In his latest edition of Mex-Ed, El Nez offers this snark-fest of a retort to a faux-inquiry about why one should bother with learning about those little things that influence other people’s worldviews:
…if you are really set on understanding other peoples and cultures, the American system of learning about foreigners is the one requiring the smallest amount of personal expenditure or effort. Simply go about your life, and wait (it won’t be long) until the Troops (or bombs) are dropped into any given nation—and before you know it, all kinds of neat facts about that country will begin to filter into American discourse! Before the toxic dust has settled or the schools are even rebuilt, new exotic clothing styles and foods will make their way into the Great Melting Pot of this versatile and accepting country, and you will become enriched without even working for it! I think of it like remote-control acquisition of culture.
Nez’ post, because of the non-linear way my mind sometimes works, reminded me of a Thailand travelog I caught on On Demand last night. The sights, sounds, smells, and eternally smiling Thai faces described on the video bore only a passing resemblance to the Thailand my husband and I experienced on our honeymoon six years ago. And that’s probably because whenever we visit a new place, we always take the trouble to get as far off the beaten path as our safety will allow. Sure, we visit palaces, historical places, houses of worship, museums and the like. But, we also shop in neighborhood stores and visit hyper-local markets, as well as try to get to know local people.
This way of traveling has offered us many rewards. We were once invited to an Indian woman’s home in the Himalayas for breakfast. Because of the convivial conversation that ensued –we discussed religion, politics, women’s rights, etc.– we learned more about India in that two hours than we did in the other 13 days we were in the country.
As summer approaches, many of us will embark on holidays to new and exotic places. Because I’m one of those people who basically works to go on vacation, I’m curious (and probably will be envious!) to know where folks are going this year. I’d also like to know what you’ve learned when you’ve gotten “off the beaten path.”
[Link via Lauren]
77 Responses to “Rage against the ‘remote control acquisition of culture’”
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I wish I had a great story to tell you - but I will say this, the time I stubbornly rode BART to Market Street and then hiked across San Francisco to Coit Tower and to Pier 39, was one of the most enriching times on vacation I ever had. Imagine the joy of finding Chinatown completely by accident.
That’s a good story! I’ve made some of my best cultural discoveries walking around various neighborhoods in San Francisco –And I lived there for many years.
I totally agree Roxanne.
When I was last in Puerto Rico for a conference, three of us grad students were utterly sick of the expensive, uniform and downright bland (at best) food offered around the conference hotel. So, we went walking, and found this ‘restaurant’ down a tiny thin side-street that really was nothing more than a converted home’s kitchen, right on the street.
And the food was INCREDIBLE! And CHEAP! We were served by this gorgeously-huge mature black Jamaican woman, on plastic tables and chairs … I can still remember her plantains and red-beans and rice, made fresh … *drool*
But I’ve done this since I was little. As I was growing up my family used to go regularly back and forth to Europe (as the Netherlands are were my family is from). I was known as the child that left to her own devices, would just take off and go wandering and exploring a town, sans map, sans knowledge of the area. In hindsight it was a tad insane for a child of my age to be doing such, but I loved it, and I still do.
Plus, you don’t know dutch sausage till you have eaten it hot, steaming and fresh from a real street vendor in the Netherlands!
But even here in the US it’s a good idea. I love going away from the tourist areas and finding the coffeeshops, bars, and food-places that the locals hang out in. Not only are you going to get cheaper and better food and drink, but it is amazing how much locals love to talk about their home if you invite them to. I have fallen in love with places like Boston and Seattle doing this.
If someone doesn’t want to learn and grow from internationalist perspectives and knowledges, they are a pretty pathetic excuse for a human being in my opinion.
I want to go to Java to learn more about the music and culture. I’m not sure I’ll make it this year, but you never know.
Ooo, rang. I definitely missed Holi this year.
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I really want to go to Morocco, but am slowly learning where/when to go from various sources. I base my choice of destination on 1) food, 2) language, and 3) length of air travel (what can I say, I just hate flying!). Usually #1 seals the deal, but I like to think I went to Thailand to learn the language too
Oh, and as to where I am going this year … hopefully British Columbia up in Canada, and I personally would love to get back to the Netherlands for winter vacation to see my extended family and Oma, but that depends on the status of funds (which as a grad student are rather pathetic *smile*) … anywhere else depends on conferences and funding …
There’s a terrific Moroccan restaurant we once went to in Paris. It’s housed in someone’s Arr. 15? 16? 17? livingroom. But, for the life of me, I can’t think of the name of it.
