Site Root

Re: Are American students clueless about world issues?

Angela M — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 07:00:00 GMT

I agree. Maybe it is because we have everything we need here and never have to look outside the country, or even really our area. There is no challenge to get out and experience, not much is asked of us. Here we go along with our sheltered lives, and when we get home, we turn on the TV looking for entertainment, not awareness, and miss what is happening around us. We too often ignore what is going on in the rest of the world because our lives are full of our close surroundings, and everything we are taught to seek is right here.

back 2 school

Grace — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 07:00:00 GMT

It’s back to school time again- summer vacation is windingdown, Mom’s getting sick of you running around at all hours and leaving yourswim trunks in the living room, and you’re scrambling to get those summerreading assignments done before the first day. But in the parts of summerbefore you lounged around in your sweats and slept till noon, many of you wereoff on international adventures- pretty different from the classrooms you’ll bere-joining this fall. To keep your international experience alive all throughthe year, here’s a back to school checklist of things you might consider.

Volunteer your experiences

Do you have a younger sibling in elementary school, or aconnection to a local club for young kids? Your international experience can bea great thing to share, especially during a time when they might be learningabout travel or global citizenship. Putting together a Powerpoint presentationor a slide show of the photographs from your trip, along with tidbits about thehistory and culture of the place you visited, can be a great way to share yournew cultural awareness and intelligence with others. While pictures of yourfriends are fun for you to keep, try to highlight pictures of wildlife, monuments, and experiencesyou had along the way to help others get a taste of your travels. Talk to ateacher or a club organizer to see if they might be interested in having yougive a presentation.

Shop locally, act globally

When looking for back-to-school clothes and supplies,consider shopping at local stores with a commitment to “fair trade” products. Local storesadvertising fair trade products have worked really hard to make sure theproducts they sell are made by people who receive fair wages and have good workingconditions. A lot of fair trade stores will have clothing or accessories thatare cool, fashionable, and still internationally aware. You may also be able tofind notebooks and paper made from recycled materials and printed withsustainable inks, which help ensure that rainforest and other natural habitatsare preserved in international communities. You’ve travelled to a differentportion of the world- now make sure that your actions and purchases reflectyour newfound awareness of global issues.

Connect across the globe

You may be wondering how to connect with the students youmet on a homestay or a school visit. Think about setting up a pen pal system (witheveryone attached to e-mail these days, e-pen pals are great, but sometimes snail mail is even more fun) with somestudents or a class from school you may have visited. Students from other countries oftenlove the opportunity to connect with American students, and if they’re notnative speakers of English, it can be a great way to practice. If you’ve beeninspired to learn the native language of the area- French or Spanish, forinstance- consider writing all or part of your letters in their native tongue. Whileit seems so easy to just friend everyone on Facebook, regular letters andmeaningful communication across cultures is more than just a poke or a “like”-being a pen pal is a great way to continue the exchange of ideas and to createa lifelong friendship.

These aren’t the only ways to keep your internationalexperiences alive when going back to school, so post any ideas you might have in the comments below! While remembering the experiencecan be as easy as putting up a few pictures in your locker, these ideas are agreat way to keep your global citizenship and cultural intelligence flowing,keeping your brain on a great international adventure while you’re in theclassroom.

Gay People

jjd123 — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 07:00:00 GMT

I think people who don't support gay people need to get off of their high horse! Nobody opposed them when they got married so why should they oppose gays?

pet friendly

Grace — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 07:00:00 GMT

I’m sure many of you have dogs, cats, or other pets at home-I know my two cats, Moe and Sophie, are probably sleeping on my bed now beingspoiled little brats. But where did you get these pets? A breeder? A neighbor?A shelter or pet rescue facility?

I once traveled to Africa with my family, and saw a numberof little dogs and cats living in the street, with no home and nobody to lookafter them. I felt bad for them, since in some places dogs or cats aren’tconsidered adoptable pets.

