people and how they come together. Australia’s culture is heavily influenced on Western culture. Even in a sense of economy. There’s a working, middle, upper class and the gap between rich and poor is widening.

Fun fact: Canberra is the capital of Australia. This decision was made in 1908 as a compromise. The rival cities, Sydney and Melbourne, Australia’s two largest cities, both wanted to be named the capital. And due to the heavy influence of the natural beauty of the country, the Garden City Movement inspired the design of the city. 

Thanks for reading :)

Ethiopia!

This week I’m choosing to write about Ethiopian culture! Ethiopia is the second highest populated country in Africa. In my AP Human Geography class, for one of my projects, I had to try food from a different country and write about my experience. Through this experience I learned that I am not a big fan of Ethiopian food because they eat most their food with injera, and I wasn’t a fan of that. The national food of Ethiopia is wat. Wat is basically a spicy stew that is accompanied with injera, a spongy flat bread, and can be made with many different kinds of meats. The spice that makes the stew hot is called berbere.

Also in my class, we had a day in which we just tried coffee from different countries, and it so happened that we got to try coffee from Ethiopia. In Ethiopia, coffee is referred to as bunna and it is a very popular drink. There is a ceremony that is basically called the “coffee ceremony”. This is a very traditional and unique ceremony. The coffee gets roasted and grounded, then it is placed in a jebena (coffee pot) and served to the attendees of the ceremony.  

Modern clothing in Ethiopia is starting to take on a western feel. The people of Ethiopia wear many different types of clothing. The traditional dress consists of white cotton cloth. Men wear long, jodhpur-like pants, a tight-fitting shirt and a shamma (loose wrap). For women, wraps are also very popular but they are more colorful and bold. Much of the traditional clothing will be worn to festivals and fun events such as parades.

In Ethiopia the people still live under a caste system, in which there are 4 main levels. People of the higher levels have a life like you and I. The kids go off to school in the morning as the parents go to work. They come home, have dinner, and family time and do as they please. The people of the lower levels live more of a traditional life. The father works and the mothers tend to stay home and take care of the children and home. Schooling is free but to purchase the required materials can get costly, so many kids miss out on an education. But in all the different social and economic groups, religion plays a major role. Christianity and Islam are two of the major and oldest religions of Ethiopia. Prayer is incorporated into many lives.

Ethiopia, is a multi-ethnic state. Many aspects tend to get hidden by intermarriage over the years. But also many remain. An easy way to notice many of the differences is by recognizing the amount of languages that are spoken, 83. And on top of those many different languages there are over 200 different types of dialects.

Music plays an important role in Ethiopian culture, as it does with many cultures. Ethiopia has a rich variety of music, singing, and dancing, but when these come together they build an important part of Ethiopian cultural life. Singing accompanies many agricultural activities, as well as religious festivals and ceremonies surround important live events such as birth, marriage and death.

Overall, Ethiopian culture is built with sincerity. Their way of life may seem like a step back in time to us but it highlights the beauty of simplicity. Thanks for reading.

North Korea

What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when someone mentions North Korea? Starvation? Malnourishment? Evilness? Or maybe even people who are so brainwashed that they’re almost robot-like? For me, it’s isolation or maybe the movie TheInterview. With all the negative information sometimes it’s hard to imagine that North Koreans have a culture.

It’s obvious that North Koreans have extremely limited freedom. So, how does that impact their culture?

In Western society, technology plays a major role in almost everything. In North Korea technology is a luxury. There are 4 main TV channels:

• Central TV Channel is for politically important news.

• Mansudae Channel for foreign country news (which probably doesn’t show much).

• Sports Channel is for sports.

• Cable line Channel, well, it’s basic cable TV.

Also, there is internet, not highly advanced but it is there. Additionally, it’s really hard to get ahold of. You have to go through several steps. First, you would have to buy a computer on your $25-$30 a month budget. Then once you get the computer, you have to get a license. Like how Americans need a license to get a car? Yeah, you need one of those to get a computer. And on top of all those troubles, you have to get permission from the government. So, internet at home?? Probably a no. Soooo, cell phones?? Yes, they are there but once again, they are highly controlled by the government and can’t make any calls outside of the country.

Education seems as if it’s high up on the list. The education is free from the ages of 5-7. Everyone studies very hard so they don’t have to pay tuition at the university. Technically, North Koreans speak the same language as South Korea, Korean. It’s very important for men to be educated because to marry you must be educated or in the army. “When can I eat your cold noodles?” That’s what you say if you want to join a wedding party.

Meat soup and white rice used to symbolize a sense of wealth. Visitors are often well feed but it is becoming obvious to the outside world that many North Koreans are suffering from starvation due to the lack of food that the country is able to provide. Also, North Koreans are not accumstomed to having spicy foods or many seasonings. Another important point, candy or sweets are not provided *cries*. All the food is regulated, just like everything else.

Though North Korea claims they are a classless society, there is a CLEAR divide between the politically important and the politically unimportant. Your rank in the country strongly depends on your family’s involvement with the leader or military involvement.

Overall, the government controls and regulates everything. The culture is based off of traditional Korean culture. What makes it so unique is because it is so isolated. Many times when the world hears from North Korea it’s a war threat. Though, many people try to get out of North Korea and explore new things, it’s next to impossible.

 Fun Fact, Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea has the largest stadium in the world. It is able to hold 150,000 people. The third largest stadium in the world belongs to The Pennsylvania State University with being able to hold 107,282 people.