Spain
Flying in to Barcelona, then renting a car for wife, girls and me, then try to take the same approach as Roxanne.
We’re all very excited. Had a great time in Italy two years ago. I’m sure Spain will be the same, but different, of course.
You’re so right that you want to hit the “big” famous spots, but often the best experiences, and most memorable, are off the beaten track, interacting with locals, eating their “real” food, getting them to open up a bit (which isn’t always easy for Americans).
We’re pretty low maintenance, as tourists go, and rarely have negative experiences with hotels, restaurants, etc.
It’s interesting you mention this … because my accent automatically marks me as non-american, and I have wondered sometimes if my friendly reception by locals is at least in part due to the fact that is readily apparent that I am not american.
Sarah, CHEATER!!!…
lol MikeEss … hey, if you’ve got it, use it
Sarah
I wouldn’t be surprised.
Okay. I admit to not correcting people when they’ve assumed I was a Canadian.
I don’t usually comment, but this post somewhat bugged me, because it’s written only from the perspective of someone who has the freedom and resources to “acquire” foreign cultures firsthand. Sure, it must be nice to have an illuminating conversation with an Indian woman over breakfast in the Himalayas, but most people in America will never be able to do that, not necessarily because they don’t want to, but because they can’t afford to. Until everyone can afford a trip around the world, “remote control acquisition of culture” will remain the best way to find out about non-American cultures for a lot of people.
but most people in America will never be able to do that, not necessarily because they don’t want to, but because they can’t afford to.
While it’s true that some people cannot afford to travel someplace exotic every year (I certainly can’t) and a few people will never be able to afford to travel, are we certain that “most” Americans can’t afford a holiday every few years? Even a little one, where they can choose to walk around neat little neighborhoods in San Francisco or spend the day at Fisherman’s Wharf?
While it’s true that some people cannot afford to travel someplace exotic every year (I certainly can’t) and a few people will never be able to afford to travel, are we certain that “most� Americans can’t afford a holiday every few years?
Speaking strictly for myself, I’ve been working on and off as a temp for the past five years, with one brief stretch of “real” employment (ie working at a job where I had paid vacation and sick leave). So far, we can only manage weekends away to places within driving distance, because plane fare + hotel is just too much to manage.
So, yeah, I think there are a lot more of us out there than you think who can’t afford vacations. We weren’t able to afford a honeymoon after our wedding last year; we won’t be able to afford one this year; I honestly have no idea when we’re going to be able to afford more than a three-day weekend to Santa Barbara or San Diego.
One of my fellow grad students is Thai and when he’s at home he pretends not to speak English specifically because he hates tourists who try to cuddle the natives.
Once a year the grad students go camping, does that count? And no, I can’t afford a holiday every few years, even a “tiny” one to someplace like San Francisco. San Francisco might as well be on the moon as far as I’m concerned. Right now I’m actually worried about how I’m both going to eat this month and pay my student fees.
We didn’t have a wedding. We went to Thailand instead.
We didn’t have a wedding. We went to Thailand instead.
Good for you. We decided to celebrate with 40 of our nearest and dearest instead for less than $10K. I realize that makes us bad, insular people to choose our own families over traveling by ourselves but considering that I could only get three days off work for my wedding, it was the best we could do.
Oh, dear. I’m not making any judgement about your choices. I’m just saying that when someone goes on vacation, maybe they could choose to spend a little time not sitting on the beach drinking mai tais.
Also, some people don’t have the option of giving their entire family the finger when it comes to things like weddings.
My family are born wanderers, so I’ve seen some really cool stuff. One of the coolest was when I was about 10 and we went to Malawi (where my parents first met). Since we had good connections in country we were able to stay at a fairly remote village near where my mom had taught high school. The villagers had just killed a rogue hippo (little known fact - Hippos kill more people than crocodiles, lions, leopards and snakes put together). The entire village was taken up with huge drying and smoking racks bearing strips of hippo meat, with little lanes running between them so people could get around. Everyone in the village was involved, from kids barely able to walk to elders barely able to see, and the whole process was accompanied by singing and laughter.
Oiy, enough with the martyr routine. I am a broke-arse phd student, and even I enjoyed and agreed with what Roxanne was saying … if one can travel, and is travelling, one needs to do more than just sit in the tourist bus and expect the world to be served up to oneself in digestible and non-challenging bite-sized pieces. This was NOT an indictment against those that cannot travel for whatever reason.