While the area we were in had a lot of people who neededassistance, we were able to help some of them through donations to localorganizations or directly. Helping an animal in a foreign country can be alittle more difficult- but still rewarding.

If you’re interested in animal welfare, and maybe thinkingabout adopting a new pet, helping to rescue animals from dangerous situationsinternationally can be a great way to bring a new friend home.

Many organizations provide services that help get animalsout of sticky situations, and working to help animals in unfortunate conditionscan be a great way to volunteer, especially if you are interested in a careerin veterinary medicine, zoology, or biology.

You might be able to volunteer with a chapter of an organizationthat helps rescue animals from bad conditions internationally, even if youaren’t quite old enough to travel alone internationally to do so. For example,the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals International works to provide care for animals in settings where they have been abused,abandoned, or otherwise harmed by human activities.

Volunteers help provide supplies and manpower to thosehelping clean and find habitats for animals affected by the oil spill on theGulf Coast, work to keep stray dogs and other animals out of war-torn zones,and even step to provide veterinary care and supplies in the aftermath ofnatural disasters- supplies (like vaccines against rabies and other diseasestransmissible to humans) that can directly benefit humans in these conditionsas well.

One mission, Operation Baghdad Pups, helps military servicemen and women care for stray dogs they have found during their service, andorganizes ways to bring their pup friends home with them at the end of theirtours of duty.

Other programs, like Compassion Without Borders,help support no-kill shelters abroad by providing support and homes for dogswho might not otherwise be adoptable in the country they are currently in.

You can donate time to organizations like theSPCA-International by helping out at a local chapter, consider organizing afundraiser through a school or club to help their mission, or even think aboutbringing a rescued animal in to your home to care for. If you’re looking for away to volunteer at home that has an international impact, consider some ofthese opportunities.

Volunteering with animals internationally can be a great wayto start understanding the kinds of situations faced by animals abroad, most ofwhich are probably really different from the cushy life of your housecat.

Remember, though, that it is really important to think aboutthe problems faced by people in these areas too- many people across the worldare without food or clean water, girls in some countries have no access toeducation, and there are many areas where children are forced to work at agesyounger than yours.

You can help them now through donations or supply drivesorganized through your school, church, or a club you may belong to. Volunteeringin these populations is crucial, and it can be a great goal to think about along-term service project in a year off between high school in college, or evenaim to join the Peace Corps after collegegraduation.

a totally german summer

Grace — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 07:00:00 GMT

While I know that travelling internationally is the best way to immerse yourself in the culture, there is another way to get that foreign feeling without leaving the US.

Would you believe you can find an “abroad” experience in Minnesota? You can. I loved my international travel but also wanted to really focus on language as well, and sometimes it can be difficult to learn grammar and rules of a language when you’re abroad without a formal teacher to guide you.

For several years in high school, I found just the right option: Concordia Language Villages, a language immersion camp in northern Minnesota. Living and learning at the camp was an amazing experience—if you can believe it, the different camps through Concordia create tiny, culturally authentic villages in the north woods.

Counselors are all fluent in the target language—I was learning German—and many come from abroad to work at the camps. I remember once having a Swiss counselor who knew no English, but loved teaching us silly words in Swiss German, a dialect of German that somehow sounds completely different. That kind of experience was something I never would have been able to get in a classroom at home.

All of the signage at the camp was in German, meals were German, and the camp store only sold German products and candy! It was a great surprise, one that was enhanced by the fact that the German counselors could explain to me why we were eating schnitzel for dinner, or why Ritter Sport was their favorite chocolate from childhood.

Counselors were on hand and supportive when I didn’t know the word for bathroom, called the faucet a door, or I mispronounced their name—so helpful, in fact, that now I speak German fluently. It even helped me to pick up a German accent that leaves even Germans a little confused as to whether I’m German or American when I speak!

Even games, sports, and activities were in German. We learned about the German way to celebrate Christmas—very different from the US (check out the Santa Claus quiz here to guess how different Christmas can be around the world) and even role played activities to explain what life was like when East and West Germany were separated and then reunified about 20 years ago.

