Outsourced!

Recently in my Culture and Identity class we watched a movie called Outsourced. Im not going to lie or sugar coat this by any means, normally when we watch a movie in a class i put down and fall asleep because it is boring and educational and i cant stay awake , and sometimes dont get me wrong its intenional, which im not technically proud of but i do do that alot. But when i watched this movie i will say i didnt lay my head down, and i watched it all the way through, it was a really entertaining movie, and i actually really did learn alot about cultural differences and how people react in a different cultural setting then their own. I highly reccomend this movie to watch. I thought the most interesting part of the movie was watching Todd (i believe thats what the main chararters name was) adjust to his new setting of India. At first he hated it, and he slowly learned to love it because he allowed himself to break free of his own cultural barriers he put up!

EVERYBODY DANCE NOW!

Music is a subculture within itself, different people listen to different music. I dont believe that your cutlure determines the kind of music that you listen to. Ive tired to think about why people like, or listent to the music they listen to and i cant really seem to find the reason, i feel it has so what to do with what kind of music your parents bring you up around as well. Also the group of friends you hang around has alot to do with your music choice, there are many factors that go into it but im not quiet positive. I dont feel that the music one listens to is cultural, but i know the type of music is a subculture.

Friday the 13th!

Scary or not scary? Friday the 13th can be a scary thing if you are supersticous . I for a fact am not at all, and since today was friday the 13th i decided to take a look to see if anyone would really say anything or act on it. I noticed that VERY FEW people said anything about it, and if they did they didnt act on it. it seems as if it is no big deal and doesnt bug us because for the most part, americans are not superstticious. Its just like everyother friday to us. Why do you think friday the 13th in October would seem scarier compared to in the middle of May?

Senioritis- it kicks in early...

For many charter students, i feel as if senoritis kicks in at such an early stage of high school because of the work load. Not only do i notice a difference in my motivation , but EVERYONES motivation once spring braek was done. Everywhere you turn you hear people say "i just dont care anymore.." ill admitt ive said it myself a few times too. I feel like this happens because of the work load charter students receive throughout the year. But in all honest i feel that charter students never really stop caring.. they just have to look harder for that motivation to get their work in , and get it done efficently.

Looking at Everything Through New Eyes

I must say, ever since i started talking this culture and id class, ive noticed a difference in the way i view differences within people. I started to associate everyones behaviors to their culture and it so true, it just so happens i was blind to it before all of this. So in a way you can say i look at people now through differene eyes, thanks to this class.

S.T.R.E.S.S.

I would like to talk about a subculture all my fellow classmates are very much familiar with, The Charter School of Wilmington! All of us classify into this subculture and i would like to explain my experiences within this subculture has been. Really only one word pops into my head, STRESS. Everyone wihin this sub cuture , students, parents, teachers and everyone else can say they see the high and intense amounts of stress that the students learn to endure throughout the school year. Yes, the "new schedule" given to us this year has been very helpful, but it has now stressed teachers out because they arent where they should be with their teaching. Ive heard numerous teachers say this, not just one or two but almost all he teachers ive heard this from. Dont get me wrong there are positives to our subculture , but i just wanted to talk about this one component we all cant seem to find a happy medium with.

Sunshine & smiling

When i went to school last monday i noticed something, along with the 80 degree weather outside, that almost everyone had a smile on their face while carring on conversations and doing their work. and also after school when the day was at its high points around 3:00 i noticed that everyone was carrying on conversation and i noticed that they didnt rush as much while talking to eachother like tthey normally would. Lets hope everyday is like monday!

Cultural differences in raising children

Raising a child can be a touchy subject with some cultures because they are so strict in their ways. i wanted to talk about many topics in american culture that have to do with raising children, and all of these things are viewed differently within our culture. the first topic being spanking your child, some people view this as child abuse and some consider this punishing their child. Some believe in not telling their children about santa, and the tooth fairy and tell them straight up how it really is. Some people believe that a time out is the perfect punishment, some people think that wont do anything for them. there are so much varitey within american culture when it comes how to raise a child.

Timeless weekend

In class this week and the previous week we have been disscussing time in depth, and let me just say it was confusing and long story short kind of gave me a headache because its such a hard concept to grasp and wrap your head around. But this weekend we have to participate in a "timeless" weekend where we  cant know the time and at all and depend on our peers for information and to get us where we need to be on time without actually knowing the time. In preperation for this weekend ive been very concious about how much i look at the clock, im always checking the time and depending on the clock...this weekend will be a challange but i predict that it will make me more stressed out opposed to less stressed because i wont know the time and always feel the need to look at the time when i cant. Good luck to everyone participating in this timeless weekend!

For all the romantics out there...

Mostly ladies.. and maybe some gentlemen (not here to judge) have seen the classic movie the notebook , sobbed and wondered why doesnt love like this exsist happen anymore? One word pops into my mind... TECHNOLOGY. I estimate that movie was based in the early to mid 1900's where cell phones didnt exsist, computers and internet definately didnt.  All these new techonolgies change relationships and how people communicate and makes it easier on people to hide behind.. what happened to the guy asking the girl out to a dance in person instead of over a text message? I had an experience in 8th grade where a young man was sitting next to me and text me saying "hey uhm, do you want to do to the dance with me:)?" i sat there and thought , wow was he really that much of a coward to say it to my face? its even more embarassing that he had to text it to me. My point to all this is that , technology has changed realtionships, not just romantic ones but all types of relationships. The sweet long romantic love letters guys used to hand write to win the girls heart, have turned into long text messages with vulgar thoughts and comments most of the time. i can only image whats next...

