Extra Credit: International Unity Day

1. I tried salata od krastavaca which is cucumber salad from Serbia. It was pretty bland tasting considering all it was made of was cucumbers and milk. I also tried a a French crepe that wasn’t bad except it was cold. It was a very thin pancake with jelly spread ontop. My favorite food that I had was moussaka which was from Greece. Since I am Greek, I’ve had this many times before. It contains eggplant, ground meat, and potatoes with a special tomato sauce. I love this dish. 

 

2. 

This man is from Saudi Arabia. He is wearing a white long cloak, also known as a thawb. His headpiece is a red and white checkered head wrap with a thick black rope around his forehead to the back of his head. 

 These three teenage girls are from India. I could not understand them well but I think the type of clothing they were wearing was either lehenga choli and/or churida suit. Their clothing was embellished with a lot of rhinestones and sequins.

 This young boy was from Africa. He had a purple brocade suit. It was a long tunic top with matching pants. It had some embellishments on the silky pattern. 

 

3.

 

The first writing is in Russian and the second is in Arabic.

 

4.

 

This entertainment act was done by Si Lu Jia. She played a Chinese traditional musical instrument called the Ehru. From this little instrument it made very upbeat music. The song she played built and was quite entertaining.

This act was done by Kittiphong Mu Praphan whom played the guitar and the Thai flute. When he started playing the flute I was blown away. It sounded like very relaxing and soothing music one would hear at a spa. It was unbelievable the sound that was coming out of the flute. This song also built up and he was playing it so fast. It almost sounded like it could be in a movie with a crazy ninja fight going on!

 

5.

This woman was from Kazakhstan . This piece is so unusual because you would never see an American walking around on a normal day dressed like this. This piece was so detailed with sequins head to toe.

6. I learned a lot more than I expected at this event. I never truly realized how different every single culture is. It is amazing. I’m sure it was an eye-opener to anyone in the community that never attended before, like it was for myself. I loved how the different cultures cook special foods and everyone can try them. Although most of them were not to my liking, it was a cool experience. It is crazy how other cultures taste buds are so different than ours. One thing that amazed me was when I had them write “Happy Unity Day” in their language. I’ve never had anyone write something for me that came so natural to them. It was unbelievable because you know other cultures write differently but you never really see it. It is so strange to me that people write like that!

Identity is what makes every culture unique. From the clothing, to lifestyle, to food, everything is so unique and cool in its own way. The culture that stuck out to me were the ones with the most bizarre foods and clothing. But that is what identity is, truly being yourself through food, clothing and lifestyle. The blending of all these cultures at and IUP event, and on campus itself, enriches us as a community. This is because we not only care about our cultures but respect others as well. We allow them to come onto our campus and let them show the community what their culture is like. I think this is a very neat event that IUP holds and everyone should attend!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HW 11 #2

“Be good to yourself, there are some things that everyone deserves- love respect, time to recharge. Never settle for less. Seek out your dreams. Start small. Take it as it comes. Even a butterfly has to inch along before getting its wings. Listen to your heart and trust your gut. If the way seems unclear, look within you. Let your voice be heard. You have a story to tell and opinions that count. And a difference to make. Stay curious. Wonder. Take every opportunity to learn, knowledge is a gift, it will take you all places. Hold on to whats important, and let all worries go. No matter how you look at it, some things just don’t make sense. The way you choose to carry on is what really matters. And when you make a list of what you want in life, make another list of what you’ve already got. Be sure to start with all of the things that make you a beautiful person, there are so many. Most of all, remember that you are loved always.”

My best friend sent me this quote when I was going through a very hard time last semester. This quote is hard to explain since it says exactly what it means. I strongly believe in every sentence of this passage. My favorite part is “Hold on to whats important, and let all worries go. No matter how you look at it, some things just don’t make sense. The way you choose to carry on is what really matters.” This is because I have gone through something that has changed my life forever. It impacted me in a way of how I look at life and people. I do not trust people as easily as I used too and I believe that everything has a meaning. This made me realize how strong of a person I truly am and it made me even stronger.