Living and learning immersed in a language was the kind of thing that really enhanced my cultural intelligence. It also gave me the skills and confidence to make traveling internationally even better.

I have visited Germany and Austria since then and realize the support my camp counselors gave me to not only speak the language but understand the culture made my trips worth even more.

So are you considering how to make your international trips even better? You can start right here in the US. Consider attending a language and culture focused summer camp.

They are a great way to enhance your knowledge and experience with a culture in a supportive environment, where you’ll be able to be introduced to a new culture and its language and feel a greater connection to people from that area—no passport required.

International Baccalaureate debate

Brielle — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Well, by personal experience and by people I've talked to IB isn't just memorizing facts. We get more engaged about what we're learning. For example, if we were learning about World War 2 we wouldn't just know about the battles and the people involved, we go more in depth about the reasons why things happened. Or in algebra instead of just learning an equation we learn how that equation works. Something about that process makes everything much more interesting, and gets everyone more engaged.

Also, if you complete the two years of IB, ad pass the tests at the end, that's a full year of college credit Free college credit since we're at a public school. It helps out a lot of people who have trouble paying for their college tuition.

summer reading list: revisited

Grace — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 07:00:00 GMT

So, many of you probably have lengthy (read: booo-ring!)summer reading lists, full of great works written by old dead guys. Fun, right?Not so much.

While I’m not saying you shouldn’t read and enjoy the booksyou’ve been assigned (read them! You’ll be glad you did), some of you might belooking for some interesting books for your own personal, out of school readingduring the summertime. I’ve gone through some popular books for teens to lookfor titles with an international focus- hopefully a few of these will youexpand your cultural awareness through literature.

Swimming to Antarctica: Tales of a Long Distance Swimmerby Lynne Cox

In Swimming to Antarctica, author Lynne Cox- a longdistance swimmer- details her world-wide long distance swims, including swimsin shark-infested waters, through freezing cold territories, and over greatdistances. After starting to swim as a young girl, Cox grew to be one of theworld’s greatest long distance swimmers- even beating the speed record forswimming the English channel at age 15. Whether or not you’re interested inswimming, this would be a great read, and details how Cox was able to use hertalents to swim all over the world.

19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East byNaomi Shihab Nye

When I was younger, I remember thinking all poetry waslimited to children’s rhymes and cute little songs. Definitely not so! In thisbook, a collection of 60 poems by author Naomi Shihab Nye, the author delves into deeper topics, exploring her own identity as an Arab-American woman livingin the United States. Ranging from discussion of the Arab view of Americanfootball to poems about war and peace, Nye’s poems are a great way for thoseinterested in more creative forms of writing to see and explore the feelingsthat arise when one belongs to two cultures.

In the Time of Butterflies by Julia Alvarez

This work tells the true story of three Mirabal sisters, wholived under a dictatorship in the Dominican Republic and eventually tried tooverthrow the oppressive regime. For many students in the US, the idea ofliving under dictatorship is completely foreign- but for many people around theworld, it’s reality. This book, which blends fact with fiction to create theMirabal’s narrative, will help put you in the shoes of three young women livingunder a government that allows very little freedom. This book would be greatfor older students, especially those interested in history and culture in LatinAmerica.

Journey to Topaz: A Story of the Japanese-AmericanEvacuation by Yoshiko Uchida

In the aftermath of the Pearl Harbor bombings during WorldWar II, many Japanese-Americans- even those who had lived all of their lives inthe US- were seen as possible threats to security, and placed against theirwill in internment camps. This unfortunate truth is the setting for the storyof Yuki and her family, who face persecution and evacuation from their longtimehome. This story is aimed at younger readers, but many reviewers agree that itis appropriate for all audiences, and does an excellent job of telling thestory of a family who feels misplaced in a country and culture they have alwayscalled home, just because of their cultural identity.