I don’t usually comment, but this post somewhat bugged me, because it’s written only from the perspective of someone who has the freedom and resources to “acquire� foreign cultures firsthand.
I’m sorry, but your comment aggravated me, seeing as how you are privileged enough to use a computer to make it. Until everyone has that opportunity, I don’t see why you should get on the computer and just comment. It’s very insensitive.
I’m a bit spoiled now, but I’ve slept in a car in New Orleans to save money.
I’m sorry, but your comment aggravated me, seeing as how you are privileged enough to use a computer to make it.
I’m using my work computer. I guess I’m privileged to even have a job, though, so I shouldn’t be so insensitive.
Blogging makes traveling much cheaper—so many people to stay with! No more sleeping in the car, and if you play your cards right, no shoplifting food.
I’m just saying that when someone goes on vacation, maybe they could choose to spend a little time not sitting on the beach drinking mai tais.
Yes, and when I can afford a vacation — hopefully within the next 3 years or so — that’s generally what I do. Heck, I try to do this within my own metropolitan area, seeing as we have stores and restaurants from pretty much every country in the entire world here in Los Angeles.
But I did think the fact that not everyone can afford to travel overseas should probably be mentioned since it’s a common bash against Americans that we don’t travel overseas and therefore we’re insular and stupid. It does cost money to travel, and a lot of people aren’t willing to give up other things that they want or need to do it.
Also, some people don’t have the option of giving their entire family the finger when it comes to things like weddings.
Is it out of line to point out how heterosexist this comment is? A lot of people have no choice but to give their families the finger.
Except that I don’t agree with what she’s saying. I think it’s rude and pushy to try and interact with the natives all the time simply because YOU want some kind of cultural experience. Being from Wisconsin, I don’t like all the FIBs who come up from Chicago and crowd our lakes. So why on earth would I want to behave like a FIB when I go somewhere myself?
No, actually, the major contribution to that reputation is that a lot of the Americans that DO travel can be insular and stupid, and if I may presume to speak for Roxanne here for a moment, it’s posts like this that encourage Americans that do travel NOT to behave like that.
Further, one can be non-insular and informed even if one cannot travel … use your library, talk to people of different cultures living in your area, etc, etc. Try different foods, go to local cultural festivals. I’m not saying you don’t do these things … in fact, I suspect you do … I’m just saying this is to a certain extent more about experiencing culture than merely about travel.
Sorry, hate to be having fun, but I don’t reallly see why the “some people don’t have money to travel” thing really matters. Roxanne’s point is true even if you don’t have two dimes to rub together. Odds are your very own hometown has awesome shit about it that you could take more time to dig up and find out. Insular is about more than geography. Plus, as she points out, getting off the beaten path is often money-saving. My cheapness has led me into more educational situations, in various ways. Walking and bicycling everywhere instead of driving will often teach you all sorts of stuff you missed about your own home. Vacation in your own neighborhood!
Most of the local people we interact with end up approaching us because they’re curious about us, want to do business with us, want to talk with us, etc.
And it is rude if you do that. But the thing is, that isn’t what is being argued for here, and I am beyond confused how you can take such from all this … what has been advocated here is NOT expecting that everything be handed to you as a tourist, but rather go out and experience things as the locals would, on their terms, and not inflict the McTourism industry on their culture. It’s about learning things based on THEIR rules, THEIR traditions, THEIR expectations, and is so much to the opposite of what you are writing that I wonder if you read the same piece I did.
Which is totally different, and of course, fine. Maybe I’ve been around too many Chicagoans on vacation.
It’s amazing how people will actually want your company if you don’t act like the Ugly American.
On my last trip to London I made a beeline for Hyde Park since it was Sunday and Speakers’ Corner was happening. I struck up a conversation with a French national who commented that most Americans would be too afraid to talk! WTF???
I love finding little out-of-the-way places right in town. Granted, that’s NYC, but even when I lived in suburban MA there were chances to find neat undiscovered spaces.
The most recent “find” was a couple of years back when I went with some work friends out for a drink. We got hungry and found this tiny little Afghan restaurant on…9th Avenue? Don’t remember. But the food was excellent, service amazing, and v. cheap.
As a New Yorker, I have noticed that there is a difference between tourists and travelers. The tourists never leave the 5 block radius of Times Square unless they are in a cab going to Ground Zero or a museum, and the travelers buy a metrocard and look in the local papers for something interesting and different.