HW 11

Thinking outside the box, another thing that represents our culture would be getting pregnant. In the past 10 years, teenagers and famous people have been having children at a younger age. They even made television shows off teenagers getting pregnant. For instance, MTV has produced 16 & pregnant and Teen Mom 1 and 2. These people have been making money off of getting pregnant with their boyfriend or even a stranger. These girls have had appearances, photoshoots, and other gigs just from getting pregnant. Jamie Lynn Spears also became pregnant at the 16, which ended her Nickelodeon career fast. Another star, like Kourtney Kardashian, has a child to beau, Scott Disick and they have made a show on E! that has made them millions. Girls now think getting pregnant is socially acceptable in todays culture. Unexpectedly, my brother got his girlfriend pregnant in college and it has been a struggle. They have obviously have made it work through the support of their families and friends. When it comes to reality it is so much harder than what girls see on TV and in the magazines. I believe the media has influenced greatly and that is why the pregnancy rate has gone up.

HW 11

I have a picture of my Iphone 4. I think cell phones represent our culture dramatically today. Everyone always has it on them 24/7 and everything is made accessible. There are so many things you can do on a smart phone. For example, browsing the web, checking your bank account, communicating on social networks, playing games, and emailing people are all the wonderful things you can do. Today, people revolve their lives around them. I truly think people have become addicted to them. Especially when it comes to texting, since it is such a quick and easy way to communicate. Most households do not even have a landline phone anymore because they have just become out of date. Mostly telemarketers call them and it is a waste of money. Cell phones have become a better replacement.

homework 10

A big social interaction I am currently involved in this semester is pledging for a sorority. Fraternities and sororities are all over the United States and making a difference. There are many movies that are based around a college atmosphere and involve with Greek life. For example, a very popular movie, The House Bunny, is based around a sorority girl and the obstacles she overcomes. This is very unique to our culture because people that are in Greek life, I think, truly try and help to make a change.  Giving gifts, raising money, and supporting charities, are some of the many different ways we try to better our culture. This affects our culture in numerous ways because it can change people’s lives. For example, people that have disabilities or are less fortunate all benefit from this. I believe being involved in Greek life, helps you better yourself, the country, and the community.

 

Coming to college, was a great opportunity to meet new people. Being involved in a great community such as IUP, has helped me in a way I did not think it could. I meet great people here that I now call my best friends. I went through a rough time with friends my senior year of high school, so getting along with people that have the same interests as me was a great experience. The best part is, is that I know these girls will be here for me and I can always count on them. All of these aspects make us unique because of our individuality. Although we are all different in a way, we share a special bond in our friendship that I know will last forever.

 

Individuality to me is being you. What makes you who you are? To me, I think it is about your lifestyle. From the way you dress, the type of music you listen too, the morals you have, the food you eat, and the way you talk are all aspects of individuality. Every individual is different so therefore, everyone has different tastes. I also believe that the way you were brought up as a child, also makes you who you are. My family, for instance, is a very big Greek family. We eat a lot of food and have a lot of parties. We are also very loud, outspoken, and outgoing and that is why I am the way I am.  I strongly believe that how you were raised, is what makes you who you are. There are a few exceptions but for most cases I consider this is true. 

homework 8

1. An International student visiting IUP would find many different things than what they see in American movies/ television. One thing would be that life is not picture perfect like the movies portray it to be. For instance, like the “perfect football player boy” to fall in love with the “popular cheerleader girl.” In reality, theres a very slim chance that it will happen the way it does in movies and television shows. Mostly all movies have happy endings too, which is rare in life. Also, I do not think people are as mean as they are in movies or television drama. Most students on campus are pretty friendly and will help you out if need be. Television shows and movies portray these examples because the average American likes to see a “happy ending.” People like to see something they could never have or achieve, so therefore they can believe it and/or dream it.

2.Americans view time as a very valuable and precious commodity. People use phrases like “time is money” or “there is never enough time in the day.” This is because American’s lives is so busy and there are always so many things going on. Americans as well as technology move at such a fast pace to keep our lives up-to-date. There is never time to waste because time is scarce.

3. Americans do not like interruptions. This is because we are very direct and like to get straight to the point. There is simply no time for details or a long explanation. In a club or group, interruptions are limited. If the argument is a good change, than it is different. Other than that, interruptions are usually never necessary and a waste a time in a group or club.

4. “In the United States, it is extremely important to extend the same courtesies and respect to all individuals, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, national origin, or sexual orientation.” I think this sentence is very known in the United States, but Americans do not put it intact. I think in the business world it is, but other than that it is not. People still hold grudges against individuals and are still racist or prejudice. People will not change and you can not change the past.