Exploring Below the Surface

A man clad in a plaid kilt, his head engulfed in a flaming red beard and mop of hair, stands atop an emerald hillside surrounded by sheep while playing "Oh Danny Boy" on his bagpipes.  He spends his nights in a village pub drinking Guinness, eating fried potatoes, and frequently dancing a jig.  He greets his friends with a "top of the mornin' to ya" and answers "aye, laddie" when asked if his favorite color is green.  In his spare time, he collects four-leaf clovers and searches for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and the Loch Ness monster.  If he ever led an army into battle, he would recite William Wallace's entire speech from the movie Braveheart.  

I imagine such a person whenever I think of an Irishman or Scotsman.  Most Americans probably picture Lucky the leprechaun on the box of Lucky Charms cereal or the small, bearded, green men waving from floats in St. Patrick's Day parades.     

The media thwarts our images of other cultures.  Movies, television, games, books, and consumer products portray cultural stereotypes which represent only the very tip of the iceberg model of culture.  Cultures encompass a multitude of rich characteristics beyond food, music, language, and festivals.  To truly understand and appreciate another culture, we must dive below the surface and explore it, and the best way to do so is travel.  

When arriving in Paris during the honors college Europe trip last summer, our group expected the French to behave rudely and to strongly dislike us Americans.  We even tried speaking in British accents expecting them to act more politely toward us. However, most French people we encountered seemed quite friendly especially the street artists we met near the Sacre Coeur cathedral who were eager to talk to us about their work.  In London, people were also kind and helpful and often offering us directions in busy areas like the Picadilly Circus. 



Cultural awareness develops from interacting with people from other cultures, becoming aware of our own cultural dynamics and behaviors, and recognizing both the positive and negative aspects of cultural differences.  I am working to obtain a license to teach english as a second language, and every one of my ESL classes emphasizes the need to celebrate diversity.  I greatly look forward to immersing ourselves in the true Scottish and Irish cultures and exploring our similarities and differences.