How do I know this? I’m apparently ’safe’ looking, enough for strangers to ask me questions and hand me their cameras.
Someday I will get to travel more–until then, I’ll read other people’s adventures and cheer them on! Plus, I’ll aim to be a traveler, not a tourist.
Couple of small “experiences” from last year’s cruise to Greek and Turkish locations.
We got off the boat onto Patmos to tour and, afterward, were going to stop in a small shop so my wife could pick up a pastry (she slept through breakfast). As we were walking in, a guy on a motorcycle buzzed passed us, with a clear plastic bag of white stuff in his hand. He went into the shop ahead of us.
He dropped off the stuff, my wife bought a pastry, and, as we were about to leave, I asked what is that “stuff.”
“Oh, it’s fresh goat cheese, straight from the farm. Would you like some?” I explained that we were getting on a ship and had nowhere to put it. So she and her husband INSISTED we stay and sample some. She put out a china plate, a napkin, a knife and fork, and a large chunk of cheese. Deeeeeelicious.
So, we were going to leave but, NOOOOOOOO, first we had to try it with honey and cinammin (sp?). Well, OK. Wow, that was good.
Then, I tried to pay (we really had quite a bit), but they would not let us.
Sweet. Really nice people. Gave us a taste of Greek hospitality and food we would not have gotten otherwise. And found out how good fresh goat cheese is.
At another stop, in Istanbul, we had a great guide, very entertaining, talked just like Jackie Mason (I swear it). While we were waiting for some people to look a carpets, he and I got into a discussion about his style, how he weaved jokes and stories into his history and sights.
He explained that, if he just gave the history and pointed out the buildings, everyone would fall asleep and he’d get lousy tips. He told me “This is entertainment.” I gotta be “on.” If I do this in an entertaining way, you enjoy, you learn, and you appreciate - so it’s good for me too. He told us that he got many of his sayings (American phrases) by watching American basketball on TV. Go figure.
———————
As far as affording vacations, I’m glad I can now, because I couldn’t when I was younger. I still have to work hard and save hard to vacation. But it’s one of the few things we splurge on.
I had a wonderful experience in Chiba City, Japan last summer, across the bay from Tokyo.
I ended up as chaperone for six middle school kids for a two-week exchange trip. We all stayed with different host families, attended classes at the neighborhood middle school, as well as had guides take us around the prefecture.
Around Chiba prefecture, we went to temples, businesses, the zoo, and sea world. One weekend, I went to Tokyo with my host family and we visited the temple at Asakusa, a museum, and went shopping in Odaiba. It was really nice to see different aspects of Japanese daily life. I only wish I could have stayed longer!
Next time, I will hopefully spend a bit more time in Tokyo, as well as visit Osaka and Kyoto.
I know how tourists can be irritating. I currently live in DC and right now we’re experiencing the onslaught of Sakura/ school break madness. Most of the visitors are pleasant/ benign. But then there are the few that don’t have the common sense to stay off the subways during rush hour or use their “inside voices” on the subway or make their kids not run up and down the aisles on the subway and so on. We try extremely hard not to be those kind of tourists.
It’s amazing how people will actually want your company if you don’t act like the Ugly American.
I’ve noticed various Americans I’ve met travelling are pretty quick to assure people they’re not one of those. There seems to be a fear of fitting the stereotype.
There seems to be a fear of fitting the stereotype.
Good people don’t want to be assholes. Fascinating, if you think about it.
Kelly — I lived in Tokyo for three years and have visited Osaka/ Kyoto many times. If you end up going back to Japan, shoot me an email and I’ll send you a list of recommendations.
Good people don’t want to be assholes. Fascinating, if you think about it.
Well, yes, that’s obvious, but I’ve never noticed it with other nationalities. Given what I’m aware of of the British reputation in Europe, it could be we’re just oblivious.
I would love to travel. But it costs so friggin’ much just to fly across the country to see my parents every other year, that “real” travel goes on the back burner. (Yes, they come here alternate years. No, they can’t afford to come every year.)
But what I really want to say is I LOVE THAT PICTURE. I WANT ALL THAT PIGMENT.
Good people don’t want to be assholes. Fascinating, if you think about it.
I don’t think they realize what they’re doing, that’s why they’re assholes.
As a New Yorker, I have noticed that there is a difference between tourists and travelers. The tourists never leave the 5 block radius of Times Square unless they are in a cab going to Ground Zero or a museum, and the travelers buy a metrocard and look in the local papers for something interesting and different.