These are just a few of the many international andculture-issues focused books you might be able to take a look through as partof your summer reading endeavors. If you’re interested in more, your English orLanguage Arts teacher, or the staff at your local library or bookstore will beable to help you find more. Happy reading!

Having a serving attitude

booklover58 — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 07:00:00 GMT

I always say 'Oh I'll help out and volunteer' and I did for a while but I stopped and now my days aren't as fun. I'm going to restart that and help out again. Thanks for motivating me you guys cause everything people do can make the biggest difference. =D

go, team!

Grace — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Cheerleading is central the fervor and spirit of many highschool, college, and even professional sporting events. Cheerleaders- bothgirls and boys- work their dance and athletic skills together to jump, spin,kick, and (yes) cheer their team to victory.

But cheerleading is a rather stereotypically American sport,stemming mainly from the basketball courts and football fields of your localschool. So what happens when a group from another area- say, Japan- decides tocheer as well?

[View:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkbEC202hYg&NR=1:450:350]

As you can see, Japanese cheerleading differs vastly fromthe style of American high schoolers. While some independent cheer and danceteams exist in the US, few do it like this team! I asked a former high schoolcheerleader to note some differences between Japanese and Americancheerleading, and here are a few observations.

Music: Except forat half-time shows or competitions, most cheerleaders are cheering to the musicof a roaring crowd; during shows, you might use a mash-up of popular, sportysongs. The Japanese music used here is very fast paced and bouncy; really fun,but definitely different from the “Jock Jams”-style music usually heard duringAmerican cheer.

Style: Wow, lotsof differences! The style here is really more similar to that of an older danceteam or the movements seen by gymnasts- lots of difficult one-person stunts,and a very synchronized kick line at the end., but not a lot of work involving many different roles for different girls. A lot of the movements look verytechnically difficult and hard to do perfectly with a large group, but theyreally pull it off. But... those outfits? They're a lot more superhero-style than the traditional tank, pom-poms, pleated skirt seen on American cheerleaders.

Stunts: Americancheerleading relies mainly on aerial stunts, where a girl (known as a “flyer”)is thrown or supported in to the air by others forming a base. In this case, wesee just one major aerial stunt- instead, most movements in this team show offthe flexibility and technical skill of individual girls and their ability to dosynchronized movements rather than girls taking different roles in differenttypes of stunts. It looks much more like synchronized swimming on land thanAmerican cheer.

Overall: Thegirls in this video look really young! While some cheer fanatics mightparticipate in younger-age cheer groups before high school, these kinds ofteams aren’t the core of cheer. Most cheerleaders get their start taking dancelessons and then move up to cheering for their home team in high school.

Japanese cheer definitely differs from American- but isstill in some ways very similar, in that it serve as a good creative outlet fordance-loving girls. While there’s no football or basketball team to cheer onhere, the stunts are still impressive, and the music and style is bouncy andfun. So, what do you think? Does this video differ greatly from thecheerleading you’re used to seeing at home games? Feel free to leave yourcomments below.

adventures abroad with Jamie M.

Grace — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 07:00:00 GMT

An experience abroad can be a great addition to your education, whether done through People to People Ambassador Programs, independent travel, or through other means.

Some of you may have just returned from abroad and may be thinking "how can I do more?" For students thinking about a more extended period of travel, and greater immersion in a foreign country, becoming a foreign exchange student for a portion of your school year may be a great option.

To give a firsthand account with this kind of experience, I connected with Jamie M., a high school student from California, who did just that: with a desire to experience more of a country and culture very different from his own, Jamie spent a high school year in Beijing, China.

Here are some of Jamie's experiences.

Where did you go abroad? How long were you there?

I lived in Beijing, China for 9 months (from September to May).

In your foreign school setting, did you find the course content and level similar or different from what you would have received in school in the US? What notable differences did you encounter?

The Chinese high school curriculum is fairly different than the programs I was familiar with in the United States. The curriculum is set by the government, and is entirely focused on preparing students for college entrance exams which are the sole factor in determining college admittance, which is very different from in the US.

