Traveling: The most effective way to understand culture

As I am getting ready to graduate with my bachelor's degree from Texas A&M University in 6 weeks, I have started to get ready for my summer vacation that I will be taking to Istanbul, Turkey at the end of May. My parents informed me one day that they were gifting me airline tickets as a graduation present, which was honestly the best graduation present I could have asked for. The reason I feel so strongly is because I absolutely love to travel.  From the moment I walk into an airport, I am overly stimulated by the various people with endless travelling possibilities. What I mean by this is that the airport is symbolic of a gateway to escape to a distant land whenever and wherever you want.

            Anytime someone travels for leisure, it is very important to do research about the historical relevancy of the country. The languages they speak, the currency they use, the history of the creation of the country, and other superficial research will allow you to recognize and internalize the sites and smells that you will experience the minute you walk of the plane in a different country.

Once your trip is in motion, use it as an opportunity to learn. This is the approach that most people take when traveling to another country. They are intrigued by a place and culture, and then attempt to learn these things while touring in the country. This is one of the most effective tools a person can use to breakdown stereotypes and truly understand other peoples cultures and customs.

According to Under30ceo.com in an article in 2011,

“In conjunction with Brightspark Travel we are on a quest to find out how travel as a student affects business leaders today. Brightspark Travel plans unforgettable trips that are designed to create long lasting memories and create “a bigger world for every student.” Knowledge of this bigger world is one that is said can give people a step ahead in business and may allow people to:

               Discover their true independence

               Become more aware of cultural surroundings

               Feel comfortable with the unknown

               Develop leadership traits”

Therefore, not only will traveling help you understand culture, but it has the potential to positively affect skills you need for a successful career.  Nonetheless, I am excited to be going to a foreign country that I have never been to have new cultural experiences. Are you going anywhere exciting soon? Do you agree that traveling is important? Tell me what you think! 

Mastering Formal Writing

When I was in elementary school, I attended a private school that had a strong emphasis on language. The school offered English and creative writing courses to 3^rd and 4^th graders. It also offered Arabic, German, French, and Italian to students who were interested in languages. I grew up in a household where my father spoke 3 languages and aspired to be like him.  Although this was the case, I felt that the only way I could get to that level was to master and perfect the sole language I spoke, English.

My teachers throughout elementary and intermediate school had a strong emphasis on grammar and sentence structure. One of my teachers would always say, “If you are unsure of a comma is needed then it’s most likely needed.” Although now I know that her statement is not entirely true, I have a habit of adding additional commas where they are not needed.  Ms. Tracy, my 6^th grade teacher would push for me to be more creative when I write. She explained the best way to do to this was to add as many adjectives and adverbs as possible to describe a situation. 

This is also another reason why I tend to have really long sentences when I write.  Up until my last year of high school, my Advanced  Placement English teachers would stress the importance of warranting a claim you make right after you make it. For example, when I make a bold claim, I will provide evidence as to why this is true immediately after I draw the claim.  This isn't always the case but this is the way that I learned how to construct argumentation.

In my experience, my English teachers have had a positive experience on my ability to learn to perfect my writing style. I do believe that a person’s parent play a significant role in the development of a person’s writing style.  My father would purposely use words I didn't understand so that I would be forced to look them up in the dictionary and embed them into my vocabulary.

What do you guys think? Who has impacted your writing abilities and style? Is your situation different or similar to mine? 

Food and Culture

       The New Era of technology has opened the flood-gates for a free flow of information. Many people have used social media sites to learn about cultures they typically wouldn't experience. Instagram for example, is known for being a place where people post pictures of delicious, different, or disgusting (to some) type of meals as a way to share the experience with the world. 

                  As a nation that is made up of many different cultures, there have been many restaurants from an ethnic and traditional cultural background that have opened up authentic food from different countries. If you ever have the opportunity to visit Austin, TX you will have the pleasure of eating authentic Thai, Bosnian, Turkish, Afghani, Japanese, Italian, French, Brazilian, Indian, and Mediterranean food in a small 2 mile radius in downtown.  This past weekend, I had the opportunity to sample a few of these ethnic foods and was surprised by it. What I found was that as long as I was able to keep an open mind and willing to try anything, it typically ended with me being flabbergasted by how amazing the food was.

                Not only is sampling wholesome ethnic food a great way to keep a healthy diet, but also allows you to learn about different cultures.  Due to the fact that most cultural practices revolve around food, familiarizing ones’ self with different ethnic foods will allow a person to break down barriers and learn about different cultures.  What kind food have you tried that you were surprised you enjoyed? Any suggestions for great ethnic food?