8.9 Earthquake Strikes Japan

This past week a tragic earthquake had hit Japan hard, and they are still dealing with it right now. I dont know all the final information on what is happening at the present moment but i know all the after math will be devistating. I wanted to tell a story about an experience i just had when i was out to eat with one of my close friends. At the resturant there are TVs and one of the channels on was CNN and it was showing live action coverage of what was happening, it was so tragic and sad.. me and my friend sat there in silence watching it. One sense showed a women out her window waving a cloth callling for help, another one was just a bunch of cars floating away.. the water was so deep, it was the saddest thing and hardest thing for me to watch. At the next table over me and my friend heard a man laughing , at first we just thought nothing of it maybe he wasnt watching what we were watching maybe he heard a joke out with his buddys. but then all of a sudden , we heard him making comments about what was on the television and laughing, very loudly at it. me and my friend took offense to that, how rude that he sit there and laugh at other peoples pain, why would he do such a thing? Its one thing to laugh at someone who just tripped of a rock, but its another to laugh at something that horrific, i was at a loss of words. It kind of upset me that someoone could do that. again, my blog this week isnt that cultural but its a current event issue that i thought i would disscuss. these people will remain in my thoughts.

Sticks and Stones May Break my Bones but Names will Always Hurt me.

Names hurt everyone , and if you have ever been called a mean name, then you understand the feeling. Im almost 100% postivie that everyone has been called a mean name sometime in their lifetime. No matter what you cant say that you didnt care, because everyone cares about what people say/ think about you. People can be cruel and same some pretty harsh stuff. What i wanted to say was that i feel american teenagers are on this kick where you say "never let what people say hurt you", and my 5th grade teacher always said "sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me" to get little kids to stop crying about what was said about them. But honestly i dont think that should be stressed as much as it is. Maybe this certain blog isnt that Cultural but i feel that it should be adressed and it was just on my mind lately. Its part of human nature to care about what people say about you, even if you know in your own heart it isnt true, you still are hurt that someone would say something so cruel and mean about you. My advice isnt to forget about what they person said but what truely matters is what you take from those words and use it to move on. Your friends will comfort you , and deny it (even like i said you know its false) but it will still always sting a little and maybe eat you inside. This is because you are your own worste critic. and this is true for everyone. i know i am personally hard on myself, and if someone says something about me even if i know its not true i take it to heart. I feel that everyone does because like i said, we are our own worst critic.

Are we missing out?

Many americans lives are filled with new technologies everyday , all day. These technologies inculde cell phones, Computers, TV, Video games and many more. Along time ago i once read this article saying that technology consumes our lives and we are missing out on the more important things in life. If only we would put down our cell phones during time with family, we would realize what is more important, instead of answering that text message. But everyone does it so why is it so wrong? Not only do you miss the little things , but you also lose face to face interaction having people hide behind technology. And personally i feel not being able to talk face to face counts as missing out on alot. So maybe next time your at your grandfathers 68th birthday party.. just put down your phone for a little bit, i promise, the text message will still be there when you return!

Everyone Sees Someting Different!

If i were to take an abstract picture and show a group of people, most of them would probably come to a different conclusion of what the picture actually was. i believe that this is because everyone goes through different experiences. So if i were to ask different people what culture was then they would probably all have a different answer, i asked my family what they thought what something cultural was. My moms response was a type of food, my dads answer had to so with an athletic team, my younger brothers response had to do with how people dress and act. They all differ because of different experiences they have experienced, and its not that they feel the others answer is wrong they just think that what they said is what more defines their culture , well thats my opinion at least.
Here is just a little expamle of how people... or dogs might view things differently! Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPmVENYCJ2o

Who are we to Judge?

In class, we had talked about sterotypes and this not me thinking...Americans tend to judge very easily, not only by making serotypes but basically first impression is everything to americans. First impression meaning how you look, act and speak to them. All though a lot of americans judge people on looks rather than how they are as a person, coming to the conclusion that most of us are pretty materialistic... come on you cant deny that we are. Its nothing to be ashamed about , its just a matter of thats how we were raised, we are a product of our previous generations. But the more i thought about this i figured, americans are so quick to judge each other and i see how some treat other people within the same culture which is with no respect what so ever. So the question is how do americans treat people of another culture? and why do they treat them that way as well. In my opinion i feel that americans treat people of another culture as if they are less then what we are, when in reality we are all just as equal as the other human being.

Showing Patriotism in Sports

Tonight, as i sat and watched the super bowl i saw Christiana Aguilera sing the nation anthem, this got me thinking. At all sporting events of all sports in the United states, someone sings the nation anthem or if your in high school, sometimes we just listen to a recording of the intrumental version of the very patriotic song. This is a very big part of our culture that has come almost as second nature or routine to us. Also when we sing or listen to this song at these sporting events, we also stand on our feet (not seated) and saltue our flag. I didnt really have a point to this besides that in America , we tend to be very patriotic in little ways that add up to make it a big part of our everyday lives.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNc5YldLcHs&feature=related
Just to show some of my Patriotism. Enjoy!

American Culture: We want it NOW!

In my Culture and Identity class, we had spent a reasonable amount of time disscussing the American Culture and about how we like stuff to be delivered to us easily . Also this could mean that us Americans like to get what we want when we want it. I took this thought and it reminded me of pizza. yes... pizza! Remember how when those pizza places went through the silly phase where you could get your pizza in 30 min or less, and if not it was free of charge or some sort or discount onto your delivery. As i sat here, i wondered why did they ever start this? Finally i came to the realization that the only reason that they did this was to satisfy the American cultures needs. I thought this was just a great example of how Americans expect to get what they want, when they want it .