One would like to think that math is a "universal language", but I could not understand a thing that was going on during math class- even the steps they were writing down on the board were a mystery!

They weren't doing higher level math, either: they were teaching basic algebra using methods I have never seen used in the US. Additionally, classes were usually more fact-based, and essays rarely challenged student to form an opinion on the subject matter.

What did you do for fun while living in China? Did you do mainly things you would have done at home, or completely different activities?

Completely different. I didn't have an internet connection at home in China, so time spent browsing Facebook in the US was instead spent exploring Beijing.

I often went to temples, tried new restaurants, and went shopping at Beijing's enormous markets. I prefer my activities abroad to what I do in the States.

Did you live with a family in a homestay program? If so, what were some similarities and differences between living at home in the US and living with a family abroad?

I lived with a host family. I had a host sister, but she was attending college in Britain, so for most of the time I was just with my host Mom and Dad.

We lived in a three-room apartment about half a mile away from the Olympic Stadiums. Compared to my 10+ room house in California, living in a Chinese apartment was a big change.

Tap water wasn't drinkable, I always took off my shoes before I went inside, I ate cookies, bread, or other Chinese pastries for breakfast, the TV was in my host parents' bedroom and their bed was separated by a curtain, we had a washing machine but all my clothes had to be air-dried, and used toilet paper went into the trash can not the toilet (apparently Beijing plumbing has issues with toilet paper).

There were many more differences, but those were the ones that come to mind.

What kinds of things did you learn about China that you don't think you could have learned by studying the country from afar (through books, history classes, etc.?)

Most of what I learned about Chinese culture, society, and history probably could have been learned from afar, but it would have been a different type of learning. When you read in a book that Sichuanese food is extremely spicy, it's not the same as learning it experientially, because through a book your tongue isn't on fire for half and hour after you finish dinner!

For me, studying abroad added an experiential element to learning about a foreign language and culture that would have been impossible to replicate anywhere else.

Did you travel around China, or largely stay in Beijing? How did this enhance your understanding of the country and culture?

My program traveled as a group for a total of 5 weeks. This time was enormously educational for two reasons: we got to experience cities other than Beijing (Southern Chinese culture is fairly different than Northern, and many provinces also have unique customs so we would have missed a lot if has we never left Beijing), and we were able to experience rural China.

Many people say that there are two Chinas: rural and urban. Currently, the population is split almost half and half between the rural and urban population, but urban and rural lifestyles are extremely different. We were able to spend many nights living with host families in rural Chinese villages that few foreigners ever get the opportunity to see.

By living in rural villages, we were able to get a taste of how radically different rural life was from the urban living we were accustomed to. Understanding this difference is important as more and more rural Chinese flock to the urban centers. Without knowing what these people are coming from, it is harder to understand why they are so eager to come to the cities.

What were some surprises you faced while living abroad? (Feel free to share anything you might list as "surprising"- shopping, people, travel, cultural norms, or anything else).

Oh gosh, there were a lot of things. The food was different. Really different. Within the first week my host parents tried to get me to eat pig feet (I obliged, afraid of offending them. Gross).

Even beyond the really crazy animal parts that you could eat (but that most people didn't really eat on a daily basis), there was just a lot of flavors and ingredients that I had never tried before (a spice that makes your lips go numb, for example).

In the cities the shopping centers were way larger than anything I have ever seen in the United States. Think a square mile packed with four floors of flea market stalls. Also, the salespeople were incredibly pushy and in-your-face, which is very different from more passive salespeople you may encounter in an American mall.

Finally, milk comes in bags, not bottles, and is unrefrigerated. This was extremely confusing at first, and I was legitimately concerned that the milk I was drinking was going to be spoiled, but it was never an issue. Apparently they do this in Canada too.

How do you feel your experience abroad enhanced your high school career? Do you think your experience will play a large part in your choices in college and beyond?

I think living abroad has given me a much better perspective of my place in the world and how many people have lifestyles radically different from my own. In the future I definitely want to return to China for work, travel, or school.

