Share a cultural tradition

I haven't shared an important cultural tradition with someone since I've arrived in the United States. I just remember when I've been listening briefly a type of Haitian music called "rasin" with my classmates (they were from Ecuador, Mexico, and South Korea), and my teacher in my American culture class recently.

Thus, the cultural tradition I would like to share with someone is "rara". " Rara" and "rasin" belong both to the same categories of music. They're deeply anchored in the popular culture of the country , and consist in a kind of vehicle of the Haitian "folklore". Then, "vodoo",( Haitian religion), and popular culture are the dominant elements of the "rasin" music. Besides, haitian people use this kind of music to express their political, and social problems.

Language: the soul of culture.

Language is a major cultural feature. When you learn a new language, you absorb automatically a lot of significant elements of a new culture. Thus, since I came here, I grasp different aspects of American culture quite simply by learning English.

Now, I really understand that you can grasp the mental structures of a human group by learning his language. Personally, to discover the American culture in general represents an important enrichment. In my opinion, Anglo-Saxon people think differently from people who are mostly influenced by Latin culture. Since I was child, I went to schools that followed french patterns. Actually, to evolve in an American academic environment requires a great calling into question. I think that the transition is a little bit sudden.

Although, I appreciate to discover new cultures. I'm not afraid to experiment the American culture; I'm rather excited. But, I'm just expecting the experience to be realized in the respect of each culture, by pushing aside every ethnocentric attitude.

First impressions about class

I've just started with the August Intercession class today. First, I note that the Cross Cultural Awareness course tends to be more practical than the American Culture course that I followed the last summer. It seems that it focuses not only on the academic aspects of the student's life, but it also includes many other activities that they regularly practice out of the sphere of their purely academic life. Moreover, it seems that the main goal is to give students capacity or ability to communicate better with people that they may encounter in different places on campus as Johnson Commons, the Library, the Union, the IEP, etc.

Including these differences, the both courses although share something in common. They're essentially based on culture. "Culture" is the principal subject over which they're both shaped or conceived. Finally, American Culture and Cross Cultural Awareness are complementary courses.