All of this to say, this is no excuse for our laziness as Americans to research other places, but this idea that everyone in the world is so informed about everything, and we are so Xenophobic is frankly annoying. America is largely responsible for setting up information networks (read: the internet!) that allow the free flow of information around the world. Would the citizens of a South American country who know a lot about America also know as much about…. Canada? We can’t know everything about every country.

Having said that, I feel that if you are going to visit a place, it is completely irrational to do so without significant research and understanding. I think we need to expand our knowledge about a lot of things and a lot of places, but let’s stop spreading this idea about dumb, uninformed, uneducated Americans who only care about themselves, and their culture, because it simply isn’t true.

Then I went to Ecuador and my opinion changed dramatically. It makes far more sense for the gas stations to be placed in the middle of roads, on the islands! That way, they function as efficient “docking bays” (sort of) for cars to just pull into, get gas, and leave. It is a very efficient allocation of space. I realize there are some deficiencies in this idea (like servicing the underground gas tanks or the danger of cars crashing into the station/pumps). Nonetheless, I thought, and still think, this is a much more practical way to construct gas stations. I would never (or maybe never) have come to this conclusion without visiting somewhere other than my home.

Americans have (unfortunately) inherited a privileged position as a culture that other countries must learn about. Personally, I believe this has hurt us as a nation. I feel like I’m from a backwards nation when my Norwegian relatives speak to me in English better than that of many AMERICANS, and know how to speak at least two or three more languages on top of that.

I’ve gone on some tangents above, but my point is that it is imperative that we approach other countries and cultures with an open mind to learn more about them. There is a breadth of knowledge that can be learned by immersing oneself in any different environment, and I hope to learn much on my trip to India this June!

Most people I talk to who’ve traveled abroad have told me that when they leave the U.S., they feel like they’ve been locked in a bubble. I felt the same way myself when I traveled out of the country for the first time (and every time after that). I felt like everyone knew about Americans, but I, an American, knew nothing about everyone else. And that really is a symptom of our culture. We are ironically xenophobic for what a melting pot our country is! I used to think that the American way was the best way, but since I’ve lived in different countries, I realize how much I wish we could change some of the ways we do things here in the States (like a 6-hour instead of an 8-hour one)!

Political beliefs aside, there is plenty of good advice that has been given in this blog post. Not only is it respectful to observe and respect another culture, particularly if you are visiting their country, but it also opens up endless opportunities for students such as ourselves. By opening up our eyes and perhaps keeping our mouths shut, we’ll be able to experience the culture, not just view it with an outside perspective. Furthermore, by simply being gracious visitors, we can make long-lasting connections with these people and expand our network and job potential far beyond the U.S. borders. Now, that’s something Dr. Beaman would be proud of.

Kirk Story

Since we are more focused on India this year, here is a hilarious clip about India’s mission to the moon last fall. It features one of my favorite Daily Show correspondants (who is Indian American) Aasif Mandvi.

It’s fun to watch old Daily Show clips, but be careful it can be a big time spender.

As you travel and get out into ‘the world,’ you really see the power of the word “world” in the term “world view”; it is not just about your personal view, but the way the whole world is shaped in your mind.

It is too bad that these video links don’t work… I find it ironic that the Exhibit A video references Summer ‘08 Olympics and we are about to start Winter ‘10 Olympics. The 2008 Olympics were in China, making them much more relevant to the topics of this course, but I am sure that Jon Stewart will make many poignant comments this month regarding our world relative to the Olympic Games.

As the world comes together to compete on an international level, we are given the opportunity to see the similarities and differences of people from many different countries. These varied characteristics should be embraced and not taken for granted.

I believe that the three pieces of advice given in the posting should always be kept in mind, even when you are not travelling. We need to understand the reasoning behind any action before we can honestly judge it. This does not mean that we can and should always prevent ourselves from making snap judgments, but that we should question those judgments until we have ample information. The three pieces of advice immediately reminded me of pretty much everything we did in OB last quarter. Dr. Coget would be proud.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_The_Daily_Show_guests