I have never participated in blog memes, but I did run across one today that I thought was interesting, in light of my post yesterday about visa runs three years ago. The meme asks, "What were you doing 10 years, 5 years, 1 year, and 1 day ago?" Well, this might be fun, but I think I will start with 20 years ago.
20 Years Ago, July 1985: I just started competitive swimming a year ago. Spurred on my 8th grade Civics teacher, I joined the middle school swim team. I loved it so much, that I soon joined the city-wide team. And let me tell you, this team was hard-core! Three years from now, three of my fellow teammates will compete in the Seoul Olympics, and one of them (if memory serves) will bring home a silver medal. So, to make a long story short, I am spending most of my free summer time swimming with the city team.
Now that I think about it, was the Summer of 85 the year that I made a mission trip with my church group to Jamaica? I think it might have been. I was just thinking about that a couple of days ago when someone mentioned going to Jamaica. There were about 6 of us from my church that made the two-week trip. We spent most of the time in the mountainous jungle in the middle of the island.
It was my first major trip outside of the U.S. and my first experience with a completely different culture than what I was used to. In the small village where we stayed, we found ourselves in a sea of black faces, and for the first time in my life I realized what it was like to be a minority. I remember one little black girl ran up to me with her arms up. When I picked her up, she immediately reached out her little hand and touched my blonde, straight hair. Perhaps she had never seen something so strange and exotic before.
Stuart,
I never thought of you as strange and exotic, usually that is what people say of me. Welcome to my world. I can't remember what I did yesterday, so don't even ask about 20 years ago! - E
I bet it felt really awkard and/or special to be "exotic" in the context of a foreign culture. Many people consider me exotic due to the fact that I break some stereotypes: too white skinned to be Mexican, too Hispanic to be an Anglo-Saxon. There is no doubt that your exotic nature is not only based in the fact that Jamaica has an overwhelming African-American population, but also in the typical advertisement strategy that idealizes blonds around the world. And ladies and gentlemen that is how Anna Nicole Smith and Paris Hilton have become celebrities....
Haha. Eric, that's exactly my point! To me I am the LEAST exotic person in the world. :) Strange sometimes maybe, but definitely not exotic.
But one thing I have learned from living in Bangkok is that "exotic" is relative. When I first arrived in here, it was overwhelmingly strange and exotic. Now, three years later, it's not exotic at all. In fact, it's quite plain and normal most of the time.
Thai people often ask me why I live here. To them, it's nothing special. Well, of course it's nothing special because they have lived here all their life. They know it so well that it's not interesting for them.
Eric, you've lived in a few "exotic" places. Did Casablanca or Athens ever become "normal" for you?
- Stuart
And then you have me .... adventuresome at heart (well look at my brother ---- it's in the genes), but I have never lived outside of the Southeast United States. Still, within this small geographic area, culture shock does in fact exist.
Growing up on the beaches of the Gulf Coast, where the military brought in an array of Asian natives and decendants, further creating a diverse environment where causcasian was only a check box one marked on surveys. A town where the beginnings of life long friendships were nurtured, and the creative element of "you can achieve whatever you set your mind too," and "carpe diem," has led many to travel the world, live outside their comfort realm, find their place in society, and be content with reaching for the next rung, because that is ... well - it just is.
Then moving to the far Northwest corner of Arkansas to attend school where Birkenstocks were "hippy" wear, and 95% of the population did not even know what they were, much less slip them on their feet to take place of the Cole Haan loafers, and golly .... they definitely would not be suitable with the ironed khakis and polo shirts. Make-up, hair, clothes, assessories = very coifed young women, and the men were the idealized counterpart. Ken and Barbie southern style, who would say, "florida? you're from florida? oh - that's a yankee state anyway." But friendship ensued, best friend - Matron of Honor, girlfriends/guy friends who are still in Arkansas, and others who have ventured as far west as Arizona and California.
Then to Nashville, TN = a diverse setting of country, old south charm, bustling city, night life, professional football and hockey, people struggling, people succeeding, low-life, high-life ... the place where I met a very dear friend, my "little Italian friend," from upstate New York, who was/is purusing her professional theatrical dance/ballroom career and music.
Finally to land back in the town in which I was raised, where I met my husband (a good ole southern boy himself), and where we are making our home.
So what are the common denominators between a brother who travels around the globe, who looked for his meaning in life, which has landed him in Thailand, and me who never lived further than 800 miles from home ...... people are attracted to people who are like themselves regardless of race, color or creed - it's what makes you tick, what is that basic constitution - no matter where one lives. Secondly and most importantly in my book is our parents, who taught us the value of appreciating humanity.
Stuart,
I understand where you are coming from. After about 1.5 years in Guinea, I felt like a native. The best times were when I would walk down to the town circle at night and sit next to the vendors. They would speak to me in their native tongue as if I was a local, not the strange and exotic Americano. Usually they would talk about the local gossip or just chit chat. Of course, most of the time I had no idea what they were saying, but smiled, laughed, and enjoyed it just the same. Casablanca took about a year to assimilate. I don't know if I ever understood or wanted to understand Greece, but at least the last year there was enjoyable. Now, I'm trying to assimilate back into the Northern Virginia culture, I think it will take another couple of months! - Eric