Culture Shock

I go to an overnight camp where they being in a lot of staff from Australia. One of the first things I hear from them is how the portions of food we eat here are way larger than there and they always claim everything here is sweeter: bread, peanut butter, and many other foods. It seems weird to me to hear what they think about our culture compared to theirs because everything here is second nature to me. Our food, bathroom manners, popular sayings, etc is natural to people living here but when we question what we know, it brings a lot to light. Last spring i went to spain to visit my sister who was living there and even though its not extremely different from the US because they are both industrialized nations, i did notice many minor things that make their culture different from ours. The biggest difference was the way they drive. It didnt seem nearly as organized as driving here and there were a lot of small alleys that people drove through often. I think its important to travel and get a sense of other cultures because it makes you realize that our way isnt necessarily the right way.

The Breakfast Club

Last week was the first time I'd ever seen The Breakfast Club and after watching it, I realized just how well it represents high school. After class that one day when we talked about labeling and stereotypes I began noticing just how often my friends and I use those labels. It's ridiculous!At least 10 times a day I hear the terms prep, druggie, goth, punk, skater, etc. I guess stereotyping makes things easier because then you dont actually have to get to know anyone because you think you've got them all figured out. But it's clear from watching the movie and talking in class, that in reality we all have got something in common. Even though soc isnt the hardest class, it is one of the most eye-opening classes.

Silence is Golden?

When I'm with a large group of people I'm always compelled to be involved in conversation. I don't know why, but there seems to be something unnatural when a lot of people are together and there's no sound. Unless I'm in a library I think silence is very awkward. This is probably because in our society it seems we're always around noise. I think everyone would be way more relaxed if we didnt feel like we always needed something to say.

Blogging

Even though I've never blogged before, I'm really excited to start. We learned about blogging in one of my classes and I think it's an interesting way to get your ideas out into the world. It's cool that everyone with interent access could see what you have to say and respond. In my opinon it's a good way for people to connect and find others with same interests.