Well, the tourists sometimes ride the Gray Line buses. And go to Macy’s.
One nice thing about living in Brooklyn — we tend not to get tourists, but travelers.
I visited Bermuda several years ago in late October to visit a friend who was living there. One day, we took a ferry from one end of the island to the other to go look at the ruins of a fort there. On the trip back, we noticed that there seemed to be a party going on belowdecks. We asked someone about it, and he invited us to join in — seems that it was the last ferry run of the season, and the crew was celebrating. Since booze is not cheap there, we were quite honored to be asked to join in, and I got to ask native Bermudians a lot about their country.
Another factor to consider is that traveling can be much less expensive than you think it’s going to be. I once got a $300 roundtrip ticket on Virgin from Los Angeles to London. My husband and I spent only $700 (after airfare) on two weeks in India –and we lived pretty high on the hog for us! That trip to Thailand? We spent a lot less in Bangkok than we would have spent on meals at home.
It’s not free, not entirely cheap, but traveling is within reach of many people who are unaware …that traveling is within their reach.
when i was in europe (london, technically not europe, i know..paris, rome, prague, and amsterdam…all for 400$ roundtrip air ticket!…just like the chinatown bus, if your crafty, you pay less) i found most people were jerks, not unlike america…ive been trying to figure out why thats what we encountered…all i can think of is me and my freind being crust punks didnt attract too many people (and a few people even ran in fear when they saw my chest tattoo). prague was the only place where we felt no hostility…we figured because it was chalk full of kids our age who had fun taking us to absynthe bars haha.
NO WAY! Bermudian here, posting from Bermuda. The internet is such a small place!!
Was that the Dockyard - St. George ferry? That’s the only one I can think of that is seasonal. In any case, what a great story!
and roxanne your so right about people not realizing how affordable it can be…the whole 3 weeks i was there i spent about 1000$ (including the tickets). you just gotta reasearch! (and stay in hostels)
I’ve never stayed in a hostel. A couple of our hotels in Europe were a tiny bit dodgy, tho.
Was that the Dockyard - St. George ferry? That’s the only one I can think of that is seasonal.
IIRC, that’s the one.
Roxanne, I’m really impressed by your $300 ticket. You’ve given me hope. Living in San Francisco, I occasionally mope over ticket deals based on New York/Boston/etc. departures. (Though I guess I could always look for cheap flights to the east coast separately.)
At least I can run out and go have fun in my own city and across the Bay. No shortage of things to do here.
If you’re trying to go East, magda, be sure to check out JetBlue out of Oakland. The price I pay from Dulles to Oakland is usually about $200/RT. And JetBlue is a pleasure to fly.
Well now I feel obliged to do a shameless plug for my country:
Bermuda: come for the beaches, stay for the impromptu parties on public transportation!
Make it a full-on ad! What else can I do there besides sun-and-sand (which I’m not real into)?
One (probably small) reason for Americans not traveling overseas is how much travel you have to do in country if your family is spread out like many are. Our immediate relatives are anywhere from 2500 to 3000 miles away. Airfare for a family of 3 to visit said relatives runs between $600-$1000 depending on the kind of deal we can get. So if you’ve got family expecting visits on a regular basis, there’s your travel budget right there. My impression from when I lived in Europe and Central America is that families are more likely to live closer to each other, so people don’t have to travel to see relatives.
Americans are definitely either seen as rude, or Easy Marks. I speak enough bits of foreign languages to do my best to pass as ANYTHING else - my accent is a little weird anyway, so I’m usually assumed to be Canadian. In any middle eastern / mediterranean country, I’ve passed for Norse solely on the basis of coloring. Shameless? You bet.
Exception: For some reason, being an American in UK was almost as cool as being a Brit in US. Got hit on a lot by people who just wanted to hear me speak. (!)
I LOVE LOVE LOVE wandering off the standard path and finding local things and people. Not to have a “cultural” experience - I know people like that, and they’re irritating and condescending. No, just to find out what the world is really like Over In This Corner, and is there anything good to eat while I’m at it?
No, just to find out what the world is really like Over In This Corner, and is there anything good to eat while I’m at it?