Thank you for reading! J

¡Cultura española!

I’m not exactly an expert on Spanish culture but I do think I have had a lot of experience with it. I took Spanish in the 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, 8^th, and 9^th grades only to NOT be fluent in it in any way. Of course I can count to 39 (weird place to stop), get through the basic “Hola, cómo estás, cómo te llamas, y adios”, but nothing more than that.

 Fortunately, during my senior year of high school I was honored to meet one of my best friends, Lydia!!! When I met her she had only been in the US for about 4 months.  Of course that first thing I noticed was her accent and had to ask “omg, where are you from?!” I was so amazed to learn she was from Cartagena, Spain and that she was so cool. Going to Lydia’s house was where I was exposed to and learned most about Spanish culture. Her mom only speaks Spanish so I would try my hardest to keep up at breakfast time but my little bit of Spanish was NOT cutting it. Just a hint Spaniard’s tend to speak loudly, they aren’t arguing or mad, lol.

It’s also important to note that Spanish and South/Central Americans are TWO different groups of people. I cannot count the amount of times that Lydia has gotten mad because someone said she was from Mexico or even that people think Spain is next Mexico (yes, it’s not uncommon that we hear that. Also, fun fact: a girl from our high school thought Jamaica was next to Africa.)

“In Spain, we don’t sing the national anthem as much as Americans. We don’t sing it at the beginning of HS sporting events. We don’t put our hand on our heart. Even some people believe that overly representing the flag, the way that’s normal to Americans, symbolizes our past dictatorship. It’s not as patriotic as the American flag is.” -Lydia

Food! I love food! We when I first heard that it’s common to get out of school to go have lunch with your family, I was quite jealous. Meals are almost always eaten with your family. It’s a time to get together and enjoy each other’s company. Lunch is usually around 2. Later there is a time for a snack, Merienda, after, of course, your wonderful nap. Then time for dinner around 9! Many popular dishes include:

 Paella

Fabada 

Lentejas

& there is always bread at every meal. It’s not uncommon for your mom to tell you to go down the street and get bread.

Like many cultures, family and friends are very important. Spanish culture is a really face-to-face and highly social culture. Yes, they all have phones but they know how to put them down when it’s time to go out and fun! Many people live in city-like areas so it is normal to walk everywhere and to meet new people along the way. But typically, you’d stick with a group of people and become close with them. Also, it seems that Spanish culture has tons of freedom (no curfew), not only in what they are allowed to do but also in how they think. For example, the legal drinking age in Spain is 18. Here it’s obviously 21. Alcohol isn’t made out to be such an exciting thing because the rules aren’t as strict and also they are more aware about the consequences than the typical American.

The most prominent sport? You guessed it, Fútbol!!!!!!!!!! It’s always entertaining to watch sports and to be accompanied by so many people who share a similar interest with you.

 

Like any culture, Spanish culture has it's little weird and unimaginable things about it, things you and I would never think of being important. For example, PERSIANAS (blinds)!!! Here is a quick, summarized list of neat aspects of Spanish culture. And lastly, a song to check out if you are interested. 

Thanks for reading! :)

What is Culture?

Is it even possible to list the amount of cultures in the world? What exactly is culture? I suppose it depends on who you speak to. To one person there could be 9 different cultures, but to the next person there could be over 9,000. Culture is a mixture of religion, what you eat, what you wear, how you wear it, what language you speak, what you think is right, what you think is wrong, your morals and traditions, etc. Being that my major is international politics, I'm quite sure running into different cultures will be common.

Culture can and does change over time. With so many new technological innovations and the amount of media that is shoved down our throats in Western society, its almost so easy to not know exactly what our culture is.

It is known that American is the land of ALL types of people no matter their beliefs, religion, or race. Though it has not always been the case that everyone gets the same treatment and opportunity, those are the beliefs that the country was built on.

In my comparative literature class we are currently reading No No Boy by John Okada. The book is about the inner struggles Japanese Americans had after WW2. Yesterday, it led to a discussion of how some cultures are more prideful and dominant than others. Quickly, the class divided into two different sides. One being students who are first generation Americans. The other, students who only know "America".

To so many people, its so easy to view American culture as greedy, over-dominant, aggressive, and racist. While others see it as as freedom, education, a "melting pot", and the land of opportunity.
The students in my class who are first generation Americans felt that being in America was stripping away their cultures and traditions that they learned from their home countries. While on the other hand, one student mentioned that she was adopted so it was nearly impossible for her to trace her roots. Therefore, she is extremely happy to have America as her homeland and for her culture to be classified as "American" as it is providing her with so much opportunity.

America is a mush of many different cultures, sometimes making it hard to classify what American culture really is. It's really amazing to see so many cultures come together and be one. The Olympics is really a good way to see the American people come together and be as one. Also, there are times when Americans come together that are much more tragic, for example, 9-11. Being the 14th anniversary since the tragic event, you'll be able to feel a connection through the American community today.

Within comparative literature class of maybe 45 students, 6 different cultures have emerged. Penn State alone has about 46,000 undergrad students. So, that's about 6,133 different cultures. Therefore, I'd definitely fall under the category that their are over 9,000 different types of cultures in the world. It would be extremely hard, probably even impossible to come in contact with all of the different types of cultures in the world.

For this reason, I will attempt to learn more and experience "major" cultures and share it with you through my blog. For the following posts, I will try to focus on one major culture per blog.


Thanks for reading!