I’m often asked “what got you started in your interest in intercultural communications?” Sometimes I say it was born inside of me, referencing the names of my pet black and gold fish at age 10, Martin Luther Fish and Golda My-Fish respectively (what 10 year old names their fish that?).
Other times I refer to my first trip outside of the USA, on a three week exchange program at the Instituto de Filologia Hispanica in Saltillo, Mexico. (This picture, which surfaced on Facebook today via an old friend, shows me deep in study…See, I told you, mom and dad that’s ALL we DID–we did not go to discos, learn how to do Tequila shots, or hang out with cute boys!)
This picture seems so calm for a life changing moment. After 3 years of “levanta-te” (stand up), “pasa a la mesa” (go to the table), and “toma el lapiz” (pick up the pencil) I burst into Mexico like a “papagallo,” a parrot who could not stop talking.
That I could be speaking and communicating in another language was exhilarating. And, the night I separated from my USAmerican friends to go to a wedding reception with my Mexican tutor was pivotal in understanding the idea of multiple perspectives, as I found myself the sole anglo-USAmerican at a gathering of several hundred…for the first time I was the minority…I was ”the other.”
I came back home to St. Louis and at 15 road my bike up and down Olive Blvd. and applied for jobs at every business along the way. I lied about my age (legally I was supposed to be 16) and started hostessing at Caleco’s after school. Anything to start saving money to travel again. I started studying French in fall, and the rest has grown from there.
Did you see all that in this picture? What are the cardinal moments that changed your life?
On May 18th, 2010 at 1:42 pm Bill Shoss said:
What was the name of the guy who came to St. Louis following your visit to Saltillo? We couldn’t remember. I’m sure you did not have time for all those extra-curricular activities listed. Tsk Tsk.
Your Dad
On May 21st, 2010 at 10:00 am cultureguru said:
Memo–which by coincidence is the “Cultural Equivalent” for “Bill.” He brought that artisan owl candle holder (which mom remembered and sent to me last year) that I now use to light Friday night shabbos candles…now that’s intercultural!
On May 30th, 2010 at 9:58 am Lee said:
Our car is named Barak Ohonda…
Love this story and this pic!
On June 3rd, 2010 at 10:18 am Stacy said:
It’s a great idea for kids or teens to visit abroad. I was lucky enough to go to Spain and France via a school trip as a teen. It’s amazing what an eye-opener on culture (especially for Americans) it is once you return. You realize everything is not so American-centric after all.
On June 3rd, 2010 at 11:59 pm cultureguru said:
Barak Ohonda is hysterical! I love it!
On June 4th, 2010 at 12:01 am cultureguru said:
Thanks, Stacy. I’ve always wondered if anyone has done a study on the impact of study abroad programs on anti-racism/anti-prejudice. It’s so important to get different perspectives. I arranged an arts exchange once between kids from different neighborhoods in Chicago, to try to parallel that experience in our own City.