Word on the food Radical Centrist! *grin* I’ve had some bad experiences (like losing contact with the lower half of my face after indonesian food so hot that it could alternatively be used as paint stripper, and I LIKE hot food!), but some of the most vivid memories I have of travelling involve food of some sort, enjoying it, and eating it with people
I still get cravings for raw herring fresh out of the North Sea, with finely diced onions sticking to it
hostels arent bad! youd be surprised, there super awesome as long as you get a same sex room (not hard to get at all). and its a great chance to meet tons of people
“For some reason, being an American in UK was almost as cool as being a Brit in US. Got hit on a lot by people who just wanted to hear me speak.”
really? man we were HATED in the UK. we were kicked off park benches so rich looking locals could sit on them for chrissakes!
The first time I left the country was spring break my first year of law school. My now-husband and I went to Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic. A classmate’s mother is Dominican from the area we were visiting, so we got lots of tips on great local places to visit. The best part of the trip for us was making our way back to the (European-based) resort on our own from the little touristy day trips we took. We found a tiny restaurant my classmate recommended that made absolutely wonderful goat stew. It was quite a spectacular trip, all told.
I was known as the child that left to her own devices, would just take off and go wandering and exploring a town, sans map, sans knowledge of the area. In hindsight it was a tad insane for a child of my age to be doing such, but I loved it, and I still do.
By the time I was in the second semester of my freshman year at MIT, I knew Boston better than most people in my cooperative living group. This was because I like to ramble. I didn’t ever understand why the Americans in particular never took much interest in the city that surrounded them. That confuses me, but it is a cultural trait, one that is much more acute in Eastern US cities where people don’t even seem to know where the river is when it is less than a half mile from where they lived all their lives. People in New England and in NYC never seem to leave their neighborhoods.
Now that I’ve been around and have biked just about every secondary road in a 50 mile radius, I always know how to navigate around traffic jams and known slow zones. People at work have discovered this intensive knowledge, and I routed several around the 20m tractor-trailer platform diving event near our workplace so they could get home by sundown last night.
My son has an even better sense of direction than I do - which makes him a human GPS - and I am thrilled that it won’t be long until I have a travelling companion, particularly since I am now starting to travel more for work. I plan to take him on an international excursion as soon as the exchange rates calm down. He likes art, architecture, people and food and dispises disnification. We will make a good team.
When I ultimately am asked “where is this or that” because everybody always seems to think I’m a tour guide even when I’m a tourist, I’ll have a second person to be baffled with.
I got horribly lost in Dublin once. (I was traveling with a group of students from various schools, and the group’s leaders decided that, since I didn’t want to go to the usual shops, I was responsible enough to go alone.) I did my usual thing and found the nearest small bookstore, and had a long rambling conversation about Irish history and bungee jumping with the owner. I also bought a map.
In Japan I spent six weeks living with a family (it was kinda an exchange program). They spoke little English, except for one daughter, who taught it; I spoke little Japanese, but they taught me a bunch (and never really laughed at me, thankfully). We went on hikes in the mountains and caught little frogs, and I learned to use chopsticks while a large cat sat on my lap, trying to catch whatever I’d picked up. Nothing too exciting, but it was so much richer an experience than my time in Tokyo.
When I was in Santa Fe for college, I managed regularly to get myself lost, but I found all sorts of neat shops and stuff in the process. (Unfortunately, I rarely managed to find them twice.)
I really don’t understand folks who stick to tourist areas and touristy things. Then again, my parents and grandparents always dragged us off to museums off-season, and out-of-the-way historical sites, and so on, and we had a blast. Tourist areas are so damn sanitized that they’re just barely interesting, IMO.
For those of you without limos and much spare bling, such as I:
1. Pick a culture, remember that quality > quantity. Well, do try a little of everything, but it’s good to have at least one other culture that you are very familiar with for another perspective.
2. Hit up your area libraries: Read up on their history, take notes, of the contents and who wrote them, contrast the versions.
3. Find out what the preferred news source of your selected culture is, or at least one that is distinctly different from teh mainstream. I’m Chinese-Canadian, so, I already have Ming Pao for my non-mainstream alt news…but I still have to pick Another Culture, Another View, so I picked Al Jazeera, which comes in English now.
4. Shop at their groceries, try out the cuisines, try making it yourself, observe the environment around you.
5. Learn the language.
I’m still trying to decide if I should go back to trying to fix my French first, since it’s that other second language, or since, I’m in Toronto after all…I should just push that to later and hop on with the Arabic…in the summer. It can’t be harder than the pure memorization of Chinese characters since they have letters like English, the Arabic cultures did invent numbers as we know it after all.