Many thanks to Jamie for being willing to share his experiences! If you are interested in a year abroad during high school, you'll be able to find many program options in a variety of different areas of the world. Many of these programs cost money, but some are financed by scholarships or through philanthropic ventures. Your school guidance counselor can be a great resource if you're interested in finding out more!

Spain wins World Cup

barcagirl714 — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Yesterday, an intense game of soccer was played in South Africa. In the end, the Spanish won (yay!!!). This victory is a chance for the country to be united. Spain hasn't had the most stable political past and because of this, the country isn't very close. Politics are causing issues that need to be resolved. I think that their victory over the Dutch is a great representation of what people can do when they come together as a nation. If this win can help Sapin become even a little bit closer, I wonder if other small victories can add up in other places in the world. As they say: A little goes a long way. What do you think?

electric guitars, bass beats and soaring vocals in Tamashek

Grace — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Who would have imagined that I'd pop in to one of Chicago's most beautiful outdoor parks on a summery day to see a group dressed in traditional Berber clothing, with rocking electric guitar and bass beats, accompanied by soaring vocals in the Tamashek language?

[View:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRqiqHZhKOM&feature=related:450:380]

Most of us associate rock n' roll with hip-shaking Elvis and swooning '50s ladies... basically, the music of our parents (or even grandparents!). Today's hipper music spreads a little broader, with flannel, old man glasses, and a little eyeliner accompanied by more poetic vocals and interesting instrumental choices.

Ok, ok, maybe a little bit of a stereotype. Nonetheless, the while musical styles are informed by each other, these two are difficult to reconcile. Would you believe that the two genres managed to find each other and meld together... in the middle of the Sahara desert?

Tuareg rock band Tinariwen, (whose name means "deserts" in their native language, Tamashek) does just this. The group's members met in refugee camps in Mali, Libya, and Algeria, banding together as a collective to make music about issues facing the Tuareg people, many of whom lived in exile or faced oppression.

The Tuareg, a nomadic Berber tribe comprising over 5 million people in portions of North Africa today, aren't necessarily known for their musical styles; most commonly played instruments are variations on small shepherd's flutes and small drums. Inspired by traditional Tuareg tunes, Arabic Pop music, more modern African musical styles and even American blues and country western, Tinariwen began compounding styles, creating rich harmonies and complex rhythms that caught the eye of the international public.

While Tinariwen's members once traded homemade cassette tapes with friends and family in the desert, they now tour internationally and boast an impressive following; I recently saw them at a free performance on that summer day in Chicago's Millennium Park. They were playing in the "Music Without Borders" festival attended by over 2,000 people-old rockers and young hipsters alike. Different groups of people, brought together through music.

Exploring the music of world musicians and groups like Tinariwen can help expand your worldview, and contributes to the development of your cultural intelligence.

Behind the beat of any internationally focused band lies a story-in this case, one where modern technology and a nomadic past combine-that can motivate you to learn more about an area through music.

Bands like Tinariwen exist all over the world- tell us, what's your favorite world music group? Feel free to post comments or music suggestions below.

Re: One text can make a difference

Hank — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 07:00:00 GMT

I have donated ten dollars to haiti through my schools donation program.

The real homeless people

Hank — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 07:00:00 GMT

yes this is very sad. As society grows some people are left behind.

Ideas, could anyone give me a little help ?

Hank — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Donate through the internet

The Earthquake in Haiti

Hank — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 07:00:00 GMT

I donated to Haiti

Menace or expression?

Grace — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Have you been keeping up with the World Cup? If so, you'll know that England fell to Germany over the weekend (amid allegations of a bad call) ... but are also probably wondering what all of that incessant buzzing is about. A very large beehive, perhaps? Static noise on the television? Some sort of odd soccer ("football", to the rest of the world) chant?

