Cultural awareness...
"Hello... I am exploring cultural awareness...", this is what I usually would be telling my interlocutors in order to get some sort of help...But hang on, here is the thing: it is cultural awareness that I am experiencing in lieu of exploring... I am correcting my own stereotypes, confirming others, adjusting to culture shock, handling its side-effect- Homesickness- yeah, I should confess it weighs down one at times. Yet, the mere thought of it directs me to the big picture of this turning point in my life, and how this features as a predictable symptom of the cultural awareness 'medication'.
It is true that teaching is learning twice, and here I am as a teacher getting the right hands-on learning that I am expected to transmit to my students in a newly-molded form.
Back to Bloomington, seemingly enjoying (or suffering from) a deadly quiet life pace…. You are at Evermann, You are at the school of education, You are at Kroger…etc the bus announces these spots as it stops to have passengers get down… A small nice (vicious) circle, a sweet-bitter journey, a regimen to follow willy-nilly. Yet, I should admit I am enjoying the whole experience, getting in touch with others like the global gate students whom we met for a second
round to discuss our classroom management rules and rotines. This is a place to get my patience tested, NOSTALGIA does a great deal to put me down, but I fight tooth and nail to be my best version of ME! Yeah, I am here to undergo a conscious self-started positive change…
Actually, when our coordinators remind us of deadlines to meet, tasks to prepare, presentation to make, reading to go through, I would collapse into a fit of light depression which I would fend off at the first fun moment I encounter…
The Destress Fest… is one of these moments when we, Fulbrighters got lost amidst the visitors trying most stuff offered at the Herman Library (One of my favorite places to be at) …the organizers, students, offered a variety of techniques to chill out/destress: Filling in balloons, having a dog do massage for you, talk therapy…and food… In the end, we destressed ourselves using the most magical solution: FUN.
It’s Saturday…My first live American Football match ever: Wow! Wait I didn’t like like it or say didn’t have enough understanding of the game rules honestly, but the cheers were refreshing, enthralling… The organization betrayed description, with spectators cheering, “Go Hoosiers!”, colorful view with supporters going crazy after a nice try… I lapsed into a deep sense of bitterness after recalling the war/violence scenes during and after Football matches in Morocco… Couldn’t we realize it is a game meant for fun and promoting big causes?
Chicago…. Let me say a few words that will never do her justice though. The magical city, the city of all weathers, and a place for all those seeking a real touch/feel of the American culture at large, the Midwest in particular.
Skylines, looming as lofty as ever as we entered the city one Friday morning… Oh at last, a city by water, I mean a coastal city.., Hold on! It is a lake not a sea, Lake Michigan spreading majestically offering Chicago cruise tours for residents and visitors alike. It is a city that has something for everyone in short. You love malls, then there you are: Th Altrium mall, The Mart, The North Bridge shops… to nemae but a few…
The view of the city (both the modern and the old city) is rendered magical using 94-floor building 360… and more to say and explore…
I wonder why we are not aasigned Chicago as a Fulbright experience site as it has all that Americans are known for, all colors, ethnicities, international shops, locally made food…etc.
Jakkai Siributr, from Bangladesh gave an interesting, culturally enlightening talk about his art: photography, collage, stitch work...etc. revealing nice and nasty realities, critiquing hot button issues and events from the high tower of the artist with a fine outlook of a dedicated man…. Through his artistic paintings, and collated work, I have learnt a lot about his country, his perception of his environment, his rendition s of practices in his home country, values, philosophical thoughts…
I had the chance to have a little chat with him over the atrocities incurred upon Burma Muslim minority as depicted in his photos…The message was clear and strong enough: Extremism-usually ascribed to Muslim- is Bhuddist this time… Whatever the faith, the culture….It is to condemn absolutely!