- MG
And to the people upthread whining about how they can’t take big vacations or whatnot - neither can I, anymore. You know what I do instead?
I travel around my own damn city. I get off the beaten path, out of the areas i’m used to, and spend a day, or an afternoon, just poking. (Sometimes, I even go into DC to do this.)
The point is that there are plenty of neat things to see, do, and experience ANYWHERE if you just get off your ass and out of the usual territories. Can’t afford to travel? Walk around your neighborhood. Put your local street map away, go to a strange portion of the city, and poke around. The best antique shops, best bookstore, and best museums I’ve ever found were small, overlooked ones I’ve found by poking around where I live.
We are planning a mid-summer vacation in San Diego. We wanted to go to London, but the exchange rate is horrid right now.
Anyway, we did want to slip south of the border while we are there - any suggestions?
Oh yeah, merc georg, Toronto. We want to check it out on our way back from Chicago to Boston. Suggestions are welcome!
Suggestions are welcome for Chicago too - I’ll have free time AND my bicycle to explore from my downtown hotel for three days of a conference. Zog and the boys are trailing in Amagumo via Fallingwaterhouse and the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame (Amagumo being our metallic gray Mazda minivan - I wanted to call it “dark rain cloud” but that translates as “black rain”, which isn’t a nice thing to name a Hiroshima-built vehicle).
Ms Kate -
You want to get hold of me while you are here? I’ll be at MSS from tomorrow afternoon on (look to my livejournal info page for my email address)
Word on passing for something else while you’re abroad. When I went to Paris in the early 90s, I was in a tweed phase, wearing men’s tweed jackets that I’d gotten from the thrift store and little round tortoiseshell glasses. This meant I was mistaken for British, which suited me just fine (and this was even after I’d spoken slow, mangled French to people). And when I was in Italy, I tried to dress in black knit separates to look a little less conspicuous. I didn’t blend — I didn’t expect to — but at least I wasn’t pegged immediately as American.
Ms. Kate: Take the trolley from SD down to the border. Then jump in a cab for the Rosarito Beach Hotel or Puerto Nuevo. In PN, we used to be able to get a nice langostino dinner plus a couple of beers for $5. Even if the price has doubled, it’s well worth the trip.
To Ms.Kate
Well, I walk around certain areas in Toronto, but Toronto is pretty spread out and I still haven’t gotten around to all the areas I keep hearing about yet. Mostly, I explore the area around St.George Campus, and go out from there, along subway lines (but walking) all to way to Christie station once where there were Korean shops and it’s close to the park that’s linked to High Park, if not is. Also walked to Spadina and Bloor, Spandina and Dundas. Then there is Pacific Mall, Market Village across it, etc. Though in the end, I think that St.George Campus, in all directions, especially NOT towards Yonge and Bloor (which is uber central but over commercialized), is a good way to go. They have so many little Middle Eastern eateries here and there. I like walking on Harbord street leaving form the Robarts library.
If you eat meat, Johnny’s Charcoal Broiled Hamburgers is a local joint that is a must-visit, it’s localed on Sheppard and Victoria Park. The decor is orange…and there is a bench, but in return the burger is big and below $3Can and the bread isn’t airy, just stay away from the pickles unless you like them really salty. Most people just go there to pick up just the burger and then leave (you’ll have to take a number though).
Cabbage Town: In my opinion, the best area in Toronto to just browse through, if you don’t want to do shopping or anything, though there are certainly interesting shops. Chainstores have invaded it too, but, in cabbage town, they are a lot less formal and they have two stores across from each other that both sells a lot of plants at the front. The nearest station is Castle Frank. Riverdale Farm is, ‘around’, but I never got to it because I’ve always spent the day gawking at The Menagerie Petshop, which have a giant lizard over its entrance (fake), and really good fish/reptile/bird sections. Cabbage Town is great, because you have that Toronto racial diversity, but none of the hostility, or maybe I’m not there enough, but the people sitting next to each other on the bus out from the station, strangers, aren’t tense at all.
There is also this lovely Vietnamnese eatery called Pho Con Bo, I think I’ve spelled it right, located at Jane and Wilson, the pho there is excellent, provided that you eat it there immediately after you add the herbs, the taste change when you bring it home because a lot of it is the freshness. There is also the ‘mun’? I can’t spell…it’s a dry noodle bowl that includes a little of everything, kinda, it has springrolls, which are the best in town. A big bowl of pho is just $5, medium, $4. I have to warn you that I have been warned to never eat there after dark though, the property there aren’t expensive for a reason, there has been shoot-outs, sure it might not be a bad neighbourhood, but it had gained a reputation that people who like trouble will go there to make it. Also, try the ice coffee, it’s very deliciously strong. They also have avocado shake, most of the time.