None of the above. South Africans and other spectators have provided World Cup viewers with a new addition to their soccer match: the vuvuzela, a South African horn played traditionally at sports matches. While the worldwide viewing public views the vuvuzela as more menace than music, the horn has been a staple of South African soccer support since the mid-1970's. Fashioned after traditional horns used to summon villagers from remote African towns to community meetings, the horn now takes shape as a long, colorful plastic pipe with a flared horn at the end. Its characteristic buzzing sound (the B-flat below middle c, for those of you who are more musically inclined) is now seen as characteristic of the fervor of South African sports supporters.

The FIFA World Cup, held every four years, calls South Africa its 2010 home; as such, the horn has made its way on to the international scene, with its buzzing permeating the air in most World Cup matches. Some teams have called the vuvuzela a nuisance, claiming the drone distracts players from the game and causes them to miss shots or lose focus. Foreign players, team managers, and even journalists are calling for a ban on the use of the horns. Yet others, including excited South African fans, maintain that the horn is a traditional part of the South African sporting tradition.

I find it interesting that around the world, different sports from different places have some commonality-the desire for the crowds to interact and become part of the game...Wisconsin has cheeseheads, Oregon has the Quack Attack, even my own school (the University of Chicago, definitely not known for its sports tradition) has the Phoenix Phanatix. So what about the vuvuzelas-menace or expression? Are we really all that different? Should the instruments be banned or restricted, or should the international public respect the wishes and traditions of the World Cup's South African hosts? Feel free to post your comments and discuss, from your own internationally-informed standpoint, what you think should be done.

A student's view

Scott — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 07:00:00 GMT

What is cultural intelligence?

Grace — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Hello, and welcome to the Society of Global Citizens. I'm Grace, a college student and former People to People Student Ambassador. Throughout the summer, I'll be working with the Society of Global Citizens to introduce you to news clips, activities, and programs going on all over the world to help you expand your cultural intelligence, and to learn more about the world around you.

You might be wondering: what's all the hype about cultural intelligence? I admit, the first time I heard the term, I had no idea what it meant. But in thinking about what it means to be culturally intelligent, and reminding myself of the interesting, different, and, yes, sometimes a little crazy experiences I've had abroad and in new situations even in my home country.

Your cultural intelligence is tested during foreign travel, when learning just the best way to introduce yourself to a new person- is it Hi? Guten Tag? A kiss on the cheek? A bow?

Your cultural intelligence is expanded when you try new things at home or abroad- while you might be comfortable with a plain grilled cheese sandwich, why not try a meal at an Ethiopian restaurant? A Döner Kebap at a street stand in Germany or Austria? Escargot in France?

Your cultural intelligence is enhanced even when travelling domestically, or moving to a new city or state- in your hometown, the drink you order with your burger might be "pop", but it could be "soda", "soda pop", or even (regardless of brand!) just plain "Coke".

I recall a particular experience where my cultural intelligence was tested- as a student ambassador in Australia. My delegation visited an Australian middle school, where we attended classes with Australian students for a day. The students took a "tea break" in the mid-afternoon (and I remember wishing my middle school teachers would do the same!), and a student offered me a bite of a vegemite sandwich. I'd never tried it before, and thought it would be delicious- as they described it, the "Australian version of peanut butter". Well, it wasn't- it was bitter, odd, and more than a little gritty. But I loved it, because although it wasn't the most delicious thing, I'd gotten to try something that all the Australian students loved- and my grimacing face gave them more than a few laughs along the way.

Taking opportunities to expand your horizons- whether through food, music, domestic or international travel, or even just meeting others from a different area- pays off in terms of its ability to broaden your mind and your understanding of the world. Cultural intelligence isn't an abstract idea, or something that you learn from a book- it's the practical sort of knowledge you get through travel, through community service, through meeting people from other countries and cultures, and through your own exploration and curiosity. Trust me- when faced with your own vegemite experience, you'll be glad you did take the chance to expand your horizons.

New reality show-recipe for peace?

Caliyorker — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 07:00:00 GMT

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jun/10/french-tv-middle-east-peace