There is the Toronto Zoo, I haven’t been there in years due to expenses and never-got-around to it, but as ‘tourist-traps’ go, it’s much more fun than CN Tower, though CN Tower is something that people still go to say they’ve been there, it does have a decent view, but the line-ups just didn’t seem worth it, if I want to visit it again I’ll shape up and join one of those charity run up its stairs or something.
If it rains: The PATH, but it’s mostly like an underground version of Yonge and Bloor, I just don’t find much unique about it.
Oh, if you can wait a month, or maybe next time, or maybe the flowers will be early because I did see little irises on people’s front lawn today, the residential area around Robarts Library is lovely, people grow such pretty flowers and arrangements on their front lawns.
If you like stuff such as Asian/Jamaican/South-American canned coffees, there is the Taiwan chains T&T, of which there are there in Toronto, I think.
If it freezes over when you are in Toronto, you can skate at Nathan Philip’s Square, mid downtown.
Harbourfront, can’t remember the directions of exactly where…but there is this place where you can see people blow glass. It’s also close to the Soul Pepper theatre, I think.
Oh yeah, it you have time, totally check out the free sermons and gatherings on the posterboards on St.George Campus, on St.George Street, next to Robarts, a lot of them are about the Environment and the Middle East and Darfur lately.
If you feel like doing some uber research readings, Robarts Library lets you buy a visitor’s card, don’t remember how much, and then you can go up to the stacks. Can’t remember if you’ll need that for the East Asian Library. Oh yeah, there are lots of part time adult students, event seniors, in U of T, so don’t feel odd about going to the lectures/libraries, unless it’s something like a bar where you will stick out (Oh god, is that a Prof?). The Library nearest to Victoria College and Musem station, centers on women studies and literature, and you don’t need a card to get in to look at the variety of news/political periodicals they have. Just put them back exactly where you’ve found them or on the table if you aren’t sure, which is much preferable to putting them back wrong. There is also the open to public Toronto Reference Library, they even have a whole shelve on ancient homosexuality….you can’t borrow anything though and there is bag check. Lilian H. Smith has lotsa of sci-fi keep in as reference.
I have to say, I really dislike how spread out Toronto is, but I love the libraries, and the diverse shops that are there, if you really, really, look.
- MG
Ms Kate–
the best tacos al pastor anywhere (maybe outside of Mexico) are to be found in Chicago if you find one of the disreputable-looking places with the plastic tablecloths. And the Indian food on Devon avenue is phenomenal. And a couple miles south of Devon you’ll run into a smallish Middle Eastern area where the falafel and baklava are cheap and delicious. I really hate living in Chicago, but the food is great. If you’re here in the summer from Thursday to Sunday, check out the Summer Dance in Grant Park. It’s a great place to meet people and a lot of fun. Also, I second what everybody else said about wandering around.
I stayed in hostels all over the British Isles and did not find them a bit creepy. I also found that, if you are travelling off the beaten path, it’s not too difficult to find a bothy (little shack in the mountains) to camp out in for a day or two. I saved a lot of money by walking from place to place and camping instead of taking the bus. I found quite a bit of hostility for being an American (mostly because of our president), but when I pointed out that, at that time, we had actually done our best not to elect him, they would give me this weird look and ask me to explain the electoral college.
I always say one of the disadvantages of living in Los Angeles is you’re actually less motivated to visit other countries because everyone moves here. So, if I want to hear about people’s personal experiences of growing up and living in, say, India, or Iran, or Pakistan, or Mexico, etc., etc. I have friends, co-workers, neighbors, and whatnot are more than happy to tell me all about it.
What is the photo of?
[…] And Amanda said this: […]
[…] One commenter, though, said what I’d been thinking: I don’t usually comment, but this post somewhat bugged me, because it’s written only from the perspective of someone who has the freedom and resources to “acquireâ€? foreign cultures firsthand. Sure, it must be nice to have an illuminating conversation with an Indian woman over breakfast in the Himalayas, but most people in America will never be able to do that, not necessarily because they don’t want to, but because they can’t afford to. Until everyone can afford a trip around the world, “remote control acquisition of cultureâ€? will remain the best way to find out about non-American cultures for a lot of people. […]